Artistic Treasures from the Diocesan Museum of Parma

Following up on yesterday’s post about the cathedral of Parma, here are Nicola’s photos from the diocesan museum. This gilded copper angel, made in the 15th century, used to stand on top of the belltower, until it was damaged by a lightning bolt in 2009, and removed to the museum for preservation. (The tower now has a copy.) 

The original architect of the cathedral, Benedetto Antelami (1150-1230 ca.), was also a sculptor; this Deposition from the Cross was part of a pulpit which he made for the church, dismantled in 16th century.  

A cast of a Romanesque baptismal font (date uncertain: 9th-12th cent.), decorated with figures of the clergy serving at the blessing of the font during the Easter vigil. Originally located in the parish of St Germinianus in Vicofertile. 

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The Cathedral of Parma

For a random day in the Marian month of October, here are some pictures which Nicola de’ Grandi took of the cathedral of Parma, Italy, which is dedicated to the Assumption. This will be followed up with pictures from the diocesan museum, and an updated set from the marvelous Romanesque baptistery, which is full of frescos in a fairly good state of preservation.  

The façade, completed in 1178, and the belltower, seen from one of the narrow medieval streets across the piazza. The tower was built in 1284-94, and was originally supposed to have a twin on the opposite side of the church, but this was never even begun.

Lions, copied from Roman sarcophagi, were a popular motif in the Italian Romanesque, and often placed to either side of the main door of church with columns resting on their back to hold up a porch above it.  

The interior decorations are largely the result of a massive renovation and restoration of the 16th century. The vault of the nave was frescoed with prophets, angels and symbolic figures of the virtues by an artist native to the city, Girolamo Bedoli (1500 ca. - 1569), between 1555-57.

The illusionistic fresco of the Assumption inside the cupola is by Parma’s best known artist of the High Renaissance, Antonio Allegri (1499-1534), generally known as il Correggio. (Gregorio Allegri, composer of the famous Miserere, was of the same family, but born half a century after his death.)
  

The preaching pulpit, 1613, by Paolo Froni

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