Category: Art
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Looking Like Lace In Erice
The 19th-century stucco ceiling of the mother church of Erice resembles lace as a tribute to the women of the city, who since Medieval times were renowned for their lace making. So, when you visit the charming walled city during your tour of Sicily, be sure spend a few minutes under its neo-Gothic vaulted arches.
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Themes of Women’s Worlds in Sicily
Traveling with mostly women, I decided to focus on a subject that warms my heart, that of Santa Lucia. We started with seeing the Caravaggio, painted in 1608, that recreates the moments surrounding her martyrdom. One of the things that has recently come into focus for me about this painting is the two women grieving.…
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Persephone, Sicily, And The Solstice
Happy Solstice! Today is a day to recognize the stillness of the earth, when in the northern hemisphere, we have the day with the most darkness and the shortest amount of light. Recall the story of Persephone, who for Sicilians, even today, is an important divine spirit. Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, is sitting…
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Day 11 of 16 Days of Sicily | Reaction to the Rubble
During the night of January 14 and 15, 1968 through early February 1968 western Sicily’s Belice Valley experienced a series of earthquakes. It was before the Richter Scale was employed to measure tremors in Italy, so it’s hard to say in those terms how strong they were but know this: it was many seismic events…
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Borgo Parrini Inspires
Yesterday, I took a side trip to Borgo Parrini, a tiny neighborhood of the town of Partinico, which you’ll find a few miles west of Palermo. Originally developed in the 16th century by the Jesuits (Parrini means priests.), the division of homes has been occupied over the centuries by various residents, mostly supporting agricultural activities…
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Look Up (In Sicily’s Capella Palatina)
The ceiling of the Capella Palatina inside the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo is an extraordinary work of Arab Norman art. We were at this fascinating palace during our stay in Palermo earlier this week during our Spring in Sicily tour.
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Celebrate The Women In Your Life
Happy International Women’s Day! Buona Festa della Donna! International Women’s Day is celebrated throughout the world. It recognizes the contributions of women to society, originating in the labor and suffrage movements of the late 19th and 20th centuries. To celebrate today, recognize the women in your life, thanking them for their leadership and service.
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Ex-votos For Ailments Of The Heart
At the sanctuary devoted to the Maria Santissima di Gulfi in Chiarmonte Gulfi (Ragusa Province), pilgrims offered heart ex-votos to the Virgin Mother. Ex-votos are iconographic body parts or other symbols that are given to the Madonna (That is, in this case. At other sacred sites, ex-votos would be offered to the divinity or saint…
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Love + Ricotta + Nutella = Buona San Valentino
A ricotta and Nutella cake for Valentine’s Day? Yes, please! TIP: In Sicily, you will find some of the most exquisite works of art at the pasticceria in the cake case. Happy Valentine’s Day! Buona Festa di San Valentino!