Naples and Pistoia united under the sign of Spain, from Saint James the Greater to don Pedro de Toledo. From the ideal link between the Basilica of San Giacomo degli Spagnoli and the Cathedral of San Zeno, the exhibition arrives in Naples “Pistoia Santiago d’Italia: the Silver Altar of San Jacopo”. At the center of the exhibition are the photographs of Nicolò Begliominiwhich from May 1st to June 30th find their home in the Pontifical Royal Basilica of San Giacomo ‒ Jacopo, for the Pistoia people ‒ of the Spaniards of Naples. The photographic exhibition, free and presented today 30 April, is an immersive journey to discover the Silver Altar preserved in the San Zeno Cathedral in Pistoia.
Inaugurated today by the mayors of the two cities, Gaetano Manfredi for Naples and Alessandro Tomasi for Pistoia, and by the author of the shots Nicolò Begliomini, the exhibition is made up of images created using the most innovative technologies and exhibited in the least invasive way possible. Visitors will be welcomed by XL-sized light boxes that allow them to observe the full-scale reproduction of the altar, admiring every single detail. The altar of San Jacopo, in embossed silver foil, was created by five different generations of masters who worked on the work from the 12th to the 14th century.
«The exhibition project we are preparing to present – declares the mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredi ‒ is the result of a dual collaboration: on the one hand the agreement with the Royal Archconfraternity and Monte del Santissimo Sacramento dei Nobili Spagnoli for the valorisation of the Basilica of San Giacomo degli Spagnoli, on the other the recent agreement with the Municipality of Pistoia which , symbolically bringing to Naples one of the most extraordinary treasures of Pistoia’s goldsmith art, builds an ideal bridge between the two cities. Once again, culture confirms itself as an important driver of relationships and outlines an essential strategic framework for the socio-cultural development of the territory”.
«Two cities that come together in the name of art, history and culture – adds the mayor of Pistoia, Alessandro Tomasi ‒ and which from today are closer thanks to this exhibition. An exchange that, as a Municipality, we convincingly wanted to support, as we did previously with Santiago de Compostela and Rome. I am proud to be able to bring to Naples a reproduction of the silver altar kept in the Cathedral of San Zeno, a symbol of our history and our identity. I expect this exhibition to be an opportunity for many people to get closer, through art, to Pistoia, a crossroads of paths, and to discover the great historical and cultural heritage that our city contains.”
The rector explains why the Basilica of San Giacomo was chosen for the photographic exhibition Don Luigi Pecoraro. «The event is part of yet another activity of the Basilica, keeping in mind the idea of its founder, Don Pedro de Toledo. This place was supposed to be a point of reference for the journey of Saint James or Jacopo, patron saint of Spain, so that pilgrims could have an additional place of support. In the Basilica you can also collect the credentials for the journey, which we issue once a month.”
The initiative, designed by Giorgio Tesi Editrice and The Wall Association, was developed with the support of the Municipality of Pistoia, the Caript Foundation, the Giorgio Tesi Group and Conad, in agreement with the Diocese of Pistoia, the Chapter of Cathedral, the Giunta de Galicia and the University of Santiago, and in collaboration with the MIBACT and the Italian Center for Compostellan Studies. In Naples the exhibition is organized thanks to the support of the Municipality of Naples and in collaboration with the Real Arciconfraternita Monte del Santissimo Sacramento dei Nobili Spagnoli and the Partidarios De Santiago Committee with the University of Naples Federico II and the Cervantes Institute.
Present at the inauguration, in addition to the mayors of Naples and Pistoia, also the Government of the Royal Archconfraternity, the Tourism Councilor of the Municipality of Naples Teresa Armato and Don Luca Carlesi, Archpriest of the Cathedral of San Zeno in Pistoia. It will be possible to visit the photographic exhibition, which is free, from Tuesday to Saturday. There are two time slots, from 10am to 1pm and from 5pm to 7pm. On Sundays entry is only from 10am to 1pm.
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