Venice Carnival and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 9. Brescia, Santa Giulia Museum
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 1. Venice >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 2. Vicenza >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 3. Pescul >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 4. Pescul >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 5. Pescul >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 6. Fedare >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 7. Surroundings of Pescul >>>
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 8. Brescia >>>
25.02. 17
Brescia. Santa Giulia Museum. This is a huge museum complex,
located in the former Benedictine convent of Santa Giulia. The monastery was built by the last Lombard king Desiderius in the 8th century.
The museum is “three in one”: a monastery complex, a historical museum and an art gallery. It was scheduled for three hours, and the time, one might say, was barely enough.
Let's start with the historical museum.
The mosaics were not brought here. They are here, under the monastery, and were discovered. 1st century AD e.
The most interesting mosaic is this one, all four faces are very expressive:
The most durable “paints”:
It can be difficult to tear Olga away from the amphorae:
Romans:
Bronze, 3rd century AD e. Bronze sculptures are rare. Christians, fighting paganism, actively melted down Roman statues (and who are the barbarians in this case? ).
Shadow play:
The Romans often copied Greek statues. So, Aphrodite (half-naked and with a mirror in her hands) became Victoria (in a tunic and with wings):
Next comes the Lombard hall, then the halls of the period of the independent urban commune and the Venetian.
Saint Faustin:
In the monastery complex of the museum, the oldest building is the Basilica of San Salvatore from the time of the Lombards, 8th century. The Lombards, being barbarian aliens, adopted the contemporary Byzantine culture, so the basilica looks “usual”.
And some of the columns were borrowed from the Romans, since the Roman ruins were here.
9th century frescoes:
“Burned up, demons! ”:
All buildings of the monastery complex are connected by corridors and stairs. There are also several courtyards, but you can only look at them from the windows.
Chapel of Santa Maria in Solario, 12th century.
Frescoes of the 16th and 17th centuries.
One of the main exhibits of the museum is La Croce di Desiderio (Desiderius Cross), 9th century. (True, Desiderius died before the cross was made).
Precious stones - from different countries and different centuries.
A mother with children in a medallion (in the center) looks amazingly modern:
Gold painting on glass. According to one version, this is “Galla Placidia – the daughter of the Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great.
In 414-415 she was the queen of the Visigoths, in 425-437 she was the ruler of the Western Roman Empire”.
In the 16th century (then Brescia was under the rule of the Venetian Republic), after the construction and painting of magnificent choirs, the monastery acquired the appearance that has survived to this day.
In this room, the nuns could listen to masses, avoiding unwanted contact with the parishioners.
Quality restoration 1966-2002:
Round windows are almost always a sure sign of Renaissance architecture:
Curtains - painted on the wall:
The museum also has an art gallery.
Views:
16th century outfit:
“Falconry”:
“Saint George and the Dragon”:
The dragon is especially good. And there is also a cow coming out of an exotic forest.
In general, it is not for nothing that the museum is considered one of the best in Northern Italy.
Carnival of Venice and the Dolomites in one trip. Part 10. Doge's Palace >>>
