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| A poignant painting of a mother and child by Aleardo Villa (1865-1906), a native of Ravello |
Much of my time in Parma was spent at the 45th Fall Mercanteinfiera, an international fair of antiques, modern design, and collectibles. Imagine eight enormous exhibition halls, some resembling airplane hangars, filled with dealers from every corner of Italy and beyond, offering an astonishing array of objects spanning centuries of history.
Sifting through the countless treasures, I encountered many fascinating and beautiful things. Among the most exciting discoveries for me were works by the great Neapolitan artist Vincenzo Gemito. Yet as remarkable as the objects themselves were, I found the conversations with their owners even more rewarding. Many were eager to discuss the history, provenance, and peculiar circumstances surrounding their wares.
While inquiring about a drawing of Gabriele D’Annunzio, one merchant asked where I was from. When I replied Brooklyn (I always say Brooklyn before New York or America), he seemed genuinely astonished. Apparently, he held a rather low opinion of Americans’ knowledge of European history and could scarcely believe my interest in the subject. I wasn’t quite sure whether to feel offended or proud.
Conversations with several other dealers also opened doors to objects not publicly displayed. Among the more curious discoveries were supposedly “scandalous” photographs of Yukio Mishima and D’Annunzio, brought out for my private inspection. Why these particular images were kept hidden away remains a mystery, especially considering the abundance of erotic art openly exhibited throughout the fair.
Despite the many things I would have liked to purchase, I exercised an unusual degree of restraint and came away with just two personal acquisitions, a carved mano fica amulet and an old monocle. Not a bad haul, considering I was there for work and the temptations were considerable.
Next: The Many Pleasures of Parma
~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 13th, Feasts of Beato Gerardo, Santa Chelidonia di Subiaco, and St. Edward the Confessor
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| A dramatic coastal scene by Giuseppe Casciaro (1863-1941), A native of Ortelle, in the province of Lecce, Apulia |
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| A striking drawing and a bronze bust by Vincenzo Gemito (1852-1929), a native of Naples and one of Southern Italy's most celebrated sculptors |
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| Two expressive bronze sculptures by Gemito, capturing the vitality and character of everyday life in Naples |
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| View of the Gulf of Naples with Mount Vesuvius, tempera on paper by unidentified Neapolitan painter, 18th-19th century |
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| Nocturne in the Gulf of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in Eruption, oil on canvas by unidentified Neapolitan painter, early 19th century |
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| Two richly adorned busts of San Gennaro |
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| Three works of religious art depicting Santa Maria Maddalena (left and right) and San Francesco di Paola (center) |
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| A reliquary of Santa Agnese (left) and an assortment of elaborately decorated reliquaries and devotional objects (right) |
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| An assortment of ornate reliquaries containing relics of various saints |
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| An assortment of historic chivalric and military decorations, including insignia of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, distinguished by its red cross and the Chi-Rho monogram of Christ |
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| A medal awarded to soldiers who fought in the 1849 Sicilian Campaign under King Ferdinando II of the Two Sicilies (left), alongside two magnificent decorations of the Royal Order of San Gennaro (center and right), one of the most prestigious chivalric orders of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
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| An ornate decoration of the Royal Order of San Gennaro, featuring the patron saint of Naples in episcopal vestments, surrounded by a jeweled cross and the order’s Latin motto, In Sanguine Foedus (“A Bond in Blood”) |
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| A replica of the Prussian Order Pour le Mérite, featuring a blue enamel cross, royal crown, and the French inscription Pour le Mérite (“For Merit”), one of Prussia’s most prestigious military decorations |
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| Three magnificent examples of European military headgear, featuring elaborately decorated helmets with gilded fittings, ornate crests, and distinctive plumes, reflecting the pageantry and martial traditions of the 19th century |
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| An assortment of antique flintlock and percussion pistols, featuring wooden stocks, engraved metal fittings, and the distinctive craftsmanship of European gunsmiths of the 18th and 19th centuries |
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Three portraits of Gabriele D’Annunzio (1863–1938), the celebrated poet, novelist, and soldier, represented in two sculpted busts and a framed drawing |
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| A colorful assortment of vintage tinplate wind-up motorcycle toys |
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| A vintage Moto Guzzi Galletto, the distinctive Italian motor scooter produced between 1950 and 1966, combining the practicality of a scooter with the engineering of a motorcycle |
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| Two striking crowned skulls, one silver-toned and the other gilded, evoking the memento mori tradition and the transience of earthly power, wealth, and glory |
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| Two macabre examples of memento mori art: a pair of elaborately dressed skeletal figures (left) and a haunting sculpture of a skull-faced Franciscan friar (right), reminders of the inevitability of death and the fleeting nature of earthly existence |
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| A reclining female figure, possibly Cleopatra, depicted in the final moments of life, with an overturned drinking vessel and a scepter beside her, suggesting a tragic death by poison |
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| An elegant assortment of decorative antiques |
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| An eclectic assortment of antiques, including an ornate belt from a traditional Sicilian folk costume depicting San Giorgio slaying the dragon (left), two elaborately dressed marionettes in medieval armor (center), and a whimsical ceramic caricature of Totò, the beloved Neapolitan actor and comedian, holding a bowl inscribed Doppio Brodo (right) |
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| Two elegant examples of decorative art featuring female figures: an Art Nouveau-style absinthe dispenser supported by a silver-toned maiden (left) and a gilded sculptural lamp depicting a nude woman holding an illuminated globe aloft (right) |
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| An intriguing assortment of figurative art, including a bronze sculpture of a kneeling nude woman (left), a vintage photograph of a reclining female nude (center), and a sculptural composition depicting two embracing women (right), celebrating the beauty and sensuality of the female form |