Animalia. La raffigurazione medievale del creato nel Palio di Legnano
Hypogeum Hall (Previati Hall) of Castello di Legnano, from 6 June to 31 October 2020
Exhibition curated by: Alessio Francesco Palmieri-Marinoni
With scientific collaboration and texts by: Paola Marabelli, Carla Marinoni Brusatori, Lucia Miazzo, Alessio Francesco Palmieri-Marinoni, Elena Settimini
The exhibition “Animalia. The Medieval Representation of Creation in the Palio di Legnano” was inaugurated on Saturday, 6 June 2020 at Castello di Legnano. The exhibition was organized by the Permanent Costume Commission of the Palio di Legnano, with the scientific consultancy of the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio of Florence.
Curated by Professor Alessio Francesco Palmieri Marinoni and organized thanks to the contribution of the experts of the Permanent Costume Commission, the exhibition represents an important opportunity for the study and enhancement of the cultural heritage expressed through the collections of the Palio di Legnano.
Through the exhibition of precious archival documents, in a dialogue between past and present, visitors were able to discover how each individual element refers to a specific symbolism expressed through the coats of arms of the districts and connected to a precise semantic system related to natural elements.
Through a detailed analysis of the garments, weapons, and accessories of the Palio di Legnano, the exhibition aimed to present an in-depth scientific exploration of the complex symbolic vision associated with the animal world in the Middle Ages and its subsequent reinterpretation, beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Following a chronological examination of the different types of zoomorphic representations found in embroidery, textile works, metal objects, and other materials, as well as the consequent transformation of meaning brought about by the progressive development of knowledge in the fields of medieval and costume studies, “Animalia. The Medieval Representation of Creation in the Palio di Legnano” offers visitors numerous opportunities for reflection and investigation into the significance of the animal world, both in the past and in contemporary times.
The exhibition, hosted in the Hypogeum Hall of Castello di Legnano, was divided into eight thematic sections:
- medieval bestiaries as a source of inspiration
- the representation of the animal world in weapons
- the properties of stones and the animal world
- zoomorphic figures in Byzantine textile production
- animals and the coats of arms of the districts
- heraldry and qualitative symbolism
- from origins to the present day: much more than “animalier”
- the description of the world: the Bamberg mantle
Each section was introduced by dedicated texts written by the experts of the Permanent Costume Commission of the Palio di Legnano, with the aim of illustrating the general context of each thematic area. This approach was adopted to allow visitors the freedom to focus on the objects on display and explore them independently.
The exhibition represents the new path of study and research undertaken by the Permanent Costume Commission of the Palio di Legnano, aimed at the scientific enhancement of the Palio di Legnano and intended to support the forthcoming formal application for the recognition of Cultural Interest by the MiBACT (Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism).
