Better Late Than Never: A Look at Tommaso De Vivo’s ‘Storia del Regno delle Due Sicilie’ (Part 2)

It has come to my attention that we never actually posted the pictures of Tommaso De Vivo’s (c.1790-1884) oversized bilingual (French and Italian) Storia del Regno Delle Due Sicilie (1833) that I referenced in Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 4). Originally taken back in 2019, I’m taking the opportunity now to post a few of my favorite illustrations from the monumental work.

See Part 1

Better Late Than Never: Historical Prints from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

It appears I didn’t just forget to post Tommaso De Vivo’s (c.1790-1884) oversized bilingual (French and Italian) Storia del Regno Delle Due Sicilie (1833) back in 2019; I somehow neglected to share a handful of other loose pages, including an amazing illustration of King Ferdinando I of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies as the “restorer or religion,” portraits of King Ferdinando II and Queen Maria Teresa, and a hand-colored lithograph depicting the Neapolitan Industrial Exhibition on 28 May 1853.

Antique Map of Italy with Female National Allegories

Among the many invaluable items I’m currently archiving for a friend is a beautiful antique map of Italy dating from the papacy of Pope Clement XII (1730-1740). Nicely detailed, I especially love the illustration in the lower left-hand corner showing the female personification of the various states of Italy offering fealty to the Holy Father. Among them can be seen the twin effigies of Naples and Sicily presenting the obligatory white horse (chinea) given in homage to the Supreme Pontiff as feudal Suzerain of the kingdoms.

The custom is said, by some, to have originated with the Normans in 1053 following their victory over Pope St. Leo IX. Others claim it began in 1059 when Pope Nicholas II made Robert Guiscard the Duke of Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily at Melfi. In addition to the prized horse, 12 Pavian denarii were imposed for each yoke of oxen in the newly conquered lands. Periodically changed over the centuries, this was later fixed to 7,000 golden ducats by Pope Leo X during the investiture of Emperor Charles V in 1521. The tribute was presented to the Holy See each year with great pomp on June 28th, the vigil of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

Further reading
• "Pius VI and the French Revolution," Donat Sampson, The American Catholic Quarterly Review, Vol. XXXI. No. 121, January to October, 1906, pp. 413-440

Around the Web: Confessions of an American Monarchist

Reprinted from the European Conservative

By Charles A. Coulombe

There may be liberty under a right monarchy: there has come a sort of slavery under the democracies of the modern form where a political oligarchy and a money oligarchy, now in alliance, now in conflict, have brought about grave disorder, social chaos, and the negation of the free and the good life, under the forms of a free commonwealth founded on assumptions that are baseless biologically, philosophically, historically, and from the standpoint of plain commonsense. ~ Ralph Adams Cram, Invitation to Monarchy

Although it is less so now, for the better part of my life, the phrase “American Monarchist” has been something of a chimæra, like “dehydrated water.” The very notion of monarchy was consciously or otherwise held in contempt in my native land. If an American expressed a fondness for the institution, he was obviously spitting on the flag, mom, and apple pie. The absurdity of the idea was underscored by the very success of our great nation, a superpower that stalked the planet. Our very national identity, after all, was founded on a revolution against a monarchy portrayed as tyrannical (cf. Schoolhouse Rock’s “No More Kings”). All of our civic holidays—Independence Day, Memorial Day, Washington’s Birthday, Veteran’s Day, Flag Day, Constitution Day, and on and on—celebrated our republican institutions, and disparaged what they had replaced. Every morning, schoolchildren swore the Pledge of Allegiance “to the flag, and to the Republic for which it stands.” As a boy, I certainly partook of all this quite happily. Continue reading

Better Late Than Never: A Look at Tommaso De Vivo’s ‘Storia del Regno delle Due Sicilie’ (Part 1)

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

It has come to my attention that we never actually posted the pictures of Tommaso De Vivo’s (c.1790-1884) oversized bilingual (French and Italian) Storia del Regno Delle Due Sicilie (1833) that I referenced in Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 4). Originally taken back in 2019, I’m taking the opportunity now to post a few of my favorite illustrations from the monumental work.

A Prayer for Dagestan

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of the June 23rd terror attack in Derbent, Dagestan, in Russia. May St. Nicholas, St. Sergius of Radonezh, and the Theotokos protect and watch over you.

Prayer for Victims of Terrorism

Loving God, welcome into your arms the victims of violence and terrorism. Comfort their families and all who grieve for them. Help us in our fear and uncertainty, and bless us with the knowledge that we are secure in your love. Strengthen all those who work for peace, and may the peace the world cannot give reign in our hearts. Amen.

* Pictured: Russian Byzantine Catholic icon of the Theotokos (God-bearer)

Go Cats Go!

Generally not a fan of professional sports, especially American sports, the only U.S. teams I would deign to follow today are Rocco Commisso’s New York Cosmos (if they’re ever relaunched) and Vincent Viola’s Florida Panthers. The former is out of sentimentality for my childhood team and love for the “beautiful game,” aka football (American: soccer), and the latter is out of respect, loyalty, and admiration for the proud Italian American ownership, whose munificence extends far and wide.

I’m afraid the continued modernization, globalization, and sanitization of professional sports, not to mention cringe player antics and acquiescence to whatever the “latest thing” is, leaves me cold. Increasingly unwatchable, Serie A and Napoli were the last holdouts, however the atmosphere and mentality of Italian football (Italian: calcio) have changed so much in recent years that I’m finding it less compelling or relatable. Even after winning our third Scudetto (2022-2023), I couldn’t do more than check the scores last season (2023-2024). Luckily, my decision to spurn the matches spared me the pain of watching that miserable campaign. Finishing in 10th place, it was the worst title defense in Serie A history.

Unlike my steadfast allegiance to Napoli, which is based on sociopolitical fealty to my ancestral capital and a sense of solidarity with the diehard Neapolitan tifosi, my rooting for Florida in the Stanley Cup Final is based solely (as I have already mentioned) on respect, loyalty, and admiration for the Viola family. In the case of Napoli, footballers, coaches, and owners come and go, but the city they represent is eternal and all that really matters to me. They can languish in Serie C (Lega Pro) and I will still support them. On the other hand, my support for the Panthers is contingent on the ownership, not any esprit de corps with Floridians or fondness for the team. If the franchise were ever to change hands, so would my support. It’s that simple.

Until professional sports brings back something I can identify with and enjoy I will continue to entertain myself, whenever possible, with “alternative,” amateur, and more traditional sports, like water jousting (la joute nautique), fencing (scherma), and coursing (caccia), among others. Give me the Palio di Siena, the Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare, or Calcio Storico Fiorentino over the Super Bowl, or any other over-hyped commercialized cup final, any day of the week. Forza Napoli Sempre! Go Cats Go!

~ Giovanni di Napoli, June 23rd, Feast of Santa Agrippina

Photo of the Week: The Venus Callipyge

The Venus Callipyge, Roman, 1st or 2nd century BC. Museo
Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Happy Birthday Princess Maria Carolina!

HRH was born in Rome, Italy on June 23, 2003

Photo courtesy of Real Casa di Borbone

Happy Birthday Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria and Palermo! May God's love and affection be with you always! Auguri Altezza Reale!

Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 4)

Sifting through my friend's massive collection, I happened on a batch of monarchist-themed prints. Definitely worth another look, I first saw these back in 2019 at his old office. However, if I remember correctly, they were part of a larger assemblage of works. I specifically remember a hand-colored lithograph depicting the Neapolitan Industrial Exhibition on 28 May 1853 and Tommaso De Vivo's oversized Storia del Regno delle Due Sicilie (1833), among others, being a part of the set. Somehow these pieces got separated and mixed in with other documents. With several storage facilities brimming with artifacts to pore over, the hunt for the missing works will be intriguing, to say the least.

Also see: 

• Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 1)

• Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 2)

• Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 3)

Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 3)

Friends with an avid collector of Two Sicilies ephemera (among other things), I’ve been given an extraordinary opportunity to examine and handle a unique array of artifacts I would not normally have access to other than in books and online resources. Some of the more interesting items I’ve been working on preserving are his collection of newspaper clippings with beautifully rendered illustrations depicting newsworthy events in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Also see: 

• Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 1)

• Helping Preserve Another Great Collection (Part 2)