I just received "The Baroque Architecture of Sicily" by Maria Giuffre and with magnificent photos by Melo Minnella. Have I ever been more impressed by a book? I don't think so. The marvels of
Sicilian Baroque—the dramatic power of its architecture
and the emotional power of its decorative art - are well known. Numerous
studies, most of them in Italian, have been made, ranging from a focus on the major Sicilian
towns or on architectural themes like churches and villas to an
examination of its chronology, but none of these gives a comprehensive
view.
This book looks at the subject from a difference
perspective, defining what makes the Baroque of Sicily distinctive. How
does it differ from the Baroque in other countries and in other Italian
regions, such as Rome and Piedmont? How was it possible to impose that
particular character upon churches and palaces, sculpture and painting?
What was the role of cities such as
Palermo and Catania, and smaller
towns like Noto? To what extent did it absorb styles from abroad?