The conference “Per via. The Power of Images Between Art, History, and Society,” organized by the Ateneo di Salò, will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024, at the Sala dei Provveditori in the Municipality of Salò. It will feature numerous experts from the cultural and historical-artistic landscape. The central theme will be the role of images as a means of communication and symbolism throughout the centuries, with a particular focus on the interaction between art, history, and social context.
Mountains and the Sacred: A Legacy Between Prehistory and Romanity
The first presentation, by Marco Baioni, director of the Archaeological Museum of Valle Sabbia in Gavardo, will explore places of worship in Valle Sabbia from the prehistoric to the Roman era. Baioni will present the findings of a study that has revealed an unprecedented cult landscape, composed of small and medium-sized sanctuaries located at the valley’s edges. The analysis will also focus on the continuity of the sacred in some of these locations, highlighting a persistence of sanctity over the centuries.
Saint Anthony of Padua: The Ex-Voto Carved in Gargnano
Gigliola Gorio from the University of Trento will illustrate a rare example of a stone ex-voto dating back to 1301. The work, created by Delaido da Lodi for the Church of San Francesco in Gargnano, represents one of the earliest sculptural iconographies of Saint Anthony of Padua. Gorio will analyze the decision to immortalize the saint in stone as an act of gratitude for a miraculous healing, emphasizing the communicative power of sacred art within the Franciscan context.
Miraculous Devotions in the Modern Age
The presentation by Andrea Crescini from the Ateneo di Salò will focus on the miraculous devotion towards Saints Anthony the Abbot and Roch during the modern age. Crescini will trace the evolution of these cult figures, highlighting how popular tradition has shaped their protective roles, especially during times of crisis, such as the epidemics of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Lion of Saint Mark: Symbol and Brand of the Serenissima
Alessandro Marzo Magno from the Ateneo Veneto will offer a reflection on the Lion of Saint Mark, which became the quintessential symbol of the Republic of Venice starting in 1261. Through an analysis of the political and cultural significance of the Lion of Saint Mark, Magno will demonstrate how this symbol survived the fall of the Serenissima, evolving into a kind of “brand” for the city.
The Communicative Strategy of Cardinal Querini
The presentation by Ennio Ferraglio from the Queriniana Library in Brescia will focus on Angelo Maria Querini, bishop of Brescia in the 18th century. Ferraglio will highlight Querini’s pioneering use of images to communicate cultural and pastoral content, outlining the profile of one of the major figures of the Italian Enlightenment.
Monumentomania Between Sacred and Profane
Michela Valotti will analyze the debate surrounding monumental statuary between the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the works of Angelo Zanelli and Libero Andreotti. The presentation will address the theme of “monumentomania,” which surged in conjunction with the Great War, examining the complex relationship between art and patriotic rhetoric.
Urban Art: Between Vandalism and Regeneration
Finally, Giovanni Gandolfi and Mattia Talarico, both from LABA in Brescia, will provide insights into contemporary urban creativity. Their presentation will explore the distinctions between Graffiti Writing, Street Art, and Contemporary Muralism, and how these art forms interact with urban space, creating a debate on the contradictions between art and vandalism.
Italian Version
