Pietà now as then
Mar 16, 2018architecture, churches, famous characters, history, music, painting, society, theatre, traditions0 comments
It was created to welcome them then and it is still active today, although it now works differently than in the past (refer to Anna Venier’s post on BVG: “Un orfanotrofio, la musica e la sua chiesa: la Pietà”).
Luckily, children are no longer abandoned in the streets, but there are still frail children and troubled families that Pietà takes care of.
The institution was founded by the Franciscan friar Pietruccio d’Assisi who used to shout “Pietà” (‘pity’) as he wandered around collecting money to feed these children, put a roof over their heads and educate them. Soon, lay people (both aristocrats and normal citizens) started showing their support by giving money and donations of all kinds including real estate, and provided assistance over the centuries up to this day (photo no. 1).
photo no. 1 Houses in S. Eufemia: the one owned by Pietà is recognizable because it juts out and has dark windows
While boys were sent “away” to learn a craft in workshops so they could become independent and self-reliant as soon as possible, girls were kept “in” for protection.
They took care of everything concerning “household” as well as odd jobs such as unsewing dresses – including wedding dresses – donated by wealthy Venetian ladies to make chasubles, tunicles (photo no. 2) and copes (photo no. 3) for priests. They also made precious bobbin, needle and crocheted lace that became part of clerical vestments (photo no. 4).
photo no. 2 17th-century embroidered tunicle
photo no. 3 17th-century embroidered cope
photo no. 4 Alb with lace flounce and cuffs from Pietà (late 17th-early 18th century), detail
One of the most fascinating developments, however, concerns music.
Towards the 16th century, those gifted with a good voice started preparing chants for masses and other religious ceremonies. They did so for fun and to entertain themselves when they were not working and indirectly contributed to a significant increase in donations (the happier the worshippers, the more they gave).
Because of this, the Institution started hiring increasingly famous music teachers with the aim of improving the voices of the “putte” (as Pietà girls were called) as well as the way they played music.
Antonio Vivaldi is certainly among the most famous and worked there between 1703 and 1740, as testified by a plaque on the facade on what is now Hotel Metropole (refer to the post by Fiona Giusto: Vivaldi und die virtuosen Waisenmaedchen von la Pietà in Venedig). 1740 is also the year he left Venice for Austria, from where he was never to come back.
The interior and exterior of Hotel Metropole still boasts some architectural elements belonging to the old complex such as the lovely spiral staircase (photo no. 5) and a shrine to collect donations (photo no. 6).
photo no. 5 Spiral staircase part of the old Pietà complex, now part of Hotel Metropole
photo no. 6 Shrine for donations to the foundlings
In addition to the work known all over the world, Vivaldi also composed motets, psalms, concerts and more for the girls, according to the specific capabilities of their extraordinary voices. He even chose some musical instruments based on their personal abilities.
A perfect example is Sonata RV779 written for Prudenza dal Violin (the name of the instrument they played became their surname as they did not actually have one), Pellegrina dall’Oboe, Lucietta Organista and Candida Salmoè (the latter – the chalumeau, predecessor of the modern clarinet, is no longer in use nowadays).
The intimate yet extraordinary museum of Chiesa della Pietà “ViVe, Vivaldi Venezia” (photos no. 7 and 8) displays some of the Baroque musical instruments part of the Pietà collection.
photo no. 7 View of the first halls of the museum
photo no. 8 Close-up of the museum
In addition to the unmissable violins which include a Guarn(i)eri (photo no. 9), and the horns (photo no. 10), there are some that were considered men’s instruments due to the playing position but which were accepted nonetheless, such as double bass (photo no. 11) and cello (photo no. 12).
photo no. 10 Violin made by famous Cremona lutist Guarnieri (approx. 1654)
photo no. 10 Violins and brass horns, also reflected by the back mirror
photo no. 11 Partial view of the area displaying musical instruments. A lovely double bass with gut strings can be seen in the foreground
photo no. 12 Famous cello attributed to Goffriller (early 18th century)
They were regularly played by the putte, as can also be gathered in the ceiling fresco painted by Tiepolo (photo no. 13) where they are depicted in the hands of these girls with angel-like voices.
photo no. 13 Detail of the ceiling with a double bass in the foreground between a trumpet and long lute
Many concerts are still played in the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà which Vivaldi never saw completed, but which the orphanage already felt the need for at the time. The church is home to a 1759 Nacchini which, although restored, maintains an excellent sound, as can be heard when it is played (video no. 14).
video no. 14 with a glimpse of the Pietà organ and organist Paola Talamini while she plays one of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Winter)
The small oratory (photo no. 15), elements of which are still visible in Hotel Metropole, was in fact not big enough to put up all the musicians, artists and intellectuals who undertook the Grand Tour in the 1700s.
photo no. 15 On the right-hand side of the yet unfinished church facade, the building preceding the current Hotel Metropole. The old small oratory was located left of the entrance door. In the foreground, children from different Venetian hospices-conservatories including one from Pietà dressed in red.
These visitors who passed through Venice and attended concerts held in the Venetian “conservatories”, always stopped by at Pietà to hear the famous putte sing and play.
The Istituto Provinciale per l’infanzia Santa Maria della Pietà (as it is called today) continues to support music in general and particularly local Maestros of the past.
Among the concerts I personally attended, I would like to mention a particularly extraordinary one – that of I Virtuosi Italiani (video no. 16). The Vivaldi award was granted to the exceptional contralto Sara Mingardo during the course of the evening and a newly-rediscovered Vivaldi psalm was performed, of which we can hear the finale “in saecula saeculorum” (video no. 17).
video no. 16 with a few notes of the first violin
video no. 17 with the last notes of the “Laetatus sum” psalm
But the Institute also evolved over time for the assistance of children in need and to meet current charitable demands and requirements.
In 2017, in line with the issues addressed by the 57th Biennale d’Arte, Pietà set up an exhibition for the first time ever in history – Exodus, by Bosnian artist Safet Zec. A collection of works linked to topics such as the welcoming of children and adults suffering from hunger, poverty and who are rejected because they are perceived as different and foreign (photos no. 18 and 19).
photo no. 18 Safet Zec: “Man and Children”, 2017, tempera on paper on canvas
photo no. 19 Safet Zec: detail of “Polypthyc Boat”, 2017, tempera on paper on canvas
The Institute also displays work by artists from many other countries such as Charles Bhebe (photo no. 20) and Dana Whabira (photo no. 21), both from Zimbabwe.
photo no. 20 Charles Bebe: “Quest for belonging”
photo no. 21 Dana Wabira: detail of one of her “Circles of Uncertainty”
Andorra is represented by the original Eve Ariza with her Murmuri (=murmur): almost imperceptible vibrations emitted by colourful funnel-shaped clay bowls created this way to highlight beauty in diversity. The sounds are only audible by getting close to the bowls and shutting out the noise of the “world” (photo no. 22).
photo no. 22 Eve Ariza: “Murmuri”
It is thus that, in the era of globalisation, an old “small yet big” experience like that of Pietà can not only continue its original functions by updating them, but also act as a beacon that lights the way thanks to music and art, providing support for issues such as the meeting-clashing relationship with others, which the entire world is facing today.
Loredana Giacomini
BestVeniceGuides
loredanagiacomini@gmail.com
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