The bronze bust of Giovanni Paisielloof a classical style, has returned to its base in the center of the vast flowerbed along the Vasto descent in Old Cityto Tarantoafter a careful restoration which has restored the sculptural work (originally placed in Piazza Castello in 1960) by the Turin artist in all its artistic beauty, Pietro Canonica.
To have promoted, at his own expense and care, the restoration carried out by Museion Cooperative Society thanks to the project developed by the architect Augusto Ressait was the Lions Club Taranto Poseidon of which he is president Maria Cristina De Stefano. This is an operation with a high cultural profile, gratified by an important recognition: the club, in the person of president Maria Cristina De Stefano, was awarded, in fact, last October, by the association Friends of Music “Arcangelo Speranza”The Giovanni Paisiello Festival Award.
The project has acquired the authorization of Municipality of Taranto and of National Superintendence for Underwater Cultural Heritage who oversaw its high surveillance scientific entrusted to Angelo Raguso. Incidentally, the Poseidon, in addition to the many activities carried out for social purposes, has always shown a keen interest in the valorization of Taranto’s cultural heritage. Therefore, in recent years, it has stipulated an agreement with the current municipal administration to direct attention to the monuments present in the public spaces of the city and has already carried out the restoration and arrangement of the architectural fragments of the imperial age present in the gardens dedicated to Fallen at Work in Viale Virgilio and the restoration of the statue of Mary Immaculate in the square of the same name in Taranto.
The restored bust
The restored bust is part of the monument dedicated to Paisiello and is composed of a high granite base on which the square-shaped stele is placed, around which a bronze sculptural group develops composed of allegorical figures that allude to poetry, music and to the dance, and by two fauns. The stele culminates with the bust of Paisiello placed on a granite plinth.
The restoration, carried out by the restorer Arianna Lobasciomade Paisiello’s effigy legible, which was covered by extensive chromatic alterations caused by the run-off of rainwater, the action of polluting agents and bird droppings which had caused guano drips, altering the beauty of the sculptural work.
The restoration of the bronze bust of Paisiello will be presented on May 9, day of the composer’s birth, at 5pm, in the Vasto descent. They will intervene Cristina De Stefanopresident of the Taranto Poseidon Lions club, Leonardo PotenzaGovernor of Lions District 108 AB Puglia, Angelica LussosoCouncilor for Culture of the Municipality of Taranto, Angelo Ragusodelegate superintendent of the National Superintendence for Underwater Cultural Heritage, Don Francesco Simonediocesan director of ecclesiastical cultural heritage, director of the Diocesan Museum of Taranto, Vito Caliandrodirector of the Giovanni Paisiello Conservatory of Taranto, Paolo Rutaresident of the Friends of Music association “Arcangelo Speranza”, Augusto Ressa And Arianna Lobascio.
The musical intervention is offered by the Friends of Music “Arcangelo Speranza”.
