RESTORATION OF A 17TH-CENTURY FRAME FORMERLY IN THE CHAPEL OF S. MARIA DEGLI ANGELI
The restoration of the seventeenth-century wooden frame
According to F. Paternoster, it is the “only work from the 17th century and of authentic Baroque style found in Brienza.” It was originally set into the central altar of the Chapel of the Madonna degli Angeli, forming a “rich and pompous ornament for the image of the Madonna with Child frescoed in the central recess.”
“The floral decorations unfold grandly in large volutes, with elaborate embroidery, harmonious symmetry, and leaves and fruits (pinecones and apples), while angel heads and a central bell at the top complete the precious frame, which still, after three centuries, shines with its original golden hue.”
Removed from the chapel during the restoration works of the 1990s, the frame suffered significant damage due to repeated relocations.
The 17th-century dating of the frame seems confirmed by the fact that the chapel, in which it was originally placed, was built in 1609, as attested by a stone shield above the entrance portal bearing the town’s coat of arms and the inscription IUS P. BURGENTIAE 1609. As seen in a 1966 photograph, the current state of the frame does not correspond to its original condition, having lost the upper frieze and the lateral ones, which had added to its grandeur. Even thus damaged, it still displays its splendor.
The frame urgently required restoration, as it was in a serious state of decay that threatened its complete disintegration.
Brienza 1799 took charge of this restoration, thanks also to the contribution of the company “Brienza Restauri” and other members and private citizens
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