Vestone

PARISH CHURCH DEDICATED TO THE VISITATION OF VIRGIN MARY TO THE ST. ELISABETH

This church distinguished itself by an important façade from the16th century and by ist portal of black stone of Levrange. This church was built after suggestion of San Carlo Borromeo. The church holds canvases by Palma di Giovane, Rottino, Paglia and A. Rubagotti. Furthermore, there is a big Crucifix and important reliquaries, both from the17th century, coming from the near Moncenigo Convent. The artistic patrimony of Vestone was remarkably reduced by French General Chavalier, who on 5th May 1797 set fire to the holy building, burning seven paintings by Palma il Giovane/ Palma the Younger, the communal archives and some extraordinary residence houses such as the one of Dr. Pietro Ricobelli. It happened during the punitive military expedition in the Sabbia Valley, as this rebelled against the new rules of the French Republic. One former church dedicated to Saint Mary in Vestone was mentioned already in the 14th century. However, according to the testimony of the historians, even in the 15th century this church results during the pastoral visit of the bishop Bollani as not consecrated. It used to hold only one altar which was kept in quite bad conditions. In fact, up to the 16th century, the ecclesiastic life in Vestone took place in the church of San Lorenzo/Saint Laurent church. At the end of the 15th century, as a result of the Vestone’s population growth and as the urbanistic centre around the church of Santa Maria expands, the Saint Mary church finally turns into a parish church. As soon as San Carlo Borromeo noted this change, he ordered the restoration of the building, so that this becomes a worthy parish church.Thus, at the beginning of the 16th century, the building was already restored and in 1667 the tower bell was completed.On the 5th May, 1797 the French troops set fire to the church as they plundered the village of Vestone. Some really valuable canvases were destroyed. Only hosts were saved from the fire.
It took many years to re-establish the church into its former shape. In 1866 the church was occupied by Garibaldi’s guards and until 30th August 1866 it served as a hospital.
After the Garibaldi’s soldiers had left, another restoration stage started. There were donated and bought many art works in order to replace the lost ones. After an earthquake of 1901, it was decided to restore also the roof, which in 1904 was painted by Giuseppe Traini.Restoration works of 1960 and 2008, In many parts, the present appearance of the interior is to be attributed to the restoration works from 1960’s. In 1962 there were inaugurated the following components of the church.:
- Restoration of the walls and of the vault
- Raising of the main altar
- Flooring of the main and side altars by Brescia Aurora and flooring of the nave
- Coating of the choir and coating of the presbytery
- Laying of the balustrade’s steps
- Creation of the two presbytery’s thrones and two side ambos
- Placing of the canvas portraying the Virgin Mary to remember the battlement of Vestone, painted by Ottorino Garosio
- Restoration of the side altars.
As you can deduce from the above listed works, on one hand the restoration period of 1960’s had unified the interior’s aspect, on the other hand, it had insensitively changed the nature of the materials used for the embellishment of the interior. Before the restoration works of 1960’s the prevailing material used to be marble, mainly precious kinds of marble imported from abroad.
In November 2004 the church was damaged by an earthquake which stroke the Sabbia Valley. Afterwards, the reinforcement works have started . These and some additional touches were completed in April 2008 .
Exterior, the façade of the church was completed in 1619. It was designed by an architect Oceano, the author of the church Chiesa del Lino in Brescia. Structural elements are marked out in the black stone of Levrange and they are contrasting with the light painting of the wall background. The classic forms of the windows and portals make the church particularly elegant and well-balanced. In the bell’s tympanum, there is a visible and well legible acronym D.O.M. (Deo Optimo Maximo).
The art work and the altars.
As already mentioned, due to the misadventures of Vestone, the restoration of the church was undertaken in several stages. Therefore, the disposition of the altars and other art pieces in the Parish church seems often quite confused due to the lack of historical records regarding the disposition or origin of an interior’s art work.
First altar on the right: altar of Jesus Christ/ Sacro Cuore
The altar is created from polychromatic and gilded wood. The retable is adorned with puttos who receive with open arms the statue of Jesus, a work assigned together with the restoration of the whole altar to the Poisa’s workshop.
In the past, the altar was dedicated to the Holy Spirit as can be deduced from the dove placed on the tympanum. Here most probably used to hang canvas portraying Pentecost (now placed in the presbytery).
Second altar on the right: altar of the reliquaries.
The reliquaries come from the near Franciscan friar’s convent of Mocenigo. It is dedicated to the saints, altar used to hold the canvas portraying the Trinity and the Saints (San Giovanni Nepomuceno, San Francesco di Sales, Santa Teresa d’Avila, San Calocero) now placed on the wall in front of the other art work by Bernardino Podavini, a painter from the 17th century, Voltolini’s apprentice. Despite the fact, that the painting doesn’t reach the highest quality, it underlines the significant aspects of the popular devotion.
Between two altars there are two canvases from the 17th century. Unfortunately, their state of conservation doesn’t permit any deeper analysis on the place. However, the canvases represent San Gerolamo and the Deposition.The presbytery contains a group of interesting canvases. Their position has not been chosen according to the exact iconological programme.
Starting from the right: Madonna del Rosario/ Our Lady of Rosary: it seems to be the only canvas which survived the Fire of 1797, while other seven canvases painted by Iacopo Negretti called Palma il Giovane for the Parish church were burnt. (his work is also the main altar of the parish church in Nozza).
Palma il Giovane was a Venetian painter, influenced by Raffaello and Tintoretto, he created many copies of Tiziano’s work, his real master. He developed his skills in the Venetian School and also in the mannerism school in Rome, where he stayed for four years. In Vestone’s altar piece can be easily noticed the luminous and warm colour of the Venetian school which in the composition accentuates the celestial sphere.
The Crucifixation of Virgin Mary, Mary Madeleine and Saint John Evangelist: this canvas is also attributed to Palma il Giovane. Please notice the twisting position of Saint John Evangelist who almost seems to be going out from the scene with his swollen mantle. Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus and the Saints Marc, Peter and James: this canvas is again most probably attributed to the Venetian School and to the artist Palma il Giovane. Particular here is the iconography which represents the three saints in their holy “talk”. This theme excludes the very commonly used one, where the saints were turning themselves to the Holy Mother. Below the lion’s paw can be read an inscription which could throw light upon the subject and assignment of this canvas.Canvas dedicated to the Visitation of Virgin to St. Elisabeth: the painting was placed here in the period between Napoleon’s plunder and the period of Garibaldi’s guards occupation. The canvas is attributed to Gabriele Rottini painter from Brescia who lived from 1797 to 1858.
The frame was created by Giuseppe Rizzi and was donated in 1887 by Mother Maria Pia Pialorsi, in that time it was valued for 1140 ITL.The Pentecost: this art work is attributed to Pietro Ricchi called Lucchese, painter who between 1620 and 1623 passed the period of his apprenticeship in Passignano by Florence and then between 1624 and 1627 in Bologna by Guido Reni who was a prominent Italian painter of high-Baroque style. His rambling way of life brought him also to France, first to Aix en Provence, then to Arles, to Lion and finally to Paris. Around 1634 he returned to Italy, first to Milan and then to Brescia, where he remained and painted until 1652. He worked on the religious assignments of the Domenican friars and Ursulines’ from the province of Brescia and Bergamo, however he also worked in the province of Trento and Venice. In Sabbia Valley he left several important art pieces. Saint Thomas’ Incredulity: art piece dating probably to the 18th century. Please note the elegant position of the main characters. They seem almost dancing. The position of the other characters seems to create an ellipse towards the end of the space and it is distinguished by almost aerial architecture. In the low right corner you can see the heraldic escutcheon with red and white lion which most probably indicates the origin of the works’ assignment. Above the presbytery’s arc, there is on the left the Archangel Gabriel, on the right there is the Virgin Mary. At the present time, this painting is placed on the first altar when descending from the presbytery and it replaces a former wooden crucifix.
Last altar on the left: altar dedicated to the Madonna of Lourdes.
It used to contain a statue of Madonna of Rosary which was replaced in 1908 by the present statue. This one was donated by one parishioner and it is attributed to Rivetti di Chiari.Between altars, there are two canvases depicting San Saint Laurent and Saint Stephen.The baptistery was decorated by the family Rubagotti, a family of decorators and painters coming from Brescia who were active at the end the 18th and at the beginning of the 19th century.
In the niches of the church there are positioned wooden statues of the following saints: Saint Anthony of Padua, San Carlo Borromeo, John the Baptist, Saint Catherina from Siena, San Domenico.On the vault, on the scroll ornaments could be read phrases from the Magnificat, from the Song of the Songs and from the 23’rd David’s Psalm.

SAINT STEPHAN AND JOHN BABTIST CHURCH

This church dedicated to the two above stated Saints was erected between 1556 and 1579 on the place of the former chapel. The church was consecrated on 23rd October, 1600. The church was between 1754 and 1756 transformed from the original Romanesque stile to the baroque, which is kept until today.
In the church you can admire numerous vault frescoes created by Scalvini. You can also admire the beautiful altar retable of the presbytery, signed by Giacomo Palma (il Giovane) which portrays Madonna col Bambino Gesù/Madonna with the Infant Jesus, together with the Saints John Baptist, St. Stephan and Laurent. The retable is framed by a marvellous wooden frame made by family Boscaì. The organ dates back to 1578.

SAINT LORENZO CHURCH

It is a little jewel of harmony and proportion and belongs to the most precious religious buildings of Sabbia Valley. The church and its bell tower are built in the Romanesque style. It is elegant and architectonically well balanced. Although there have been executed several reconstructions throughout the past centuries, even today, it is the most prestigious construction in the municipality. There have been preserved frescoes from 1533 which have been brought to light and restored. On the side walls of the nave, there is a frescoed “record” of the favours received, painted in the evangelic scenes of saints depicted in the15th century polyptych by Martino da Gavardo. The polyptych represents the liturgic abstraction of the Divine history. The salvation by Virgin Mary and the Will of the Father, it is a hieratic figure, surrounded, as well as Virgin Mary by the local Saints.
In 1981 here was installed the second polyptych dedicated to St. Joseph, created by a local painter Giovanni Tabarelli. The external arcade facing the cemetary is particularly elegant.

SANTO STEFANO CHURCH

History and origins: The origins of the St. Stephen church are quite unclear. Studies which have been so far executed, have not defined the exact period of origins. However, there were developed some reflection theories: The place chosen for the construction of the church is very meaningful. It is a very strategic point, where converge the roads from Trompia Valley, Trentino and Garda. In the square of Nozza has always been organized a market, an important reference to the Valley’s economy. The church is erected on the imposing crag linked to the the Rocca which in the Middle ages formed together with other fortresses of the territory the military system for defence of the valley. In the past history, the church was projected as a noblemen chapel, and oratory for the inhabitants of the crag. Only afterwards it starts to be used by the inhabitants of the whole below standing village. As already mentioned, the origins of the church are not clear but the construction of this was certainly carried out after the building of another important church in Nozza and that is San Quirico.Nothing except a cippus has been preserved up to now from the former San Quirico church.
According to Alfredo Bonomi, this parish church belongs to the first buildings in the Valley and it is connected to the diffusion of the Christianity. A particular autonomy of the parish chuch in Nozza in comparism with othe parish churches backs up the before mentioned theory.Santo Stefano church was mentioned already in 1334 as a sacerdotal prebend, in 1410 as ecclesia. The period of maximum splendour and flourishing was in the 15th century with the contribute of artists such as Galvano della Nozza and his son Aldreghino. The records of the bishopal visits confirm that in 1568 the church and the crag became a property of the Martinengo family.
During the17th and 18th century, the church passed a period of decay. The bishopal records from 1703 order that the church should be used for hay and corn essication and storage.
In 1811 Martinengo family sold the church to Carlo Leali from Nozza and to Don Antonio Boni from Vestone. Don Antonio decided to use the stones of the church to make lime and thus it was transformed in the limekiln.
There were other owners until 1931 when the church became again a diocesan property and it got restored by Trainini.
Architecture:The church presents itself simply and it seems to be a vertical continuation of the spur rocks on which it is built. The church seems also asymmetric because of its sacresty’s position. A cabin like façade is plastered and in one not very deep niche there used to be a fresco portraying Santo Stefano, unfortunately it has not been preserved up to now. Interesting is a frame made from terracotta which can be found below the water-spout. It dates back to the 14th century and it shows a motif of the saw teeth, surmounted by the terracotta console.
Interior of the church is simple but well proportioned and reminds us of the spacious churches of the 14th century. Particular is the development of the church in horizontal sense, not longitudinal. The roof is made by wooden beams with painted hollow flat tiles while apsis is quadrangular and it is covered by a cruised vault.
Decoration of the church: Interior of the church was restored in 1931 by Trainino. He dedicated himself particularly to the frescoes from the 14th century which can be found on the outside of the triumphal arch and on the right side of the church. The author of these frescoes has not been identified yet, they all date back to the 15th century. There is no univocal motif in the decorations as there are several votive portrays. Now and then the assignor can be recognized. The fresco from June 1492 portraying the Crucifix was assigned by Franciscus Tadei, Nicolaus et Petrus de la Noza. In 1493, Franciscus Tadei requested the realization of the Christ’s Baptism. The frescoes represent the Saints such as Sant’Antonio Abate, Santa Lucia and San Sebastiano, all depicted with attention and corteous taste typical for the late Gothic period.
However, Trainini doesn’t limit himself just to restore the ancient frescoes, he also realizes some frescoes himself, mainly in the apsis area. There he created a wall decoration as he depicted Jesus Christ with the majesty symbols, surrounded by the celebrating angels. In the vault, he portrayed four Evangelists; a theme which is very close and dear to the decoration of the 14th century in Sabbia Valley. However, it is possible that Trainino repainted the frescoes of the very same theme as the original ones were found in a very bad shape. nebulose.

MADONNA DEL CARMINE CHURCH

The small church Madonna del Carmine in Mocenigo was erected in the 16th century. Afterwards, the bell tower and the arcade were added to the building.

THE CHURCH OF MOCENIGO MONASTERY

This church is dedicated to St. Francis and Anthony of Padua. It was a Franciscan friar’s church with 23 cells and it is attached to the convent built between 1603 and 1607. The Capuchins lived in the convent until 1769 when it was surpressed by the Republic of Venice. Later, the convent had been used for other purposes, for example as military barracks. Recently, in 1990, after years of complete carelessness the church was sensitively restored by the local Gruppo Alpini. The retables of the two altars were sold to the privat owners of the Art Gallery Pinacoteca Brera in Milan. The few mortal remains of Blessed Father Angelo Tavoldino from Vestone were exhumed and transported to the private church in Matterello where they have been preserved up to now. Noteworthy is an elegant cloister of the original convent, now used as a garden by the families living in the converted rooms of the former monastery.

MATARELLO CHURCH

It is a small chapel situated on the hill of Nozza village. It was built in the second half of the 18th century by Francesco Bonetti on the place of the former hayloft. Until 1400 on this very place used to be worshipped Virgin Mary painted on the wall, an art work by an anonymous painter, probably Foppa’s apprentice. The painting from 12th May 1512 portrays the maternity and the inhabitants of Nozza have always been very devoted to this place. A small gravestone guards mortal remains of the Father Angelo Tavoldino, who died in 1630 as he was helping the plague-stricken.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
S. BOZZETTI, La chiesa di S. Stefano in Rocca a Nozza, in Studi in onore di U. Vaglia, Brescia, 1989,
A. BONOMI, L’antica chiesa di Santo Stefano in Rocca, riflessioni storiche e attualità, in I Palelele del al Noza, dicembre 2002. Bibliografia tematica:A. FAPPANI, San Carlo. Brescia e i Bresciani, Brescia, 1984,