Giusy Larinà    Towards a typology of decorative façades in 18th-century Sicilian organs

concordanza

1  2  3  4  5

The organ of the parish church of S. Agata in Vizzini (Illus. 6), of which the author is unknown, was probably built around 1770; the dating is deduced from an inscription on the right side of the case which refers to the gilding of the work: "Deaurato ex de[votio] ne Reverendi sacerdotis don Felicis Orlando, Expen[sis] prop[riis] mense Iulii anno 1770".

The instrument is situated over the main entrance to the church, in a gilded wooden cantoria whose parapet full of multi-linear profiles is ornamented by three wooden cornices with floral motives containing modern images of a sacred nature. At their edges are two prominent carved ornaments consisting of symbols of S. Agatha: a crown intersected by a ribbon and a palm branch, images which are also painted on the medallion in the cymatium of the case. The organ is not attached to the walls and has a tri-partite prospect with pipes arranged a cuspide - the lateral fields are surmounted by organetti morti ad ali; some facade pipes are missing in the side fields and completely missing in the central field. The facade is embellished with friezes along the pilasters and with covering decorations within each field. The sides are adorned with volutes enriched with festoons and heads of putti. A sinuously-profiled tympanum completes the prospect - it is crowned with a high cymatium which accentuates the vertical movement of the facade and whose ornament in relief follows the multi-linear design.

According to a receipt for payment dated 19 December 1771, the organ of the parish church of S. Pietro of the town of Mineo (Illus. 7) was built by the builder don Giorgio Giunta of Siracusa for the sum of 169 onze, while the case was carved by masters Pietro and Giovannti Turrisi (father and son) of Catania, for the sum of 24 onze ^[9]. The instrument, located in the third intercolumnary space to the left of the central nave, is situated in a wooden cantoria which is completely gilded and whose parapet, of multi-linear profile, is enriched with panels with carved mouldings decorated with phytomorphic decorations; a medallion with a finely carved representation of the evangelical episode of the subdued tempest stands out in the centre.

Under the cantoria there is a cartouche painted in gold, held up by two wooden angels' heads in relief, bearing the date on which the organ was completed: 1772. In fact, in an act dated 5 July 1772 at the same notary we note that Don Gaetano Barone of Vizzini was charged by the canons of the church of S. Pietro to "... gild the entire facade of the organ with its orchestra, the solo of the orchestra to be done in colour of perna and only a shield in the middle to be gilded according to the wishes of the said canons, the rest of the planks of the said organ on the outside as well as those on the sides and those of the solo at the back, and stairs, to be whitened..." ^[10] and for this work the sum of 19 onze was agreed on.

The case has gilded decorations whose motives recall those of the cantoria; the prospect is divided into three fields containing 31 pipes arranged a cuspide (11+9+11) with lips a mitria. The mouths are aligned in the central field while in the lateral fields they move contrary to the movement of the pipe lengths. Fine carvings with a curling movement are found on the pilasters and there are perforated covering decorations.
A sinuous theme predominates in the structure of the instrument, and is expressed both in the ornamental elements which run around the perimeter of the facade, emerging in some tracts as bursts of flame, and in certain characteristics of the architectural arrangement of the case, as for example in the alternating concave-convex movement of the three fields and the apex of the case, of the serlian type, characterised by a notable sinuosity of line. At the crown of the facade there is a carved crest consisting of the papal insignia of S. Pietro, laterally adorned with flowers and spikes; in the centre of the crest there is a carving of an open book with the text "Surge Petre - Act. 12".

Notes

[9] Ibidem, notarile Caltagirone, vol.7738 c. 256.
[10] Ibidem, notarile Caltagirone, vol.7738, c. 776.