Location | Vila Real, Douro, Norte, Portugal |
---|---|
Type | Prehistoric art |
Site notes | |
Archaeologists | unknown |
Ownership | Portuguese Republic |
Public access | Private Carlão, from the municipal road until Franzilhal |
The Prehistoric Rock-Art Site Pala Pinta (Portuguese: Abrigo rupestre da Pala Pinta) is a Paleolithic-era rock-art site, recognized for cave paintings in the Portuguese municipality of Alijó, in the civil parish of Carlão e Amieiro.[1]
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Transcription
Around 1469, a wealthy money changer commissioned a young painter named Sandro Botticelli to paint an altar piece. Botticelli would, of course, become known as one of the greatest painters of the High Renaissance, producing works like "La Primavera" and "The Birth of Venus." But, in 1469, he had not yet earned this reputation. The scene this young artist set out to paint was well-known: the Three Wise Men, or Magi, arriving at the birth place of Jesus Christ. Botticelli would aspire to take this common theme and produce an entirely original work, while asserting himself among the most important citizens of Florence. Many earlier paintings illustrate the Magi arriving at a stable, stately manger, fitting for the son of God. The young Botticelli, however, chose to place the scene in the dilapidated Roman ruin. At the center of this structure, he placed a sturdy rock for Mary and Jesus to sit high above their visitors. With this decision, Botticelli seemed to say Christianity will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome. Botticelli then populated the space with important men from his city. On the right side, he paints the man who paid for this work, Gaspare del Lama, looking out at the viewer and confidently pointing at himself so that there is no question who is responsible for this masterpiece. Though born the son of a barber, del Lama amassed a good sum of money through currency exchange in his lifetime. He earned enough money to buy a burial chapel and decorate it with a pretty painting. The Three Wise Men appear at the center of this painting, kneeling to Mary and Jesus. As models for these important figures, Botticelli used members of the important Medici family. Del Lama's career as a money changer would not have been possible without the help of the powerful Medici family, in particular Cosimo de' Medici, who appears prominently at Mary's feet. The other wise men can be identified as Piero and Giovanni de' Medici, Cosimo's two sons. The business of money exchange had dubious ethical and legal associations, so the friendship of this powerful family was important. And the young heir to Medici power, Lorenzo, could not be omitted from this painting's composition. He appears to the left of the manger. This painting seems to say the Medici legacy, with its many healthy heirs, will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome. Botticelli then filled the rest of the space with other friends and powerful figures from Florence. And, among the Florentine elite, the young, confident artist painted himself looking directly at the viewer. Botticelli's presence in this painting illustrates a radical shift in the perception of artists during this time period. Botticelli did not view himself as a common craftsman hired for a simple job. He viewed himself as a friend to the powerful families of Florence. Paintings like "The Adoration of the Magi" reveal much more than a simple retelling of a biblical story. They can tell the story of, among other things, a modestly-born money changer attempting to spend his money virtuously by making a local chapel more beautiful, or the story of an ambitious young painter, elevating the reputation of his craft to stand among the wealthy elite of his city.
History
The cave was occupied during the 3rd millennium, and the rock art paintings were likely created during this period.[2][3][4]
After its discovery, on 30 December 1985, there was a move by the Serviço Regional de Arqueologia da Zona Norte (North Zone Regional Archaeological Service) to have the site classified for protection.[2][3] There was a positive reaction on 21 April 1986 to the endeavour by the Consultative Council of IPPC. Further initiatives were undertaken on 7 May by the Secretária de Estado da Cultura (Secretary-of-State for Culture) to classify the archaeological site as a National Monument.[2] Although this was never promulgated, on 18 July 2006, the area was defined as a Zona Especial de Classificação (Special Classification Zone) by the DRPorto.[2]
Architecture
It was situated in an isolated, rural area in the middle of the hilltop facing the east.[2][3]
The site includes rock-art paintings over granite surface, covering an area of 12 metres (39 ft) long and 2.50 metres (8.2 ft) high.[2][3] There roughly two vertical panels, caused by fractures in the cave/clifftop, consisting of monochromatic paintings in ochre of radial imagery (likely sun or stars), points and anthropomorphic representations of figures.[2][3]
References
Notes
- ^ "Abrigo rupestre da Pala Pinta". igespar.pt (in Portuguese). Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sereno, Isabel; Teixeira, Ricardo (1993). SIPA (ed.). "Abrigo rupestre da Pala Pinta (IPA.00005708/PT011701030007)" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA–Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Martins, A. (2011). IGESPAR (ed.). "Abrigo rupestre da Pala Pinta" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: IGESPAR-Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ Sousa (1989)
Sources
- Mesquita, Horácio de; Correia, Virgílio (1922), "Arte rupestre em Portugal - A Pala Pinta", Terra Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 145–147
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Junior, Joaquim Rodrigues dos Santos (1933), "O abrigo pré-histórico da Pala Pinta", Trabalhos de Antropologia e Etnologia (in Portuguese), Porto, Portugal, pp. 33–43
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Sousa, Orlando (1989), "O Abrigo de Arte Rupestre da Pala Pinta - Alijó", Trabalhos de Antropologia e Etnologia (in Portuguese), Porto, Portugal, pp. 191–198
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)