Giovanni Biagio Amico
Giovanni Biagio Amico (born February 3, 1684 in Trapani ; † September 3, 1754 ibid) was an architect and founder of the late baroque phase in western Sicily and Palermo .
Life
Amico was chosen for church service as the child of a poor family. As a teenager he was handed over to the Chiesa delle Anime del Purgatorio in Trapani, where, in addition to his training as a theologian, as far as is known, he acquired knowledge of mathematics, form theory and architecture from books and on the construction site. In addition, he had dealt with the buildings by Guarino Guarini and Angelo Italia by internalizing their scenic presentation of facades and interiors. After his ordination as a priest, he became pastor of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Trapani. A short time later, in 1726, he published his handbook for architects "l'Architetto pratico" , which was not only very popular with architects.
In the meantime he has been promoted to Vicar General of the Diocese of Trapani, and was elevated to the rank of royal engineer by the Viceroy of Sicily. From then on, numerous clock rates on architecture and the theory of forms appeared from his hand, so the second volume of “l'Architetto pratico” followed in 1750 , and as a theologian he published his three-volume work “Catechismo storico del Concilio die Trento” in 1742 .
plant
His first work as an architect was the facade of the Chiesa del Purgatorio in Trapani (1712–14), which he gave a curved shape based on the model of Francesco Borromini , with which he introduced the late Baroque phase in architecture in western Sicily. After the great earthquake that destroyed large parts of Palermo on September 1, 1721, Amico also went to the capital, where there was a great need for master builders and thus spread the late baroque style there too. In addition to his work as a practically active architect, he also worked as an appraiser and juror for the designs of other architects.
His students are Andrea Gigante , Giuseppe Venanzio Marvuglia and Nicolò Palma .
Church building
- Chiesa del Purgatorio in Trapani : facade (1712–14)
- Chiesetta di S. Caterina in Calatafimi : interior (1721)
- Chiesa Santa Oliva in Alcamo : interior (around 1720)
- Chiesa Sant'Anna la Misericordia : facade (1726)
- Palermo Cathedral : Reconstruction of the Campanile (1728)
- Chiesa della Luce in Trapani
- Catedrale San Lorenzo in Trapani: facade (around 1740)
- Chiesa dell'Annunziata in Trapani
- Chiesa del Crocifisso in Calatafimi (attributed to)
- Chiesa Santa Maria della Grotta in Marsala
- Chiesa di San Pietro in Erice .
literature
- Antonella Cangelosi (Ed.): Giovanni Biagio Amico. (1684-1754). Teologo, architetto, trattatista. Atti delle Giornate di Studio, Trapani, 8–9–10 March 1985 (= Storia architettura. Saggi. Vol. 6). Multigrafica, Rome 1987, ISBN 88-7597-044-0 .
- Edoardo Dotto: La Libreria di San Martino delle Scale. Ridisegno degli interventi di GB Amico, G. Maggiordomo, GV Marvuglia. Abadir, San Martino delle Scale 2001, ISBN 88-87727-04-X .
- Maria Giuffrè: Baroque Sicily. Michael Imhof, Petersberg 2007, ISBN 978-3-86568-264-2 , pp. 107-113, 165-166, 224-225, 228-229, 225-236 (illustrations).
- Antonella Mazzamuto: Giovanni Biagio Amico. Architetto e trattatista del Settecento. Flaccovio, Palermo 2003, ISBN 88-7804-232-3 .
- Grazia Pezzini: Amico, Giovanni Biagio. In: Alberto M. Ghisalberti (Ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 2: Albicante – Ammannati. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1960.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Amico, Giovanni Biagio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian architect |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 3, 1684 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Trapani |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 3, 1754 |
| Place of death | Trapani |