Hypatia by Odoardo Tabacchi – Michelangelo Buonarroti is back

The sculpture I want to talk to you about today is Hypatia created by Odoardo Tabacchi in Carrara marble in 1874.

Hypatia was born in 355 or 415 AD in Alexandria and she was a great philosopher as well as teacher. He distinguished himself in the fields of astronomy and mathematics and was at the head of the Neoplatonic school of Alexandria.

They studied with her Christian and pagan aristocrats who over the years then assumed high positions such as bishop Synesius of Cyrene, Orestes the prefect of Egypt and Aeschylus of Alexandria.

Hypatia was one of the first mathematicians recorded in history. He wrote treatises on geometry, algebra and astronomy and significantly improved the design of the first astrolabesessential for determining the position of the stars in the celestial sphere. She was a pioneer in the history of science done by women and invented the hydrometer.

However, such an enlightened and cultured woman at the time was considered a danger especially by men who could not stand comparison with such a brilliant mind.. Here because she was murdered at 45 or 60 years (variable depending on which age of birth is taken into consideration). The motives of the murderers as well as their connection with the ecclesiastical authorities are still a matter of debate today.

Reevaluated in the following centuries, Hypatia starting from the period of the Enlightenment was considered the same as a martyr of science and symbol of the end of classical thought in the face of the advance of Christianity.

The sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi wanted to pay homage to the great classical mathematician, astronomer and philosopher with an emotional contribution that could somehow reawaken dormant consciences.

He depicted Hypatia at the moment when she is about to die. Tied by the wrists to a pole on which the sign with her name engraved on it was hung, the woman faces her pain, aware of what is happening to her.

He has an expression that leaves little to the imaginationwith an open mouth and a dramatic piercing gaze. Stripped of any guise, Tabacchi’s sculpture embodies the frightening humiliation to which the scholar was subjected.

An atrocious, senseless and reminiscent sentence the pillory to which too many intellectuals were subjected throughout history who found themselves in stark contrast with the ideology of the power of the moment.

Tabacchi’s sculpture is also a strong symbol of oppression of women, in this case embodied by Hypatia: a rare example of a high-ranking female public figure who was already famous while alive in antiquity.

The sculptor’s marble work is part of a group of works by him dedicated to theme of human tragedies and the emotional responses of the people involved. This series of sculptures can also be traced back to On the Rivers of Babylon in which the young Jew grieves for the fate of Jerusalem and Ugo Foscolo after the Treaty of Campo Formio.

Odoardo Tabacchi was born in Valgranna on 19 December 1836 and trained at the Brera Academy starting in 1845. He managed to open his first studio in Milan in 1868 and subsequently he moved to Turin to teach at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts.

Known for making copies of classical sculptures, in 1872 he exhibited the sculpture of Hypatia in Milan, now belonging to a private collection.

You know, he also committed himself to the creation of a bronze work that represented me in full length, proposing it at the Roman Exhibition of 1883.

For the moment, your Michelangelo Buonarroti greets you and will meet you in future posts and on social media.

The sculpture I want to talk to you about today is Hypatia created by Odoardo Tabacchi in Carrara marble in 1874.

Hypatia was born in 355 or 415 AD in Alexandria and was a great philosopher and teacher. She distinguished herself in the fields of astronomy and mathematics and was at the head of the Neoplatonic school of Alexandria.

Christian and pagan aristocrats studied under her and over the years later assumed high positions such as Bishop Synesius of Cyrene, the prefect of Egypt Orestes and Aeschylus of Alexandria.

Hypatia was one of the first mathematicians recorded in history. She wrote treatises on geometry, algebra and astronomy and significantly improved the design of the first astrolabes, essential for determining the position of the stars in the celestial sphere. She was a pioneer in the history of science done by women and invented the hydrometer.

Such an enlightened and cultured woman, however, at the time she was considered a danger especially by men who could not stand comparison with such a brilliant mind. That’s why she was murdered at 45 or 60 (variable depending on which age of birth you take into account). The motives of the murderers as well as their connection with the ecclesiastical authorities are still a matter of debate today.

Re-evaluated in the following centuries, starting from the period of the Enlightenment, Hypatia was considered a martyr of science and a symbol of the end of classical thought in the face of the advance of Christianity.

The sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi wanted to pay homage to the great classical mathematician, astronomer and philosopher with an emotional contribution that could somehow reawaken dormant consciences.

He depicted Hypatia at the moment when she is about to die. Tied by the wrists to a pole on which the sign with her name engraved on it has been hung, the woman faces her pain, aware of what is happening to her.

She has an expression that leaves little to the imagination, with an open mouth and a dramatic piercing gaze. Stripped of any guise, Tabacchi’s sculpture embodies the frightening humiliation to which the scholar was subjected.

An atrocious, senseless condemnation that recalls the pillory to which too many intellectuals were subjected throughout history who found themselves in stark contrast with the ideology of the power of the moment.

Tabacchi’s sculpture is also a strong symbol of oppression of women, in this case embodied by Hypatia: a rare example of a high-ranking female public figure who was already famous while alive in ancient times.

The sculptor’s marble work is part of a group of his works dedicated to the theme of human tragedies and the emotional responses of the people involved. This series of sculptures can also be traced back to On the Rivers of Babylon in which the young Jew grieves for the fate of Jerusalem and Ugo Foscolo after the Treaty of Campo Formio.

Odoardo Tabacchi was born in Valgranna on 19 December 1836 and trained at the Brera Academy starting in 1845. He managed to open his first studio in Milan in 1868 and subsequently moved to Turin to teach at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts.

Known for having created copies of classical sculptures, in 1872 he exhibited the sculpture of Hypatia in Milan, which today belongs to a private collection.

You know, he also committed himself to the creation of a bronze work that represented me in full length, proposing it at the Roman Exhibition of 1883.

For the moment, your Michelangelo Buonarroti greets you and will meet you in future posts and on social media.

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