Maria Luisa Ricci
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Historia del Arte, Department Member
- University of Macerata, Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione, dei Beni Culturali e del Turismo, Faculty MemberUniversidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Departamento de Historia del arte, Department MemberUniversità Di Macerata, Scienze della formazione, dei Beni Culturali e del Turismo, Graduate Studentadd
- Art History, Italian Renaissance Art, Renaissance Studies, Christian Iconography, Iconography, 16th Century Italian Art, and 15 moreEarly Modern Italy, Mediterranean Studies, Early modern Spain, Early Modern Captivity, History of Slavery, History of slavery in the Mediterrenean, History of the Book, Visual Studies, Religious Conversion and Converts in the Early Modern Mediterranean context, Iconografia mariana, Barbary Pirates, Early Modern Captivity Narratives, Early modern Mediterranaean, Art of Religious Orders, and Preti Mattiaedit
On 28 January 1193, St John of Matha had a vision as he celebrated his first Mass. In it, Christ was holding the hands of two men in chains, one black and deformed and the other white and malnourished. After this event, John of Matha and... more
On 28 January 1193, St John of Matha had a vision as he celebrated his first Mass. In it, Christ was holding the hands of two men in chains, one black and deformed and the other white and malnourished. After this event, John of Matha and Felix of Valois founded the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, which received the approval of Pope Innocent III in 1198. The order’s mission was the redemption of Christian slaves from the hands of the Saracens to prevent them from renouncing their faith and embracing that of the infidels. From the 13th century onward, depictions of the saint’s vision became the iconographic topos of the order itself. This article aims to analyse images of the Muslim slave in the vision of St John of Matha, particularly in the numerous examples still found in the Church of the Santissima Trinità degli Spagnoli in Rome, in which the Muslim slave is given certain singular features.
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Art historians, conservators and restorers, have traditionally shown interest in knowingthe nature of the pigments of the art works they study. On the one hand, they areespecially interested in knowing how artworks are made. They search... more
Art historians, conservators and restorers, have traditionally shown interest in knowingthe nature of the pigments of the art works they study. On the one hand, they areespecially interested in knowing how artworks are made. They search the presence ofcertain materials with purposes of expertise (to propose attributions or just toestimate their age). On the other hand, in the field of conservation there are otherinterests that prevail: to identify the pigments and their composition canhelp to guessthe possible problems that a piece may have, or it can serve to choose the propersolutions for such pathologies. However, when studying paintings, both kinds ofprofessionals have to deal with limitations. Neither is always possible to co-work withchemicals or physicals –who can led the identification of materials with XRF, RAMAN,spectrometers or other instruments–, nor they have budget or resources to carry outsuch analysis. Instead, both art historians and conservators work frequently with thephoto camera, which, at least, could help in some way to identify pigments. In the lastyears, several studies dealing with multiband imaging applied to works of art haveachieved successfully results with that purpose (Herrero et al. 2018: 5-15); (Cosentino2014: 2-12). Multiband analysis consists of series of images in different regions of thespectrum. A full spectrum camera is commonly used as main device due to itspossibilities to work within the UV range and also within the IR (300-1100nm). Themultiband analysis (MBTI) consists of a series of photographs, UVR, UVF, VIS, IR, IRR,IRF, IRFC, and, excluding the IRR, all the rest are done with that same device.
24Even ifthe diverse techniques which MBTI comprises have their own independent value,(specially IRFC), when they are used together they provide much more information, bycomparing the many results. (Poldi; Villa, 2006: 127-137); (Cosentino 2014; 2016: 4-5)This study proposes the observation of the behaviour of 20 historical pigments anddyes throughout the spectrum, in the different images of MBTI. Some have been usedsince Antiquity, and others incorporated progressively on the palette of painters, untilthe 18th century. They have been bound with oil, painted on a surface prepared withchalk-glue ground, similar to traditional preparation. They all have been previouslycharacterized with RAMAN. Then, they have been imaged in VIS, IR and UV ranges. Inorder to calibrate colours a modified AIC target has been used (Cosentino 2014: 3).Although the system can not be considered precise, (and should be backed with somephysical or chemical analysis before extracting definitive conclusions) it can help, at least to a first approach. It is a very economical, visual-based, non-invasive fast system.It serves to check the presence of some materials (in some cases, the system proves tobe almost infallible). Hence, with very basic equipment, interesting results for arthistorians and conservators can be obtained.
24Even ifthe diverse techniques which MBTI comprises have their own independent value,(specially IRFC), when they are used together they provide much more information, bycomparing the many results. (Poldi; Villa, 2006: 127-137); (Cosentino 2014; 2016: 4-5)This study proposes the observation of the behaviour of 20 historical pigments anddyes throughout the spectrum, in the different images of MBTI. Some have been usedsince Antiquity, and others incorporated progressively on the palette of painters, untilthe 18th century. They have been bound with oil, painted on a surface prepared withchalk-glue ground, similar to traditional preparation. They all have been previouslycharacterized with RAMAN. Then, they have been imaged in VIS, IR and UV ranges. Inorder to calibrate colours a modified AIC target has been used (Cosentino 2014: 3).Although the system can not be considered precise, (and should be backed with somephysical or chemical analysis before extracting definitive conclusions) it can help, at least to a first approach. It is a very economical, visual-based, non-invasive fast system.It serves to check the presence of some materials (in some cases, the system proves tobe almost infallible). Hence, with very basic equipment, interesting results for arthistorians and conservators can be obtained.
Research Interests:
Il 15 ottobre del 1788 un prestigioso evento interessò la famiglia Benincasa di Ancona: il matrimonio tra il rampollo Stefano Benincasa e la principessa romana Ignazia Altieri. Un’alleanza così vantaggiosa, per una nobile famiglia di... more
Il 15 ottobre del 1788 un prestigioso evento interessò la famiglia Benincasa di Ancona: il matrimonio tra il rampollo Stefano Benincasa e la principessa romana Ignazia Altieri. Un’alleanza così vantaggiosa, per una nobile famiglia di provincia, non poteva che essere celebrata attraverso una campagna decorativa che interessò tre delle nove stanze del piano nobile. I documenti emersi grazie ad una fortunata ricerca d’archivio certificano che l’ideatore del ciclo iconografico fu l’oratoriano Giuseppe Benincasa, zio dello sposo. La lettura delle immagini ha inoltre permesso di delineare il profilo dell’estensore del programma, nonché probabile committente del ciclo. Nel celebrare il profondo legame della famiglia con la città di Ancona, Giuseppe rievoca anche la sua dotta cultura religiosa che emerge ad esempio nell’ideazione della Stanza delle Beatitudini, per la quale elabora un originalissimo programma iconografico.
On 15 October 1788 a prestigious event interested the Benincasa family of Ancona: the marriage between descendant Stefano Benincasa and roman princess Ignazia Altieri. An alliance so advantageous, for a noble family of the province, could only be celebrated through a decorative campaign that affected three of the nine rooms of the main floor. The documents emerged by a successful archival research certify that the creator of the iconographic cycle was the oratorian Giuseppe Benincasa, the groom's uncle. Reading images has also enabled us to identify the extensor profile of the program and likely patron of the cycle. In celebrating the deep connection of the family with the town of Ancona, Giuseppe also recalls his erudite religious culture that emerges for example in the design of the Beatitudes Room, for which realizes a highly original iconographic program.
On 15 October 1788 a prestigious event interested the Benincasa family of Ancona: the marriage between descendant Stefano Benincasa and roman princess Ignazia Altieri. An alliance so advantageous, for a noble family of the province, could only be celebrated through a decorative campaign that affected three of the nine rooms of the main floor. The documents emerged by a successful archival research certify that the creator of the iconographic cycle was the oratorian Giuseppe Benincasa, the groom's uncle. Reading images has also enabled us to identify the extensor profile of the program and likely patron of the cycle. In celebrating the deep connection of the family with the town of Ancona, Giuseppe also recalls his erudite religious culture that emerges for example in the design of the Beatitudes Room, for which realizes a highly original iconographic program.
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Nella primavera del 1788 Giuseppe Benincasa avvia i lavori di decorazione del piano nobile del palazzo di famiglia in via della Loggia. L'occasione di tale rinnovamento è il matrimonio, celebrato qualche mese più tardi, tra suo nipote, il... more
Nella primavera del 1788 Giuseppe Benincasa avvia i lavori di decorazione del piano nobile del palazzo di famiglia in via della Loggia. L'occasione di tale rinnovamento è il matrimonio, celebrato qualche mese più tardi, tra suo nipote, il marchese Stefano Benincasa, e la principessa romana Ignazia Altieri. Nel 1803 Stefano convola a seconde nozze con la nobildonna Olimpia Rangoni Terzi di Modena: anche per questo evento, su diretto interessamento dello sposo, si decide di decorare altre stanze del piano nobile. Nelle due interessanti campagne decorative coesistono soggetti di carattere sacro e profano, frutto delle diverse strade che il destino ha tracciato per i due estensori del programma iconografico. L'oratoriano Giuseppe rievoca la sua profonda cultura cristiana, attraverso temi e soggetti carichi di significati redenzionali; suo nipote Stefano decide invece d'immergersi in mondi fantastici ed esotici, celebrando le sue capacità e le sue ambizioni.
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El objetivo del presente libro es presentar nuevas preguntas de investigación a asuntos que la historiografía lleva trabajando desde hace años, vinculadas con las relaciones entre cristianos viejos, conversos, moriscos y esclavos en la... more
El objetivo del presente libro es presentar nuevas preguntas de investigación a asuntos que la historiografía lleva trabajando desde hace años, vinculadas con las relaciones entre cristianos viejos, conversos, moriscos y esclavos en la península ibérica, así como sus conexiones mediterráneas y atlánticas. A través de diversos casos de estudio se plantea la necesidad de renovar las metodologías de análisis, se cuestionan las categorías o departamentos estancos con los que durante años se han analizado dichos asuntos. El estudio de la cultura visual y las fuentes de archivo, gran parte inéditas, dan luz al complejo entramado social de la edad moderna ibérica.
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This volume offers a unique exploration into the cultural history of the Mediterranean in the Early Modern Period by examining the region through the prism of Christian-Muslim encounters and conflicts and the way in which such... more
This volume offers a unique exploration into the cultural history of the Mediterranean in the Early Modern Period by examining the region through the prism of Christian-Muslim encounters and conflicts and the way in which such relationships were represented in art works from the time. Taking images from the period as its starting point, this interdisciplinary work draws together contributors from fields as varied as cultural history, art history, archaeology, and the political sciences in order to reconstruct the history of a region that was often construed in the Early Modern period as a ‘borderland’ between religions. From discussions of borders as both physical construction and mental construct in the Mediterranean to case studies exploring the Battle of Lepanto, and from analyses of art work produced from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries to a consideration of the influence of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean Basin, the chapters gathered together in this insightful volume provide a new approach to our understanding of Early Modern Mediterranean history.
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Congreso “La alteridad en las sociedades pasadas y su difusión para las presentes”, UNED Valencia, 4 mayo 2023
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Congreso internacional “Nuevas líneas de investigación en conversos, moriscos y esclavos”, Universidad de Córdoba, 13 septiembre 2022
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Congreso internacional "Lepanto, cinco siglos después. Imágenes, narrativas y contextos”, Universidad de León, 16-17 septiembre 2021
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Renaissance Society of America, Panel “New Perspective in Italian Art IV – Iconography, Online 22 April, 2021
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Iconography and Religious Otherness” Fifteenth International Conference of Iconographic Studies (Rijeka / online, 10-11 June 2021)
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Mediterranean crossings. Soldiers, prisoners and converts between permeable borders (16 th -18 th centuries) International Conference, University of Palermo, 13-14 January 2021
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Images and Borderlands: Early Modern Mediterranean between Christendom and Ottoman Empire”, University of Split, 16-17 September 2020
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Más allá de la ansiedad y la admiración: el islam en las culturas mediterráneas de la edad moderna”, Universidad de Alicante, 2-3 Julio 2019