Art and authors in the city of the educated, the fat and the red

BOLOGNA- This month, two new books about this capital of Emilia Romagna have cast revolutionary light of the 18^th century visit to the city by Goethe and the 15^th century sculptures the German poet visited during his fabled sojourn here.

 Goethe, the German poet, playwright, and novelist, passed through Bologna on his Grand Tour. Beatrice Buscaroli, an art historian who teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, wrote an account of his visit. The other author, Desideria Cavina, is a native of Bologna who is now the foreign editor and chief of Newsmediaset/TGcom24.

 Buscaroli recounts Goethe’s trip to Bologna. The author of “Faust” undertook a yearlong journey from the Alps to Sicily in 1786 writing, "we are all pilgrims who seek Italy” during his Italian journey. He described his quick tour of the city and appreciated the famous covered sidewalks, or porticos, “protected from the sun and weather by the arched bowers which are to be seen in every street, walk about gape about…”

 One of the most important terracotta sculptures in the Renaissance is considered the Lamination over the Dead Christ, by Niccolo Dell'Arca (1463-90). The life-size work shows Mary of Clopas, a devoted follower of Jesus who was present at the crucifixion and Mary Magdalene both displaying profound sadness. The Virgin Mary and Mary Salome grieve with collapsed hands in sorrow. John the Evangelist is standing at the centre while Nicodemus in kneeling. In the lower centre, Jesus lying down after being removed from the cross. The scene becomes extremely powerful when you capture the emotion on Mary of Clopas and Mary Magdalene’s faces.

 With these images in mind, Ms Cavina, said, “The modernity of Lamentation, resides in its power to embody a vision of grief in the face of death that feels strikingly contemporary, unbound by the limits of time and place. Such images recur across the centuries, speaking directly to the human heart, for they evoke a reality that remains constant across latitudes—from Gaza to Syria, from Ukraine to Algeria.” This comparison to modern day was extraordinary and received an enlightened reaction from the crowd.

 The lavish Grand Hotel Majestic hosted the event. Built in 1732 as the residence of the soon-to-be Pope Benedict XIV, it was then converted to hospitality in 1909. The hotel is centrally located on Via dell’Indipendenza, steps away from Piazza Neptune. The 106 guest rooms start at 400 euros for a single and up to 8,000 euros for the main suite.

 The Majestic is run by General Manager, Signor Tiberio Biondi, who said: “Our greatest asset is the soul of the building itself; a Palazzo Museo where history, art and hospitality coexist. Opening it to the public means sharing not only a hotel, but a living cultural heritage.”

 Under his management the hotel is now open to tours from the public twice a month. The hotel preserves works of inestimable value, including the Camerino d’Europa with its Carracci frescoes, an ancient Roman road dating back over two thousand years, and further frescoes by the Carracci school from the early 20th century, also visible at Café Marinetti.

 The hotel’s main dining room is the Carracci Restaurant, named for the incredible ceiling frescos painted by the Carracci school. Listed in the Michelin guide, the Neapolitan Chef Agostino Schettino serves regional Italian dishes with a modern twist. They offer a selection of olive oil along with house-made bread.

 They serve the traditional Bolognese staples such as tagliatelle alla Bolognese and tortellini in brodo. They also have their own creations like “Il Mangiafagioli”: beans, tagliatelle, mussels and sea plankton which is a tribute to Carraci’s painting, The Beaneater.

 Chef Schettino also offers six- and eight-course tasting menus. The traditional menu is cleverly named “La Dotta, la Grassa, la Rossa,” a play on the city’s three nicknames: the Educated (referring to the university), the Fat ( the culinary traditions), and the Red (the red terracotta roofs or left-leaning politics).

 Depending on how much time you spend in the city, whether spending a week viewing the sites at a relaxed pace, or like Goethe, being rushed around all the sites in a few days, there is a lot to see.

 A good starting point is the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the western world, founded in 1088. The University hosts a few museums worth a visit, including the Palazzo Poggi which displays a fascinating exhibit on human anatomy exhibited according to 18^th century standards, along with other sections focused on natural history, all laid out among a backdrop of frescoed ceilings.

 The Specola Museum of Astronomy highlights the role the University played in developing the telescope from the 13^th century until modern times. The museum is spread over four floors of an 18^th century tower, leading you up to an incredible viewing deck overlooking the city.

 The Davia Bargellini Museum is a glimpse into the lifestyle of the wealthy in the 18^th century. The museum includes several furnishings from the upper middle class, including a doll house, antique furniture and even a four-seat gala carriage from the late 1700s.

 During the 13^th century, the city was full of towers which were occupied by elite families. The towers were a way to show off wealth, prestige and were also used as a defense against raiders. Bologna had just under 100 towers in total, but today only 20 are left.

 Named for the families that occupied them, the Asinelli Tower, 97 meters, (318ft) high and Garisenda Tower 47 meters, (154ft) are the most iconic towers and symbols of the city. The Garisenda tower is astonishing due to its pronounced slant which you can view from a great perspective from the side street, Via Zamboni. They are both currently closed to the public for stabilization work, targeting 2028 for completion.

 The two authors highlighted the value of the city from a cultural, historical and self-discovery perspective. The city still attracts visitors today for the same reasons Goethe and others on the Grand Tour passed through. As Goethe wrote about his travels in Italy, "My purpose in making this wonderful journey is not to delude myself, but to discover myself in the objects I see.” mlp