St. Francis "all seraphic in ardor"
collections
Exhibitions
Pontremoli’s tribute to Italy’s Patron Saint through light and vision
From July 18 to November 29, in the Sala dei Sindaci at Palazzo Comunale in Pontremoli (Town Hall), the Serafino Terreno exhibition pays tribute to St. Francis of Assisi on the 800th anniversary of his death.
The exhibition explores the ancient bond between the saint and the city, which, according to tradition, began in 1219, when Francis passed through Pontremoli after the founding of the monastery of Sarzana.
That encounter gave rise to a deep relationship, reflected over the centuries in the numerous works dedicated to the Saint preserved in the city’s places of worship and by his recognition as a co-patron saint of Pontremoli.
The exhibition brings together two paintings by Annibale Carracci and Gherardo delle Notti, created between the late 16th century and the first decades of the 17th century.
The works offer interpretations of the theme of seraphic ardor through different artistic languages: Carracci’s classical composure and narrative clarity are countered by the powerful contrasts of light and the emotional intensity of Gherardo delle Notti’s Caravaggesque style of painting.
