Padua -- July 20-22, 2014

Monday, July 21

   Padua is definitely not a tourist theme park.  It is about twice the size of Ravenna.  The buildings range in age, including some taller glass-shrouded structures.  

   We are staying at the Hotel Grand’Italia.  At 61 Euros, it is about ⅓ the cost of the Albergo Capello.  The breakfast is better and the room is fine.  It is a short walk across the street from the train station -- not the most attractive part of town.

     We start this morning with the premier site, the Scrovegni Chapel.  Enrico Scrovegni was a successful (and, happily, tasteful) usurer who built this place to save his soul (and the soul of his father).  The entire interior is frescoed by Giotto; indeed, Giotto may have designed the building to contain his programmatic design.

     The place was in pretty bad shape and restoration -- recently completed -- began about 20 years ago.  Today, groups of no more than 25 are collected in an air conditioned holding room.  After 10 minutes, the previous group marches out and your group gets 20 minutes in side.  It is the same sort of regime as da Vinci’s last supper in Milan.  Giotto’s mineral pigments have probably kept their original color and the effect is stuning. At the altar are a group of 3 graceful statues  (Madonna and child and two angels or deacons) by Giovanni Pisano.  The experience is moving, even if one doesn’t share the narrative.

 

     

The Giotto frescoes cover the family history of Jesus, starting with Joachim and Anna, parents of Mary. That brings us to the immaculate conception.  That doctrine is that at the moment of her conception, God granted grace to Mary.  That is, she was exempted from original sin.  This grace made her a suitable mother for Jesus.  Mary was conceived in the normal way, that is through the sexual activity of her parents.  This doctrine was pronounced by Pope Pious IX in 1854. This leads to another doctrine, that of the virgin birth.  That doctrine states that Mary was and remained a virgin.  Jesus was made incarnate in her womb by the Holy Spirit. This doctrine dates from the Lateran Council of 649.

The frescoes are the standard scenes we see of the lives of Mary and Jesus, plus some we were unfamiliar with from the lives of Joachim and Anna.   They apparently represent a sacred poem by Dante. They were magnificent and worth another trip, we hope.  No pictures were allowed, of course.

We were particularly intrigued by the representation of hell, specifically Satan.

Is this the origin of the satan image we have been seeing around Italy?    Dante's words in the Inferno invented these descriptions, so it seems likely.  Giotto knew Dante.

    Next is the Basilica of St. Anthony.  The center of the building is a row of domed and steepled bays.  

     This aerial view, courtesy of the ‘net, makes the design more comprehensible.

   

    

    This is a serious pilgrimage destination.  The Tomb of St. Anthony is very opulent, with beautiful full relief marble panels depicting scenes from the Saint’s life.  

   

Saint Anthony is the patron saint of Padua.  He was a Franciscan of the early 2nd century (contemporary of Francis) renowned for his preaching and knowledge of scripture and for his miracles. He was canonized within a year of his death. He was recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1946. That honor reflects his contributions to theology.

St. Anthony was an incredibly popular orator.  The Treasury has reliquaries with his incorruptible tongue and voice parts.  

     

We usually find modern parts of old churches to be jarring.  An exception is the Chapel of the Sacrament installed 1927-36.

    About half of the interior of the church is reserved for services.  This leaves a large grouping of Donatello works near the altar beyond viewing.  Frustrating.

Leslie wondered why St Anthony is portrayed carrying the baby Jesus. Some iconography was needed to distinguish the Franciscan saints.  One motif for Anthony showed him meditating on a book with a picture of the baby Jesus.  In time, Jesus became bigger and the book disappeared.  

    Nearby are the Oratorio of San Giorgio and the Scuola of Anthony.

   We discovered that Padua has a large memorial to the victims of 9/11:

Dinner at Shanghai.  Glass floor; funny door, popular.  Potstickers; beef with walnuts; duck with hoisin; black sesame dumplings.

Leslie’s Biscottino Portafortuna said she is a persona instruita.

Tuesday, July 22

We returned to the Scrovegni Chapel.  The Eremitani Civic Museum had nothing special.  The Eremitani Church next door was badly damaged in WWII.  The restoration of the Andrea Montaigne frescoes leaves a lot to the imagination.  The restoration of the elaborate wooden ceiling is more successful:

We have lunch at the piazza in front of the Palazzo della Ragione.  Very pleasant.

Like Bologna, Padua is a university town.  In fact, the University of Padua was founded in 1221 by professors and students of the Bologna law faculty.  A glance at the cake at the party next to our table showed “dottoressa,”  suggesting that the laurels denote a newly acquired doctorate. (see Bologna)

The Duomo Baptistry ...

is known for its Lombard architecture and elaborate interior.  The walls are frescoed with the lives of Jesus and John the Baptist by Giusto de’ Menabuoi around 1375.  Paradise is in the dome:

Dinner was a surprise treat.  The place recommended to us by a lady we met at a tram stop was closed for a holiday.  The enoteca where we sampled some wines (precariously stacked on thin composite boards) ....

 recommended  Padavanino.  It was a cut or two above our usual trattoria fare.  Leslie had a ravioli with foie gras and Bruce had the mixed fried fish  The bread may be the best we have had in Italy.

 

Tiramisu and crema catallana for dessert.  Sidama coffee from Ethiopia.   Leslie’s chamomile tea had honey and vanilla -- the only disappointment.