Books by Valentina Borniotto
I contenuti del presente volume sono pubblicati con la licenza Creative commons 4.0 International... more I contenuti del presente volume sono pubblicati con la licenza Creative commons 4.0 International Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Alcuni diritti sono riservati Realizzazione Editoriale GENOVA UNIVERSITY PRESS Palazzo Balbi Cattaneo sorge in posizione privilegiata rispetto a via Balbi [Fig. 1]-per cui costituisce una quinta scenografica-in stretto rapporto visivo con piazza della Nunziata e con la basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato [Fig. 2]. La pianta irregolare che lo caratterizza è il frutto degli stratificati interventi architettonici che, come si vedrà nel dettaglio, ne modificarono più volte l'asse, spostando l'accesso originario-che si apriva su quella che è oggi denominata piazzetta Andorlini-in un primo momento su piazza della Nunziata e, in seguito, sulla Strada Balbi. Primo palazzo della via, esso corrisponde alla cosiddetta 'Domus Magna' dei Balbi, famiglia della nobiltà 'nuova', originaria della Val Polcevera e documentata almeno dal XV secolo a Genova, nella zona del 'Guastato' (attuale piazza della Nunziata). A seguito della riforma voluta da Andrea Doria (1528), quando la Repubblica di Genova assunse una forma ancor più fortemente oligarchica e le nobili casate genovesi furono suddivise in ventotto 'Alberghi' (consorzi di più famiglie, accomunate dallo stesso cogno
Con il patrocinio e il sostegno di Con il contributo di Con la collaborazione di archivio di Stat... more Con il patrocinio e il sostegno di Con il contributo di Con la collaborazione di archivio di Stato di genova; archivio Storico del comune di genova; Biblioteca civica Berio, genova; Biblioteca universitaria, genova; centro di documentazione per la Storia, l'arte e l'immagine, genova; dipartimento di italianistica, romanistica, antichistica, arti e Spettacolo-università di genova; galata Museo del Mare, genova; Musei di Strada nuova, genova; Museo Biblioteca dell'attore, genova; Museo navale di Pegli, genova.
Attraverso il vaglio di numerose fonti archivistiche e storiografiche, il volume ricostruisce le ... more Attraverso il vaglio di numerose fonti archivistiche e storiografiche, il volume ricostruisce le articolate fasi costruttive, le vicende storiche, storico-artistiche e culturali dell'ex convento Cappuccino di Santa Croce, attuale sede dell'Istituto di Studio e Lavoro di Chiavari. Il patrimonio pittorico-in parte ancora presente negli spazi di Santa Croce, in parte dislocato presso il Museo Diocesano chiavarese, è costituito dalle opere di alcuni protagonisti del Seicento e Settecento genovese e ligure, come Cesare Corte, Andrea Ansaldo e Giuseppe Palmieri. L'inventario dei beni librari offre poi uno spaccato sulla cultura letteraria dei padri Cappuccini di Chiavari, che possedevano una straordinaria biblioteca, composta da oltre settecento volumi. Oltre all'arredo ligneo e all'apparato scultoreo, risulta di particolare rilievo anche il presepe ottocentesco, costituito da oltre un centinaio di statuine lignee. A due secoli dalla fondazione dell'Istituto di Studio e Lavoro di Chiavari (1819-2019), questo studio presenta, per la prima volta in modo sistematico, le particolarità di un complesso di grande interesse, divenuto sede dell'Istituto a partire dal 1900.
Tra il Cinquecento e il Settecento, la Repubblica di Genova si avvale di canali differenti per la... more Tra il Cinquecento e il Settecento, la Repubblica di Genova si avvale di canali differenti per la trasmissione di iconografie celebrative dell’identità cittadina, cercando nella forza delle immagini artistiche un valido strumento per la propria auto-legittimazione. Parallelamente alla tardiva codificazione della personificazione allegorica della città – diffusa a partire dai primi anni del Seicento – le imprese di eroi patri come Guglielmo Embriaco e Cristoforo Colombo ornano le pareti di molti edifici privati e pubblici, configurandosi come emblemi perfetti delle virtù repubblicane e specchio dello spirito oligarchico genovese, che nell’individualismo trovava il suo conclamato punto di forza. Anche nell’iconografia religiosa, in particolare nelle raffigurazioni dei quattro santi patroni genovesi, si sovrappongono chiari significati civici, fortemente rimarcati dai trattatisti del tempo e talora indissolubilmente connessi alle vicende politiche della Repubblica stessa. Pur nella loro evidente differenza, gli illustri genovesi del passato, gli esponenti della religiosità locale e la più astratta rappresentazione simbolica della città si fanno quindi, a Genova, comuni portatori di espliciti valori identitari per gli abitanti, veicolando, con immagini eterogenee, un condiviso sentimento di orgoglio civico. Basandosi sul vaglio di numerose fonti letterarie e archivistiche, il presente studio propone un’indagine sui diversi versanti di questa articolata tematica, analizzando le molteplici tipologie iconografiche in rapporto alle specifiche richieste dei singoli committenti e al contesto socioculturale che le genera.
Papers by Valentina Borniotto
Questioning Republicanism in Early Modern Genoa, 2024
In the early modern age, the Republic of Genoa made use
of many different images, drawing on the ... more In the early modern age, the Republic of Genoa made use
of many different images, drawing on the vast repertoire of
objects and attributes that had come to be associated with
the city, in order to represent itself (politically and symbolically),
both within and beyond the boundaries of its territories.
1 During the sixteenth century, because of some distinctive,
longstanding features of the Genoese political system
– such as the weakness of central authority and the alternation
of top government positions among the aristocratic families,
in whose hands most of the power resided2 – the visual representation
of civic pride focused primarily on selected episodes
from the city’s history or – more frequently – on the
glorification of Genoa’s past heroes, such as Guglielmo Embriaco.
3 Those subjects were common both in private and public
decorative cycles, while the personifications of the city
appeared less often, and the iconography used in them was
inconsistent in permanent art works until it found a new codification
in Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia. By contrast, the representation
of Genoa as a female figure – with heterogeneous,
non-standardised attributes – enjoyed a more prominent role
in ephemeral triumphal arches built for important entries or
ceremonies, obviously with a political purpose.
Ottomani Barbareschi Mori nell'arte a Genova, 2024
e tutti i collezionisti che hanno scelto di restare anonimi. Catalogo a cura di Daniele Sanguinet... more e tutti i collezionisti che hanno scelto di restare anonimi. Catalogo a cura di Daniele Sanguineti e Laura Stagno con la collaborazione di Valentina Borniotto
ANNALI DI RICERCHE E STUDI DI GEOGRAFIA, 2024
The Marian shrines of the Golfo Paradiso – located among the Municipalities of Recco, Sori, and C... more The Marian shrines of the Golfo Paradiso – located among the Municipalities of Recco, Sori, and Camogli – constitute significant spiritual centers, in which the cult for sacred, acheropite or thaumaturgic images has initiated the construction of a strong collective identity. However, the image transcends devotional value alone, taking on civic, spiritual, and social cohesion meanings, with a view to a hoped-for role in protecting and safeguarding the territory. The interconnection between cult images and identity factors found particular enhancement following the solemn coronation ceremonies, but it continues to this day with the reiteration of patronal rites and festivals.
Venezia Arti, 2023
The paper aims to highlight the centrality of a late process of metamorphosis, which has unequivo... more The paper aims to highlight the centrality of a late process of metamorphosis, which has unequivocally conditioned
the image of the basilisk, radically transforming its appearance from a simple snake to a monster with the body of a rooster and a
snake’s tail. The basilisk described in the classical sources corresponded to a small snake but was characterized by an extraordinary
poisonous power. With the passage to the Middle Ages and the influence of Christianity, the basilisk took on new monstrous
meanings, transforming its iconography into a rooster-snake hybrid, based on theories that believed it was generated from a rooster’s
egg. The Renaissance and Early Modern Age inherited the medieval basilisk, which continued to be prominently depicted in emblematic
literature; in parallel, however, the new scientific literature began to exclude excessively legendary meanings, preferring
to return to descriptions of the classical era and thus depict the basilisk as a snake.
Le VILLE di CORNIGLIANO tra QUATTRO e SETTECENTO, a cura di F. Tassara, vol. 1, 2023
La pubblicazione è stata realizzata grazie al contributo concesso dalla Direzione generale Educaz... more La pubblicazione è stata realizzata grazie al contributo concesso dalla Direzione generale Educazione, ricerca e istituti culturali del Ministero della cultura e dalla Fondazione Franzoni ETS In copertina: G. Dufour, Veduta delle ville di Cornigliano nel 1870, fine XIX secolo, collezione privata, particolare. Progetto grafico: Andrea Lavaggi © I diritti di traduzione, di memorizzazione elettronica, di riproduzione e di adattamento totale o parziale, con qualsiasi mezzo, sono riservati in tutti i Paesi.
Il Tempio delle Arti Scritti per Lauro Magnani, 2022
La storia dell’arte illustrata e la stampa di traduzione tra XVIII e XIX secolo, a cura di I. Miarelli Mariani, T. Casola, V. Fraticelli, V. Lisanti, L. Palombaro, 2022
Il Capitale Culturale, 25, 2022
Since the sixteenth century, within the debate on the nobility of painting, painters inferred
som... more Since the sixteenth century, within the debate on the nobility of painting, painters inferred
some ideas from literature to celebrate their work. In the Genoese context, which is
proposed as a case study, the use of the images to emphasize the artist’s role follows at least
two ways. The first is based on a theological substratum, involves acheropita images and
depictions of Saint Luke, culminating in the idea of the painter as a “Speculum Dei”. The
second uses the symbolic language of personifications, including animal symbology, as an
allusion to the mimesis of nature.
Eloquent Images Evangelisation, Conversion and Propaganda in the Global World of the Early Modern Period EDITED BY Giuseppe Capriotti, Pierre-Antoine Fabre, and Sabina Pavone, 2022
All rights reserved. Except in those cases expressly determined by law, no part of this publicati... more All rights reserved. Except in those cases expressly determined by law, no part of this publication may be multiplied, saved in an automated datafi le or made public in any way whatsoever without the express prior written consent of the publishers.
Domenico Parodi. L’Arcadia in giardino, catalogo della mostra (Genova, Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino, 13 aprile - 31 luglio 2022), a cura di Daniele Sanguineti, Laura Stagno, con la collaborazione di Valentina Borniotto, 2022
Un sentito ringraziamento a Carlo Clavarino per la sua sensibilità e per la condivisione di un "s... more Un sentito ringraziamento a Carlo Clavarino per la sua sensibilità e per la condivisione di un "sogno nel cassetto". Un grazie particolare a Guido Fiorato, Anna Varaldo, Cristina Ferraro e agli studenti di Accademia Ligustica; a Marcello Cambi, Danilo Berninsone, Stefano Del Noce; a Paola Dagnino e il suo straordinario staff di volontarie; a Alessandra e Paola De Andreis; a Luca Cannas e Andrea Orlando per aver reso questa mostra un giardino incantato. Si desidera ringraziare le istituzioni che hanno collaborato alla riuscita della mostra, in particolare Eike Schmidt (Gallerie degli Uffizi, Firenze); Raffaella Besta, Piero Boccardo e Margherita Priarone (Musei di Strada Nuova, Genova); Mario Scalini con Giorgio Marini e Giovanna Scaloni (Istituto Centrale per la Grafica, Roma). Grazie a tutti coloro che, a vario titolo, hanno contribuito alla realizzazione della mostra:
IKON, 15, 2022
In western Early Modern imaginaire, the Ottoman enemy was often perceived, at a symbolic level, a... more In western Early Modern imaginaire, the Ottoman enemy was often perceived, at a symbolic level, as the quintessence of
threat and persecution against the Catholic faith. Figures of ‘Turks’, identified by way of easily recognizable attributes (such as
the turban), were therefore substituted for other, radically different characters in a plurality of visual narratives. In a semantically
significant anachronism, Turks populated Old and New Testament scenes as well as the depictions of the martyrdoms
of Christians persecuted by the Romans in the first centuries. In parallel, the same attributes were also sometimes superimposed
on the figures of other, contemporary enemies of the faith, who lacked an established iconographic tradition of their
own: namely the Protestant ‘heretics’. This paper aims to illustrate this visual device through a selection of significant case
studies taken from the territory of the Republic of Genoa, a state characterized by a long-standing involvement in the fight
against Ottoman forces and Barbary corsairs.
Santuari d'Italia. Liguria, a cura di L. Stagno, 2021
Hanno aderito al censimento le seguenti università, distribuite su tutto il territorio nazionale ... more Hanno aderito al censimento le seguenti università, distribuite su tutto il territorio nazionale che hanno formato équipe regionali di lavoro. Ogni équipe regionale è stata coordinata da studiosi con competenze disciplinari specifiche e tali da soddisfare le esigenze legate all'intero arco cronologico-dal tardo antico all'età contemporanea-e alla multidisciplinarietà del progetto:
Images of Turks in Southern Europe and Beyond (15 th-18 th Centuries) Edited by Borja Franco Llopis and Laura Stagno, 2021
IKON, 2021
In the context of the new emphasis given by the Council of Trent to the cult of relics, the case ... more In the context of the new emphasis given by the Council of Trent to the cult of relics, the case of Early Modern Genoa is of
particular interest for the rereading of ancient objects of devotion in terms of identity formation and the subsequent generation of new iconographies. In the Middle Ages, Genoa became home to two extraordinarily important relics: the ashes
of St John the Baptist and the Holy Basin. These invaluable objects were not associated with one another, however, until the
Early Modern Period, when historiographic and literary sources began to put them in relation to the heroic feats of Guglielmo Embriaco. In parallel with this increased interest in votive objects that were already part of Genoa’s history, the city also
embarked upon the construction of a new cult, a process that involved acquiring a portion of the remains of St Desiderius of
Langres in 1651. This event led to the inclusion of a hitherto almost unknown saint in the decorative program of the chapel
of the Ducal Palace (frescoed in those same years), within the canon of the city’s most important religious imagery.
5 famiglie 5 storie 1 dimora affascinante. Palazzo Lomellino in Strada Nuova (catalogo della mostra, Genova 9 maggio - 31 ottobre 2021), a cura di Valentina Borniotto, con la collaborazione di Daniele Sanguineti, Genova, Sagep, , 2021
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Books by Valentina Borniotto
Papers by Valentina Borniotto
of many different images, drawing on the vast repertoire of
objects and attributes that had come to be associated with
the city, in order to represent itself (politically and symbolically),
both within and beyond the boundaries of its territories.
1 During the sixteenth century, because of some distinctive,
longstanding features of the Genoese political system
– such as the weakness of central authority and the alternation
of top government positions among the aristocratic families,
in whose hands most of the power resided2 – the visual representation
of civic pride focused primarily on selected episodes
from the city’s history or – more frequently – on the
glorification of Genoa’s past heroes, such as Guglielmo Embriaco.
3 Those subjects were common both in private and public
decorative cycles, while the personifications of the city
appeared less often, and the iconography used in them was
inconsistent in permanent art works until it found a new codification
in Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia. By contrast, the representation
of Genoa as a female figure – with heterogeneous,
non-standardised attributes – enjoyed a more prominent role
in ephemeral triumphal arches built for important entries or
ceremonies, obviously with a political purpose.
the image of the basilisk, radically transforming its appearance from a simple snake to a monster with the body of a rooster and a
snake’s tail. The basilisk described in the classical sources corresponded to a small snake but was characterized by an extraordinary
poisonous power. With the passage to the Middle Ages and the influence of Christianity, the basilisk took on new monstrous
meanings, transforming its iconography into a rooster-snake hybrid, based on theories that believed it was generated from a rooster’s
egg. The Renaissance and Early Modern Age inherited the medieval basilisk, which continued to be prominently depicted in emblematic
literature; in parallel, however, the new scientific literature began to exclude excessively legendary meanings, preferring
to return to descriptions of the classical era and thus depict the basilisk as a snake.
some ideas from literature to celebrate their work. In the Genoese context, which is
proposed as a case study, the use of the images to emphasize the artist’s role follows at least
two ways. The first is based on a theological substratum, involves acheropita images and
depictions of Saint Luke, culminating in the idea of the painter as a “Speculum Dei”. The
second uses the symbolic language of personifications, including animal symbology, as an
allusion to the mimesis of nature.
threat and persecution against the Catholic faith. Figures of ‘Turks’, identified by way of easily recognizable attributes (such as
the turban), were therefore substituted for other, radically different characters in a plurality of visual narratives. In a semantically
significant anachronism, Turks populated Old and New Testament scenes as well as the depictions of the martyrdoms
of Christians persecuted by the Romans in the first centuries. In parallel, the same attributes were also sometimes superimposed
on the figures of other, contemporary enemies of the faith, who lacked an established iconographic tradition of their
own: namely the Protestant ‘heretics’. This paper aims to illustrate this visual device through a selection of significant case
studies taken from the territory of the Republic of Genoa, a state characterized by a long-standing involvement in the fight
against Ottoman forces and Barbary corsairs.
particular interest for the rereading of ancient objects of devotion in terms of identity formation and the subsequent generation of new iconographies. In the Middle Ages, Genoa became home to two extraordinarily important relics: the ashes
of St John the Baptist and the Holy Basin. These invaluable objects were not associated with one another, however, until the
Early Modern Period, when historiographic and literary sources began to put them in relation to the heroic feats of Guglielmo Embriaco. In parallel with this increased interest in votive objects that were already part of Genoa’s history, the city also
embarked upon the construction of a new cult, a process that involved acquiring a portion of the remains of St Desiderius of
Langres in 1651. This event led to the inclusion of a hitherto almost unknown saint in the decorative program of the chapel
of the Ducal Palace (frescoed in those same years), within the canon of the city’s most important religious imagery.
of many different images, drawing on the vast repertoire of
objects and attributes that had come to be associated with
the city, in order to represent itself (politically and symbolically),
both within and beyond the boundaries of its territories.
1 During the sixteenth century, because of some distinctive,
longstanding features of the Genoese political system
– such as the weakness of central authority and the alternation
of top government positions among the aristocratic families,
in whose hands most of the power resided2 – the visual representation
of civic pride focused primarily on selected episodes
from the city’s history or – more frequently – on the
glorification of Genoa’s past heroes, such as Guglielmo Embriaco.
3 Those subjects were common both in private and public
decorative cycles, while the personifications of the city
appeared less often, and the iconography used in them was
inconsistent in permanent art works until it found a new codification
in Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia. By contrast, the representation
of Genoa as a female figure – with heterogeneous,
non-standardised attributes – enjoyed a more prominent role
in ephemeral triumphal arches built for important entries or
ceremonies, obviously with a political purpose.
the image of the basilisk, radically transforming its appearance from a simple snake to a monster with the body of a rooster and a
snake’s tail. The basilisk described in the classical sources corresponded to a small snake but was characterized by an extraordinary
poisonous power. With the passage to the Middle Ages and the influence of Christianity, the basilisk took on new monstrous
meanings, transforming its iconography into a rooster-snake hybrid, based on theories that believed it was generated from a rooster’s
egg. The Renaissance and Early Modern Age inherited the medieval basilisk, which continued to be prominently depicted in emblematic
literature; in parallel, however, the new scientific literature began to exclude excessively legendary meanings, preferring
to return to descriptions of the classical era and thus depict the basilisk as a snake.
some ideas from literature to celebrate their work. In the Genoese context, which is
proposed as a case study, the use of the images to emphasize the artist’s role follows at least
two ways. The first is based on a theological substratum, involves acheropita images and
depictions of Saint Luke, culminating in the idea of the painter as a “Speculum Dei”. The
second uses the symbolic language of personifications, including animal symbology, as an
allusion to the mimesis of nature.
threat and persecution against the Catholic faith. Figures of ‘Turks’, identified by way of easily recognizable attributes (such as
the turban), were therefore substituted for other, radically different characters in a plurality of visual narratives. In a semantically
significant anachronism, Turks populated Old and New Testament scenes as well as the depictions of the martyrdoms
of Christians persecuted by the Romans in the first centuries. In parallel, the same attributes were also sometimes superimposed
on the figures of other, contemporary enemies of the faith, who lacked an established iconographic tradition of their
own: namely the Protestant ‘heretics’. This paper aims to illustrate this visual device through a selection of significant case
studies taken from the territory of the Republic of Genoa, a state characterized by a long-standing involvement in the fight
against Ottoman forces and Barbary corsairs.
particular interest for the rereading of ancient objects of devotion in terms of identity formation and the subsequent generation of new iconographies. In the Middle Ages, Genoa became home to two extraordinarily important relics: the ashes
of St John the Baptist and the Holy Basin. These invaluable objects were not associated with one another, however, until the
Early Modern Period, when historiographic and literary sources began to put them in relation to the heroic feats of Guglielmo Embriaco. In parallel with this increased interest in votive objects that were already part of Genoa’s history, the city also
embarked upon the construction of a new cult, a process that involved acquiring a portion of the remains of St Desiderius of
Langres in 1651. This event led to the inclusion of a hitherto almost unknown saint in the decorative program of the chapel
of the Ducal Palace (frescoed in those same years), within the canon of the city’s most important religious imagery.
(as “tangible” evidence of sanctity), the case of the Republic of Genoa in the 17th century is of
particular interest, as ancient objects of devotion were reread in terms of identity formation,
consequently generating new iconographies (a process which is the subject of the present study).
In the Middle Ages, Genoa became home to two extraordinarily important relics: the ashes of St
John the Baptist (one of the city’s patron saints) and the “Sacro Catino” (Holy Basin), which was
believed at the time to be made of emerald and alternately identified as either the Holy Grail or
the plate used by Christ during the Last Supper (or both). These invaluable relics, the object of
widespread devotion, were not linked until the early modern period, when the historiographic
and literary sources began to put them in relation to the heroic feats of Guglielmo Embriaco. The
Genoese military leader, who was already locally considered to have been the main figure behind
the conquest of Jerusalem during the First Crusade, was now also held to have been the one who
brought them to the city. As a consequence, he came to be represented in multiple fresco cycles
not only as the conqueror of the Holy City but also as solely responsible for the arrival of priceless
relics. Indeed, his figure ended up alongside the patron saints and the Virgin in the decoration of
the site where the city’s religious glories were celebrated more than anywhere else: the chapel of
the Ducal Palace, itself the seat of government and the Doge.
In parallel, while this strengthened interest in votive objects that were already part of the city’s
history, it also launched a process for the construction of a new cult that involved retrieving
the remains of St Desiderius from France to resolve an age-old problem. The Republic of Genoa
claimed the merit of having never stained itself with Christian blood and so of having never
created a martyr in the whole history of Christianity, not even when savage persecution was
being carried out elsewhere; but this also meant that there were no martyrs’ relics to venerate.
The lack of a local martyr to serve as the protector of the city – as was common in the system
of patron saints in other Italian cities – created the grounds for a complex diplomatic venture,
backed by a few local noblemen, that caused the arrival of the relics of St Desiderius in Genoa in
1654. Desiderius was a saint of remote Ligurian origin who was, however, martyred in Langres,
and so he offered the perfect solution for finally guaranteeing the city possession of a martyr’s
remains. This event led to the inclusion of a saint until then almost unknown in the decorative
programme of the chapel of Ducal Palace, frescoed in those same years, within the canon of the
city’s most important religious imagery.
The aim of this study is therefore to bring into focus the identity-forming value assumed by
ancient relics in Genoa at the height of the 17th century, determining the development of new
religious iconography understandable in relation to the political and socio-cultural context that
generated it.
29 gennaio 2019, Ventimiglia
Tra le numerose immagini dei ‘Turchi’ al cospetto di Saverio, conversioni più o meno pacifiche si affiancano ad episodi di maggior violenza, come quello della cacciata dei Badagi, non scevro da contaminazioni iconografiche con altre tradizioni agiografiche.
economic crisis that followed or to how Genoese republican state power was represented during the long seventeenth century, especially in relation to neighbouring polities. To address this gap, the conference explores how the Genoese Republic shaped its political image between 1559 – the year of the publication of Oberto Foglietta’s Delle cose della
repubblica di Genova – and 1684, when Genoa was bombed by the French.
The conference, aimed at art historians, literary scholars, and political and cultural historians, strongly encourages a comparative approach, with a focus on the originality of the Genoese system of political representation in the European early modern context.