Trionfi and spectacles in Milan
- Analyses based on
Ghinzoni Pietro: Trionfi e rappresentazioni in Milano
(1887 dic, Serie 2, Volume 4, Fascicolo [4])
Ghinzoni's main source was the then-newly published "Annali della
Fabbrica del Duomo".
He says that nobility and the wealthy started to have plain parades
(marches), themed parades (rappresentazioni) or trionfi in the
various quarters, or "gates" of the city, of which there were six
(later a seventh). The purpose was to raise money for the
construction and upkeep of the Duomo. First they were irregular
occasions, then later the dates were fixed (he doesn't say if each
quarter had a date or a year, he just notes that in 1455 it was 20
June, and in 1460 the 26 May). The quarter's parade marched from the
quarter to the Duomo and presented the offering, which was usually
in the form of money or building materials. The "Annali" notes the
heightened emotions both the citizens and even country dwellers felt
on such occasions. There were always members of the Ducal family,
courtesans and state officials present. Ghinzoni notes that the
frequency of such rappresentazioni, jousts, tournaments, horse-
shows, dancing parades, feasts of fools, masquerades and other such
diversions shows how old the festival tendency was in the Milanese
people (Ghinzoni laments that so much of the records were destroyed
by the revolution of 1447).
He says it is interesting to note how many of the rappresentazioni
were on profane history, rather than the old-style sacred-profane
parades coming out of the Mystery processions.
For instance, he notes that on 22 December 1389, the subject of a
rappresentazione in the quarter Vercellina was "for the solace
(solazzi) of Jason and Medea." There was a lion with a golden head,
an image or statue covered with silver, a lance, a shield with a
golden lion on it, two red penants (penoncelli) with golden lions on
them, and a linen flag (drapo) painted with an image of water with
fish and ships. The offering was presented (the Cathedral was not
yet built) in a building constructed of wood on the plaza
dell'Arengo.
The same structure was still standing on the piazza dell'Arengo on
28 May 1390, when the quarter Orientale had its fund-raiser for the
Duomo (no parade is mentioned).
Ghinzoni now jumps to 1421. On 3rd of August that year, on the
piazza dell'Arengo was constructed "the city called Pamplona"
(civitatem nuncupatam Pampalunam). Whether there was a
rappresentazione it doesn't say.
1423 was a big year in Milan.
On June 3rd, 1423, the quarter Romana celebrated with 182 wooden
carriages, one made of stone (?) (carrigium unum lapidum coctorum),
and 1627,8,6 Lire. Ghinzoni thinks this was only a parade and not a
rappresentazione.
On August 1st, 1423, the Ticinese quarter had a rappresentazione
of "a story (ystoriam) of the seven planets of heaven, starting with
the Moon, (then) the Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and finally
Saturn." ("Annali" Appendici, vol. II, page 9).
The quarter Comasina had their parade on the 8th of August 1423,
showing the story of "Arminiachis" who took many captives from the
city of Alexandria.
The quarter Nuova had theirs on the 22nd of August 1423. They showed
Eneas ("Aeneas" in English sometimes) with a great army, coming from
Troy to Carthage, where he was received with great pomp by Dido.
On 5 October 1438, two painted elephants appear in the Annali.
Ghinzoni suggests they were for some "oriental" subject.
In December 1442, two large castles were erected on the piazza del
Duomo by the quarter Comasina. Ghinzoni suggests they must have been
part of a rappresentazione.
There was also a massive rappresentazione of the Roman story of
Coriolanus to raise money for the Duomo in August 1453, when
Francesco Sforza was camped near Ghedi (Brescia territory) in war
against the Venetians. The point was for the Milanese to have faith.
Bianca Maria was there, and Simonetta wrote a letter to Francesco
describing it in breathless terms (but not much detail).
Finally Ghinzoni notes a strange one, undated, from the quarter
Vercellina, which took place on the piazza del Duomo. It is a sacred-
profane rappresentazione where 18 Cardinals present their offerings.
Then, before a representation of the city of Rome, they preach a
bit. After preaching, they go into conclave and elect a Pope.. With
trumpets they announce to the crowd "habemus Papam, dominum
Senensem" ((Pope Pius II had been elected, 8 August 1458, and
Ghinzoni thinks this is around that time. Pius was cardinal from
Siena, with the support of 18 cardinals). After the coronation of
the Pope, the fool Bassano (Bassano buffone) beside the Pope, gives
a blessing to all and damns and excommunicates "count Ludovico".
Ghinzoni doesn't know who this "count Ludovico" is.
(Analyses by Ross Gregory Caldwell)
Additional note:
- The Trionfo of Filippo Maria Visconti in June 1425 is astonishingly not noted (of some importance for the dating of the
"oldest Tarot book").
- Storia di Milano
notes a further
Trionfo in Milan for 12th of October 1449, celebrating the new peace with Venice.
"Grande spettacolo in piazza dell'Arengo per celebrare la pace con Venezia. Due personaggi che
rappresentano san Marco e sant'Ambrogio si abbracciano e cosė fanno tutti gli altri membri delle due repubbliche."
It's noted by another source, that "allegorical figures" were used.
- The appearance of very much spectacles in 1423 meets the fact, that Alfonso of Aragon created a great festivity in Naples
in the same year in Naples - ironically it was followed short after it by a new war between Alfonso and Giovanna, Queen of Naples.
It might be, that the example of Alfonso influenced the interest of Filippo Maria to show his own
greatness by similar events to balance the new force of Aragon in Italy.
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