Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte

Rivignano: Portal from Pilacorte to the Church of St. James in Ariis

Spilimbergo: Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, baptismal font

Rosa (San Vito al Tagliamento): Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, Trittico

Rosa (San Vito al Tagliamento): Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, baptismal font

Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte , also Giovanni Antonio Pilacurte or Giovanni Antonio Piracorte (* 1455 in Lugano - Carona , † 1531 in Pordenone ) was an Italian-Swiss sculptor of the Renaissance .

Selection of his extensive work

Church portal in Ariis in the municipality of Rivignano (Province of Udine)

A portal, made by the hand of Pilacortes, is in the Church of St. Jacob the Apostle, in the village of Ariis, where the 16th century Villa Ottelio also stands , overlooking the Stella River.

Pilacorte Crane Fountain in Portogruaro

To the left of the Portogruaro town hall, one of the landmarks of Portogruaro stands on an octagonal base: the crane fountain. It was designed by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte in 1494. On the outer walls of the octagonal fountain basin, next to the city coat of arms, the coats of arms of the two city bailiffs Paolo Contarini and Jacopo Gabriel, who were probably mayors at the end of the 15th century, are carved out. The two cranes are the work of Valentino Turchetto. ( Crane means “gru” in Italian, hence the name Portogruaro, “crane harbor”). Originally the crane fountain was not far from its current location. It is fed by an underground cistern , via which a inscription was renewed in the 1598 reports, which is located right next to the coat of arms that the same Mayor Giovanni Balbi to obtain clean water.

In the 18th century, the fountain inexplicably fell into private hands. It was only ceremoniously returned to the community in 1908 on the occasion of the inauguration of the public aqueduct .

Tabernacle in the parish church of San Pietro al Natisone (Province of Udine)

The parish church, a large building from the 20th century, contains the sculpture of Saint George fighting the dragon by a Slovenian master (15th century) on a pedestal, as well as a tabernacle (1500) by Pilacorte, which is decorated with angels' heads and ends carries a pietà .

Baptismal font and portal in Camino al Tagliamento (Province of Udine)

Baptismal font and portal of the former parish church (1507).

Statue of Saint Apollinaris in the parish church of Fagagna (Province of Udine)

The Gothic portal and the statue of St. Apollinaris (from the church of the same name) signed and dated from 1504.

Relief motifs on the right side gate of the parish church in Sedegliano (Province of Udine)

The parish church from the 18th century is dedicated to St. Anthony and John the Baptist. The right side gate is worth seeing, which was decorated with relief motifs by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte at the end of the 15th century. The brick bell tower was built according to the plans of Girolamo D'Aronco.

Sacristy and baptismal font in the parish church of Travesio (Pordenone province)

The parish church of Travesio has been rebuilt several times over the centuries and owes its current shape to the interventions in 1857. It contains important traditional works of art : the two finely chiseled side gates from the beginning of the 16th century, the sacristy door created by Pilacorte in 1484 and the baptismal font from 1485–1490.

Baptismal font in the parish church of San Pietro in Ragogna (Province of Udine)

Erected in neo-Gothic style in 1920, it preserves the works of art from the old castle parish church: a baptismal font - with putti that carry the basin - from the school of Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, the high altar from the 17th century, behind this the altar to the saint Crown of thorns - 16th century - and some 16th century paintings.

Organ decorations in the cathedral of Spilimbergo (Province of Pordenone)

The Gothic-style cathedral, built between 1284 and 1359, contains an interesting fresco encyid from the 14th century, an organ decorated by Giovanni Antonio da Pordenone and several sculptures by Pilacorte.

19 angel heads on the architrave of the Grades cemetery church (Province of Udine)

Decorated portal on the cupboard and on the architrave with a good 19 angel heads (apart from the figures of Saints Peter and Paul) by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte (1497).

Castle church dedicated to Bishop Saint Martin in the municipality of Rive d'Arcano (Province of Udine)

The stoup by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte (from 1504) is interesting.

Old portal of the parish church in Flaibano (Province of Udine)

The old church portal, today on the left, is his work with his signature and dated 1506: it has a neglected medallion with the Madonna and Child in bas-relief in the arched area as well as on the gate post and the architrave , decorated with a good sixteen winged putti heads.

literature

• Antonio Giussani: Lo scultore Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte da Carona. Como 1 gennaio 1914.
• Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia. Touring Club Italiano, 2002, p. 103.

Web links

• Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte in www.treccani.it
• Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte in www.picmediofriuli.it