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

concordanza

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The organ of the mother church of S. Margherita in Licodia Eubea, of which the author is not known, dates from the second half of the eighteenth century. (Illus. 8). The instrument was originally located in the fifth inter-columnary space on the right of the central nave, in a wooden cantoria with a solid multi-linear parapet enriched with gilded carvings. The entire apparatus was later moved above the entrance to the church and modified to adapt it to the new location: it was enlarged with two lateral elements in plaster and brick embellished with gilded decorations, held up by two columns in cement. The new location of the case creates a particular scenographic effect: the organ seems to project its own shadow on the wall behind it, since the architectural-decorative structure of the window recalls that of the facade of the instrument.

The wooden case, independent of the walls, contains in its design the signs which prefigure the rigour of neoclassicism, softened by ornamental modules still in baroque style which stand out on the white ground and especially the soft lines of the volutes adorned by trophies at the sides of the case.

The prospect is divided into three fields of 19 recently-substituted pipes (7+5+7) arranged a cuspide with aligned mouths and roman lips. Within each field there are covering decorations while two carved panels ornament the upper part of the lateral fields. Festoons decorate the pilasters. The facade is crowned by a cymatium consisting of a central gilded panel accompanied by volutes and trophies at the sides, above which is a trabeation on which rests a crest with a crown.

In a contract drawn up by the notary Ignazio Avila of Caltagirone on 10 January 1781, "mastro" Agatino Santuccio of Siracusa is charged by the priest of the collegiate church of St Giacomo in Caltagirone, Don Giambattista Spitalieri, with "... the building of an organ for the use of the said Venerable parish church with mastery and skill... and the aforementioned organ must be decorated above and below with fretwork [liscio] and carving in proportion to the size of the case, like the new organ case of the church of St Anna [Caltagirone]. With the proviso that the afore-mentioned Archdeacon of Spitaleri must provide the willow for the carving of the case..."^[11] The price was intially set at 121 onze, but this was reduced to 101 onze after a cheaper offer was made by another siracusan organbuilder, Giorgio Giunta, and the agreement with Santuccio was confirmed. The instrument was placed above the entrance on a wooden gallery which was re-built and gilded for the occasion by the "mastro" Pietro il Doratore, who received 2 onze for "... painting the fretwork [liscio] and carvings of the balcony and giving a coat of mistura to the said carvings..."; the same artisan later gilded the organ for the sum of 5 onze.^[12]

In 1816 the instrument was moved for the substantial sum of 40 onze by Salvatore Carrubba and other master carpenters, who were charged with "... dismantling the old organ gallery above the main entrace to the church, and placing the new gallery above the door to the Reliquary..."^[13] where it stands today (Illus. 9).

The rectangular balcony is completely white and the parapet is decorated with three bas-reliefs with gilded garlands and trumpets in the lateral panels and an angel's head crowned with festoons in the centre panel. Other angels' heads with floral decorations embellish the four pilaters which separate the bas-reliefs; the balcony is also sustained by brackets adorned with volutes and acanthus leaves and three roses in relief on the underside.

The sober, neoclassical façade is also white, and is embellished with gilded decorations in the style of a candelabra along the pilasters which are profiled in gold and supported by fluted pediments. The prospect is divided into three fields with 35 pipes a cuspide (13+9+13), reconstructed with the restoration of 1963, with aligned mouths and bay-leaf upper lips. The arches of each field are embellished with gilded decorations with curling motifs, but most of the decoration is concentrated at the highest point of the serlian case which has a mixed profile punctuated by 4 trophies accentuated by more gilded carvings with a curling motif. The façade is crowned by a coat of arms which represents the Cross of St James, to whom the church is dedicated.

Notes

[11] Ibidem, notarile Caltagirone, vol. 4407, c. 205.
[12] Arte organaria in Sicilia, cit., p79 note 49.
[13] Ibidem, note 51.