Rubens in Genova, a Market visit and More Wandering

Tuesday October 18 was another beautiful day in Genova. Sunny with high of 22C.

Our host's note about Genova had a quote from Charles Dickens from his book "Impressioni Italiane" on the historic centre of Genova: It is rich in the strangest contrasts: at each turn, you will be presented with picturesque, ugly, hideous, magnificent, delicious and pleasant things. This seems to be a good summary of Genova. In a two minute walk, one passes from medieval alleys to wide streets with fabulous baroque buildings.

After breakfast, we took a short walk to check out what we thought might be a day-time food market, but instead turned out to be an evening food hall.

Around the corner, where it is thought a synagogue once stood

Leaving that narrow street for Via Bensa, a wider street

We stopped in at the Basilica dell'Annunziata, which had a beautiful interior.

Basilica dell'Annunziata on the left

Interior

The very quiet night food hall (reminded us of one in Madrid)

We headed back into the narrow streets to start our walk to the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) to see the Rubens in Genova exhibit.

Not Trump Towers---- Hugo Trumpy Shipping and Brokers and
Danish Honorary Consulate General office

We headed down another narrow street

A bit wider- lots of street life

Piazza Banchi - a small square with a church
in the middle of the caruggi (narrow streets)

Inside of Chiesa Di San Pietro in Banchi

Across the square from the church's steps

We then stumbled onto Tazze Pazze Specialty Coffee, a coffee shop on Alonso's list. He had a macchiato and we shared a vegan croissant. We have been amazed at how many places now have excellent vegan options on their menus.

Street entrance

Making Alonso's coffee

Interesting beans for sale-- 40 Women's Coffee

Outside patio

We then walked by the San Lorenzo Cathedral. Genova's Cathedral was erected between the 12th and 14th centuries and features Romanesque sides and portals with a Gothic facade. There was clearly some renovation being done on the Cathedral.

San Lorenzo Cathedral

Sides and Tower, where the Doge used to attend mass

We reached our destination, the Palazzo Ducale, the cultural hub of the city that hosts international exhibitions, conferences and educational activities. It was once the residence of the Doge. The building has a medieval core and a central part built between the 16th and 17th centuries. Badly damaged by a fire, it was partially reconstructed in Neoclassic style at the end of the 18th century.

The Palazzo Ducale is located on Genova's main square, Piazza de Ferrari, named after Duke Raffaele De Ferrari, a benefactor of the city. On one side of the square is the Teatro Carlo Felice (where we had our aperitivos on Monday). The Teatro was built in the 19th century. On the other side of the square is the Palazzo della Nuova Borsa built in the 20th century in Art Nouveau style.

Palazzo Ducale -- front is on another square-- sides are on Piazza de Ferrari

Sign for Exhibit

The exhibit was celebrating the 400 anniversary of Palazzi di Genova (Palaces of Genoa), a book published in Antwerp by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) in 1622 of drawings of some of the Palaces of Genova. He was inspired to do so because following his extensive travels, from court to court, from Mantua to Florence and Venice, from Rome to Madrid, he recognised a unique quality in the Palaces of Genoa. The notes for the exhibit called his book the first marketing exercise for the city.

Rubens visited Genova on many occasions between 1600 and 1607. The exhibit tells the story of the relationship of Rubens, one of the great painters of the baroque period, and the City of Genova. His first visit came with the Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo I Gonzaga, while he was holding the role of court painter. Rubens was able during the course of his visits to maintain direct relationships, and in some cases very close ones, with the most rich and influential aristocrats of the city's oligarchy. The exhibit reconstructs what he saw, whom he met and knew and looks at what inspired him and led to his artistic maturation.

The exhibit details the cultural and artistic context of Genova during the time of its greatest splendour. There are many works by Rubens in the exhibit as well as paintings by other artists of the time that Rubens either encountered or collaborated with. A number of paintings by Rubens were commissioned by the richest Genoese of the era.

It was an extensive and fascinating exhibit with over 150 works. One really has a sense of the Republic of Genova when it was at the height of its power, both economic and financial but also cultural and artistic.

The first room dealt with the history of the book, which he created at his own expense. It is not known who provided Rubens with the drawings from Genoa. There were two editions of Palazzi di Genova. This exhibit concerns only the first edition published in 1622, which incorporates a sequence of 72 plates relating to 12 palaces, including those on and in the area of the "Strada Nuova" (now Via Garibaldi). A further 12 palaces and 4 churches were added in the reprinted edition of 1626. The notes from the exhibit say that in the first edition, Rubens chose residences belonging to aristocrats of the "old nobility" whom he had known directly; in the second edition, he included some buildings belonging to the "new nobility". Also the first edition included floor plans, while the second just has the facades of the buildings.

Letter by Rubens at the beginning of the book

Plate from the book

Floor plans

Best-known view of Genova pertaining to the years Rubens visited Genova
Gerolano Bordoni (1520?- 1615) View of Genoa in 1616 ( published just after his death)

There was a beautiful self portrait of Rubens at the age of 27 painted in Italy.

Self Portrait, 1604-05 (from a private collection in Antwerp)

While Rubens became the court painter for Duke Vincenzo I Gonzaga in Mantua, he was able to spend many months in Rome, though his true love would always remain Genova, which was supremely wealthy, cultured and refined. Rubens fit in very well as he was a polyglot and spoke a number of languages. It was here in Genova, that he found the freedom to express himself and bring about a new direction for European paining.

Flemish silversmith, Plaque with a View of Genoa and "Barcheggio": Celebration in a Barge, c. 1627

One wall detailed all of Rubens' visits to Italy and in particular his many visits to Genova. There was also a few paragraphs on Rubens "Before Italy" which detailed his upbringing. Rubens was highly educated and learned Latin, studied Greek and also spoke French and Italian as well as Dutch. Surviving letters written by Rubens were written in Italian, French, Dutch and one entirely in Latin!

Year by Year from 1600-1607

Jan Wildens (Antwerp 1585/86-1653) Cornelis De Wael (Antwerp, 1592-Rome,1667
View of Palaces with Figures, c. 1614-15

Wildens and Da Wael, Spring in an Italian Garden (April) 1614-15

The exhibit's notes say that it was not just Rubens that was drawn to Genova, but many other artists were inspired by the architecture and the gardens. Many of what are now parks belonged to suburban villas. During this time, many illustrious guests were welcomed to the "Palazzi des Rolli" (Palaces "on the Lists" of those deemed suitable for hosting esteemed visitors). Many Flemish painters settled in Genova for shorter or longer periods soon after Rubens' visits.

Rubens also did drawings for tapestries for some of the wealthy Genoese aristocrats.

Jan Raes II? (Brussels 1574-1651) and Jacob Geubels II (Brussels 1599-1630)
from a design by Peter Paul Rubens- Heron's Gift c. 1625-30

Beautiful exhibit space in the Palazzo Ducale

Among all his Genoese contacts, Rubens remained most attached to Nicolò Pallavicino and his family. Upon the death of the banker in 1679, his relatives resolved to compete the decoration of the Chiesa del Gesù, of which he had been a patron, built at his and his brothers' expense. Rubens painted the altarpiece. There is a sketch currently displayed at the Dulwich Gallery in London and a recently discovered second study that had been considered lost. That painting, rediscovered in a private European collection is exhibited for the first time. It is likely the modelletto (final sketch), which was sent to the client for his approval of the composition.

The Miracles of the Blessed Ignatius of Loyola c. 1619 (in the Dulwich Picture Gallery)

Second much more detailed version- c. 1619, France, Private Collection

There was a room with a number of pictures of the Duke of Mantua Vincenzo I Gonzaga. Rubens was offered an annual salary of 400 ducats to be his court painter in 1600. The Duke adored luxury and was deeply vain. Rubens travelled with the Duke from Mantua to Genoa and met many of the Genoese aristocrats.

Frans Pourbus the Younger (Antwerp 1569- Paris 1622), Vincenzo I Gonzaga, c.1601

There was a fragment from an altarpiece that was part of a large triptych that Duke Vincenzo I Gonzaga commissioned from Rubens for the Chiesa della Trinità of Mantua. The piece included portraits of the entire Gonzaga family. The work was largely destroyed at the hands of French troops in the Napoleonic era.

Rubens- The Infrant Ferdinando Gonzaga of Mantua, 1604-5 (fragment from the Trinity)

Giulio Pallavicino (1558?-1635) was a poet and writer. He had a vast library which numbered over 2000 volumes. He was the second son of Agostino Pallavicino and a member of the Genoese aristocracy. He was the brother of Nicolò, who connected Rubens, the Duke of Mantua and the Genoese clients.

Rubens- Giulio Pallavicino, 1606-07

Palazzo Pallavicino on Strada Nuova- featured in first edition of "The Palaces of Genoa"

The exhibit notes that as soon as Rubens arrived in Genova, he felt at home amongst the ruling class. He was a well-educated youth; spoke several languages and the classical references he inserted into his paintings were proof of his high culture. Rubens was particularly linked with the Pallavicino brothers and the sons of Doge Agostino Doria.

There were other paintings done by Rubens for Amrogio Spinola (1569-1630), a military leader. He was a descendant of one of the most ancient Genoese families and the embodiment of the "old nobility". He was married to the sister of Nicolò Pallavicino. Rubens did this painting of San Sebastian, exhibited for the first time in Italy.

Rubens- San Sebastian Treated by Angels, c. 1615

Genova in the early 17th century was both rich and densely populated. The exhibit notes that the aristocracy was an elite class, but there were also hard-working merchants and skilled artisans and a poor class. However, there was an atmosphere of social cohabitation which the exhibit says was due to the largess of the aristocracy. Most wills included generous bequests made for the needy of "the caruggi". There was a large Hospice for the poor constructed in 1653. Very interesting social history of Genova.

There were many additional rooms with paintings by Rubens or other artists of the early 17th century with references to Genoa.

Rubens- Portrait of a Mantua Lady, c. 1607-08

Rubens- Giovanna Spinola Pavese, c. 1604

Guilliam Van Deanne (Antwerp 1575- Brussels 1624) Veronica Spinola Serra c. 1599-1601

Rubens- Violante Maria Spinola Serra, c. 1607

The latest research revealed that about half of the paintings executed by Rubens for his Genoese clients, as well as around half of the portraits were primarily intended for the same family "clan": that of two business partners" Nicolò Pallavicino and Geronimo Serra. They were both financiers to the Duke of Mantua.

One of the last rooms of the exhibit was in the incredible ornate chapel of the Doge--

Private chapel of the Doge- the entire room was covered in frescos

The last room dealt with a "mysterious Rubens rediscovered". This was a world premiere of an unknown painting by Rubens which emerged from a private collection. The interest in displaying it here was that it was confirmed that it was in Genoa in 1818 in Palazzo Grillo Cattaneo. It is still not known if it was commissioned by a Genoese client or purchased in Antwerp while Rubens was still alive.

Rubens- The Risen Christ Appears to his Mother, c 1612-16

The exhibit was superb. One really gets a picture of the grandeur that was Genova at the beginning of the 17th century. The homes, gardens and culture are unparalleled. Genova included poets with 2000 volume libraries; music, theatre, fashion and a certain level of philanthropy. The relationship of Rubens and Genova was very strong and this exhibit makes a convincing argument for its influence on Rubens' painting. The setting of the Palazzo Ducale was perfect for such an examination. Hard to believe it is 400 years, since Rubens published his book.

At the end of the exhibit, there was a list of all the Palazzos, Churches and other sites that Rubens would have encountered in his visits to Genova. This is the Network of marked Rubens Genova sites that we have been encountering in the city.

Palazzo della Nuova Borsa-- across the square

Teatro Carlo Felice again

Fountains in the same square

Side of the Palazzo Ducale facing the Piazza de Ferrari

We walked down XX Settembre, a very large porticoed street to get to the Mercato Orientale, a large food market, located further down the street.

Great tiled floor and lovely porticoes

This section had zebra stripes

Amazing building with statues that we passed along the way.

We reached the Mercato Orientale. It was inaugurated in 1899 and was called "Orientale" because of its proximity to the city's eastern gate. It is adjacent to one of Genoa's main shopping streets-

Via XX Settembre. It is a wonderful market with lots of typical Ligurian products, including the Genoese DOP basil which is the basic ingredient of pesto (a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO intangible heritage list).

Beautiful produce- much nicer than what we have been seeing in the small shops

Dried fruits and nuts

Where we bought some vegetables--- she had small containers of her home-made pesto sauce-- unfortunately, I can't have the kind with parmesan cheese (some just have pecorino)
or we would have bought some