Amphitheater at Capua
I took this picture today while visiting the ruins of the Roman amphitheater at Capua, just northeast of Naples. It was the second largest in the empire, second only to the more famous ‘Coliseum’ in Rome. It was here in Capua that the Thracian gladiator Spartacus fought before escaping and eventually leading a slave rebellion in the 70s BCE. Only the bones are left of this once giant structure. It was good to get here as my day was otherwise a disappointment. I’d gone to Capua to see the medieval 10th century church of Sant’Angelo in Formis, only to find it closed. Such is travel.
Triple Temples at Paestum
I took the train to Paestum today, a place I hadn’t been to in 34 years. When I first visited, in 1981, I was there with Martin Dent, who in those months I was running into with regularity as our itineraries seemed strangely synched. Later, we travelled together in Turkey and, as fate would have it, I’ve been able to keep in touch with him all these years as he lives in Santa Barbara. There are three 5th century BCE Greek temples at Paestum, the one in this picture the best preserved and one of the best preserved anywhere. It was a great day. The recent rains have fooled the plants: everywhere the grass is green and the spring flowers are blooming.
Find the Archimboldo
Another one of Naples’ nice shop fronts. Flowers are always nice I guess. In this one your challenge is to find the Giuseppe Archimboldo amongst the real foliage!
Lion of St Mark
In the Baptistery of Giovanni delle Fonte, appended to the Naples cathedral (or, rather, the cathedral appended to it), there are some wonderful 4th century mosaics in the ceiling. The four evangelists are represented by their symbols, and the best preserved is the lion that symbolizes St Mark. They’re rare examples of Paleo-christian art. Later in November I’ll be returning to Ravenna to see more mosaics. Can’t wait.
Knock, Knock
These are the bronze doors from the Castello Nuovo in Naples. Apparently someone wanted in and fired an iron cannon ball at them and the cannon ball got stuck in the doors. I’m not sure if that means it was a lousy cannon ball or a strong door. Either way, there it is. I’m not sure who fired it, but Napoleon comes to mind as a possible culprit. I’ll have to do some research on that. If anyone knows, tell me. The doors themselves are covered in wonderful reliefs produced during Alfonso I’s reign as king of the two Sicilies. They show his military campaigns juxtaposed with scenes from the Trojan War. Alfonso wasn’t shy about self-aggrandizement.
Another Napoli Shop
Here’s another storefront in Naples that caught my eye this morning. They’re so inviting. It’s good marketing, to make such a warm looking place along the streets. In truth, the streets of Naples often have lots of garbage and dirt in them. They’re not the most beautiful in the world, but shops like this shine like little commercial beacons.
St Gennero
St Gennero is the patron saint of Naples. I took this picture in his chapel in the Naples cathedral. It was near closing time, and the guardians were rushing me, but I snapped this picture with the hand of a life-size silver statue of the Virgin Mary–or her hand, at least–gesturing with a colourful Baroque painting in the background. I tried to make it look like the figure in the painting was reacting to the Virgin’s blessing hand.
Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I (1751-1825), who, somewhat amazingly, was also known as Ferdinand III and Ferdinand the IV (history does get complex sometimes) had this bronze equestrian statue made. I tried to make him as heroic as I could. He charges into space in the Piazza Plebiscito in Naples. What or who he’s after I can only guess. I think he must be chasing the pigeons who like to sit on his head.
Jesuit Dome
This is the dome of the Jesuit church in Naples, Il Gesu. Its interior is a smaller version of St Peter’s in Rome and just as ornate. The dome is impressive and the light particularly beautiful today. I had my share of churches; I think I visited about seven today. Enough even for me.
Proud Lion
This lion seems very proud and content. He rests at one side of the huge, sweeping colonnade of the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. The temple-like structure on the left is the entrance to the church of San Francesco de Paolo, like the colonnade, an unapologetic Neo-classical monument not far from the Palazzo Reale and the Teatro Carlo, both currently under restoration. The church is based on the Pantheon in Rome.
Expressionist Napoli
The graffiti and myriad posters on the walls of Naples’ buildings are to me sort of beautiful. The graffiti artists are often good, and somehow their work has risen from vandalism to the realm of street art. That, with the torn posters and notices pasted up then worn down, create visual compositions that many modern artists strove for in their collages. Every once and awhile one section catches my eye.
Galleria Umberto I
The Galleria of Umberto I (king at the time of the building’s construction) is one of Naples’ great 19th century masterpieces. Built between 1887 and 1891, by the architect Emanuele Rocco, it imitates Milan’s Galleria of Vittorio Emanuele II. This picture is of the dome at the center of the cross-shaped plan, with one of the halls extending off to the right. It’s a marvelous sight. The light today was diffuse but bright, making this a tough exposure. But as black and white it brings out the patterns of the iron supports for the glass panes. It hardly does the place justice. It’s under restoration now, with lots of scaffolding up. I look forward to coming back again next year and being able to take some new pictures of it. It’s one of Naples’ most compelling interior spaces.
Devotion
This was another painting in the galleries of the Castello Nuovo. This one was a 15th century altarpiece. The gold in the work was rich and warm. The dove of the holy spirit is supposed to be emitting light, but it looks more like it’s exploding. The worshipper seems to be a pope; at least that looks like a papal tiara, but the labels weren’t great at the museum.
