Cities and Centers of Art
4954 Bergamo
Texts by Giovanni Gavazzeni, Simone Facchinetti, Stefan Krause
2021 / 204 PAGES.
Language: Italian
Some Italian cities were, for a part of their history, capitals of smaller or vaster regions, and hosted a court. Not so Bergamo, subject of this volume published by Franco Maria Ricci Editore. In 1428, the city passed under Venetian rule, where it remained – fairly peacefully – until the Napoleonic era. While most capital cities tend to get rid of all traces of their original rusticity, Bergamo developed and polished its origins without rejecting them, exquisitely embodying the mood of the province.
Giovanni Gavazzeni retraces the history of the city, where flowing waters, dialect and music blend in a harmonious melody, while Simone Facchinetti’s text reveals the artistic wonders of Bergamo and its surrounding area in an itinerary which, starting from Veneto masters Bellini and Lotto, touches on the “painters of reality” Moroni and Ghislandi and ends with the highly original Bonomini, moving between masterpieces from the Accademia Carrara and gems hidden in the city churches and nearby valleys. Last but not least, Stefan Krause tells the story of the adventurous life of Bartolomeo Colleoni, a soldier of fortune and condottiere who played a crucial role in the Bergamo Renaissance. Side by side with the texts, we find images of the loveliest spots in Bergamo, photographed by Massimo Listri. From the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore to Palazzo Terzi and Palazzo Moroni, with their opulence and frescos, to the Cappella Colleoni, these photographs give readers the impression of a cultured and lively city that ponders its history with no narcissism. This volume, printed using the typical Bodoni typeface and produced in collaboration with Crédit Agricole Italia, pays homage to and encourages a city of astonishing power and beauty that is taking its fate back into its own hands.