Monte Subasio sits about 4200 feet high, with Spello on one side and Assisi on the other. We took taxis up to the top early this morning. It was a foggy start so we did not quite get the view we’d hoped for. All in all this didn’t matter, as there were views pretty soon after.
The steepest descent was in the woods— oaks and hornbeam trees. After maybe an hour we arrived at a hermitage. The site used to include an abbey but now it must function more or less as a place for meditation.
There were no nuns in residence and it was very peaceful and felt like a special location. At one time there was an abbey in this spot, pretty high on the mountain. Even before Christianity, the location was thought to be special because pregnant women who drank from the spring had more milk for their babies. This belief continued on, with mothers leaving caps and bibs in gratitude. I’ve read that the spring even helped lactating farm animals, but if a man were to casually drink the water, he would grow breasts!
We saw the fountain where the spring water no longer runs. It doesn’t look ancient so there was not way to see if maybe iron or calcium deposits were staining the stones…to maybe provide an earthly reason why the water would support maternity. I do like the imagine of lots of pregnant women gathering to drink water and having an ancient pre and post natal support group.
We continued our descent with views of Valle Umbria and arrived at the charming and tiny Collepino. As was the case yesterday in Torre del Colle, our guide estimated the population to be about fifteen. We had tea and coffee in a bar where the proprietor was an expert in American rock music, and hurried to put some on before taking our orders. It was hard rock and he is more expert than me because I have no idea who he was playing.
Collepino was founded as a fortress town to protect the abbey where the hermitage is now.
As we continued to walk down to Spello, both the left and the right sides of the trail were worthy of observation. Our path was along the old Roman aqueduct that brought water from Monte Subasio to the village of Spello. Today’s water line follows the same path and from what I understand, the town still drinks the mountain spring water.
Roman aqueducts were a feat of engineering, and I believe we must also realize, cheap or free labor. Periodically there are little open windows into the space— an ancient version of a modern plumbing clean out. Some of these had been filled with candles and prayer cards. There were a number of modern quotes carved into stone where walls had been repaired. I feel deep respect for the stone and grading work that still remains, and walking along the aqueduct for miles made me appreciate it even more.
To our left were open views of Spello and the valley and over 200,000 olive trees. Olive trees command their share of respect too. The papal state paid for farmers to plant these trees, and when well pruned and cared for, they will bear fruit for many years.
Spello is another walled, fortress city. It has an added feature that the citizens have a flower festival every June, with parades and art. It’s pretty clear from my photos that many residents decorate with beautiful plants all year long. I got such a positive feeling peering down the side street and seeing all the plants.
It was Sunday and there were many, but not too many, tourists. In Spello, you are either walking up or down, except in the center square. Amazingly, people drive cars on the streets. Really, the cars have the right of way. When a car comes, you move to the side so it can pass and it comes within inches of pedestrians. I would not want to be a driver in Spello!
We had a nice Italian lunch at a restaurant outside of the walls, with the standard courses and wine.
Our afternoon was not programmed, and with another couple, we stayed in Spello to see Pinturrichio’s frescos in Capella Baglioni. This side chapel has frescos on three sides and they depict the Annuciation, the Nativity and Adoration, and the Dispute with the Doctors.
These frescos have been restored and are bright and animated. They were completed in 1501 “rather quickly,” because the artist had a well run method, and he was also able to borrow some of the plans from work he’d completed in other locations.
I found them fascinating. First, these were the first renaissance paintings I’ve ever seen in the location they were made for. For me, this really makes a different, because after walking the countryside and the steep cobbled streets, it is easy to imagine being a tired and sweaty peasant, who suddenly finds themself in a chapel of colorful paintings. The depictions are set in Pinturrichio’s time, and in fact, the town in the distance for the Annunciation even looks like Spello. I can imagine the paintings would have been spellbinding.
The humanity on the faces and the detail of renaissance decoration really drew me in. The longer I looked the more I could notice. The three stories are also positive and happy ones, from only the early part of Jesus’ life, and this also makes them easier to look at.
Pinturrichio placed himself in one corner of the first fresco. So, there is even this bonus of knowing what the artist looked like (or at least, what he wanted his audience to think he looked like.)
We left the church to find gelato- yes, back on program to have a gelato every day. Today’s flavors were orange and strattichella in my conno piccolo.
I felt that my photo of oak leaves did not make clear the smaller size of the leaves so here’s a better picture:
One Response
Your FIRST blog of Renaissance art is fantastic! And YAYYY for gelato!