It was built in the 12th century on the highest and safest point of the medieval city..#tuttitaly
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (begun in 1107 and consecrated in 1190), as well as being the central place of worship in the city, is one of the most precious elements of the Lombard capital.
The Romanesque style was respected in the construction of the Cathedral, but some notes of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque can also be observed. Furthermore, inside, you can admire noteworthy masterpieces of sculpture and painting.
What fascinated us, at first sight was the majestic facade of the Duomo.
Covered in marble, it is rich in decorative elements, including the statues of the four Major Prophets (in the central door), the figures of the Virgin, of Sant'Omobono and Sant'Imerio (in the porch), and the frieze of the months with all its details (made when the Julian calendar was still in force).
Inside the cathedral, the central nave is wholly decorated with a cycle of spectacular frescoes made by various artists in the first two decades of the 16th century. On the left side of the nave, the works with the Stories of the Virgin were started by the Ferrara painter Boccaccio Boccaccino and completed by Gian Francesco Bembo and Altobello Melone.
Romanino and Pordenone dealt with the stories of the Passion of Christ on the other side of the nave. It is precisely the latter's works that bring a wave of innovation, both in the Cathedral and in the city. The Pordenone returned from a trip to Rome, where he had visited Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, distorts the way of presenting the narrated episodes: in addition to preferring an all-encompassing scene, the protagonists of his works are depicted in such a way as to give the impression of leaving the space dedicated to them.
Note the counter-façade of the Cathedral, also by Pordenone, except for the Resurrection of Christ, by Bernardino Gatti, in the lower left area.
In the upper part, we can see the Crucifixion, while in the lower right, the Deposition. The figure of Christ, in the lower right corner, gives a minor optical illusion: if you are on the left, it will seem that the body is sliding; from the front, it will appear to you facing forward and to the right, it will seem to you facing right.
The third altar on the right is that of San Fermo. Here is the altarpiece by the Cremonese artist Luca Cattapane (16th century) "The crucifix between the saints Fermo, Girolamo and Pope Innocent I" (1593). The eyes of some of the characters in the painting follow the visitor's gaze.
I do not deny that during the experiment, despite moving from one side to the other, I felt observed and even slightly uncomfortable 😉
In the Chapel of the Sacrament, to the right of the altar, we can admire the Last Supper by Giulio Campi (1568). In the canvas, we can recognize a character with female features. It is thought to be the Magdalene.
Next to the Chapel of the Madonna del Popolo, we find the original fresco of San Michele, depicted with a scale in his hand while he is about to weigh the souls of the dead.
This particular representation reminds us of ancient Egypt, where this rite is often represented in the pyramids of the pharaohs: Osiris weighs the heart of the dead to see if it is more or less heavy than a feather.
Of course, I have told some details of the Cathedral of Cremona in this article. However, I do not hide that once found inside, the eye swept amazed, and the experience still left me with the feeling of having to return, almost as if I had left out some other important detail. 😉
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