Antonio Spatafora

Antonio Spatafora (* in Palermo in the mid-16th century; † June 22, 1613 in Termini Imerese ) was an Italian mannerist painter , architect and cartographer in Sicily .

Life

Spatafora was born in Palermo as the son of the architect and sculptor Giuseppe Spatafora . In his father's will of September 14, 1572 Antonio was already an adult, in this will also a property in Partinico was mentioned.

Antonio received his first training in his father's workshop. According to Thieme-Becker , he was also a student of Vincenzo degli Azani , with whom he familiarized himself with panel painting.

The painting “Madonna, Child, Saints Michael and Blasius” from 1578 for the church of SS. Michele Arcangelo e Biagio in Caccamo provided the first evidence of his artistic creativity . A year later he painted an altarpiece "Death of Mary" for the Chiesa Madre in Partenico. This picture in particular is a classic example of Mannerism in the second half of the 16th century: Mary, lying on a bier, is surrounded by the apostles , who underline their grief with pathetic gestures.

In 1579 Spatafora was documented in Palermo, where he worked with other artists in the royal palace. In Palermo he married Clara Antonia. Five children were born to the couple, documented (Contino & Mantia 1997, 98 and 2001). From 1591 the artist settled in Termini Imerese , where he held public offices, such as that of head of the hydraulic engineering authority.

He was first documented as an architect in 1602 with the construction of a wide flight of stairs for the cathedral in Collesano .

In 1604 he worked as a cartographer when he measured and mapped the "Punta di Cala Secca" in the Gulf of Termini Imerese. Also in Termini Imerese, he directed work on enlarging the cathedral and redesigning the forecourt.

Spatafora's son, the painter Giuseppe Spatafora dJ , created the painting The Japanese Martyrs in 1655 for the Chapel of the Martyrs in the Chiesa del Gesù in Palermo .

painting

• Chiesa SS. Michele Arcangelo e Biagio (Caccamo): Madonna and Child, Saints Michael and Blasius (1578)
• Chiesa Madre (Partinico): Dormition Virgines (Mary's Death) (February 20, 1579)
• Chiesa Madre Enna : marriage of salvation. Catherine (1585)
• Chiesa San Antonio Abate (Caccamo): Madonna in the Snow with Saints Antonio Abate and Stefano Protomartire (1594)
• Chiesa Madre (Termini Imerese) Madonna dell'Itria (around 1596)
• Chiesa San Giuseppe (Termini Imprese): Holy Family with S. Anna (1603) destroyed by fire
• For the Spanish Garrison Church (Termini Imerese): Madonna, Child, Johannes dT and Johannes Evangelista.
• Chiesa Nostra Signora Annunziata (Termini Imerese): Annunciation (1613)

architecture

(all in Termini Imerese)

• Public baths
• Palazzo del Magistrato (1603-1612)
• Design of the square in front of the town hall (1603–1612)
• Chiesa San Antonio da Padova (1601–1611)
• Chiesa San Antonio da Padova fuori le mura
• Chiesa Nostra Signora Annunziata (1595–1605)

literature

• Antonio Contino, Salvatore Mantia: Un felice connubio artistico: La Barbera-Spatafora. In: Le Madonie. Vol. 76, No. 3, 1 ° marzo 1997, p. 3.
• Antonio Contino, Salvatore Mantia: Vincenzo La Barbera, Architetto e Pittore Termitano. La famiglia La Barbera dalla Liguria a Termini Imerese nei secoli 16. e 17. Editrice GASM, Termini Imerese 1998.
• Antonio Contino, Salvatore Mantia: Architetti e pittori a Termini Imerese tra il 16th ed il 17th secolo. Editrice GASM, Termini Imerese 2001.
• Ignazio De Michele: Cenni sopra un affresco attribuito a Giuseppe Spatafora e sopra alcune opere di V. La Barbera. Amore & Giuffrè, Termini Imerese 1877.
• Claudia Guastella: Ricerche su Giuseppe Alvino detto il Sozzo e la pittura a Palermo alla fine del Cinquecento (= Contributi alla storia della cultura figurativa nella Sicilia occidentale tra la fine del 16. e gli inizi del 17th secolo. Atti della giornata di studio su Pietro D'Asaro, Racalmuto, Auditorium di S. Chiara 15 February 1985. ). Arti grafiche siciliane, Palermo 1985.
• Spatafora, Antonio . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 31 : Siemering – Stephens . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1937, p. 337 .
• Rosario Termotto: Collesano. La Basilica di S. Pietro. Comune Collesano, Collesano 1992.