Madonna dell'Itria by Sofonisba Anguissola

On the 26th of May 1573, Sofonisba Anguissola got married with a nobleman from Sicily, Fabrizio Moncada. After some years spent in Madrid as a lady-in-waiting of the Queen Isabella and as tutor of the little princesses, she arrived in the little court of Paternò, on the slope of the Etna volcano, where she started a new life. Unfortunately we only have few information about her activities in those years, we can suppose she probably took care of the family landed estate and helped her husband in running the economic activities. In order to solve the family property quarrels, Fabrizio Moncada decided to go the Spain by boat to discuss the situation with the King. Unfortunately he tragically died in an attack of the pirates near Capri on the 27th of April 1578. Sofonisba stayed in Paternò one year more, but then she decided to leave Sicily and she went back to Cremona.
During that time she only painted the Madonna dell’Itria which is kept today in the church Chiesa dell’Annunciata in Paternò. On the 25th of June 1579, Sofonisba, before leaving the island, probably decided to give the Franciscan monastery the Madonna dell’Itria painting.
With this painting, Sofonisba, summarized and concluded the iconographic transformations of the Madonna Odigitria, whose worship had arrived in Sicily from the byzantine East. The exhibition will show the painting, restored for this special occasion, and some other elements connected to the period spent in Paternò by the artist. An exhibition of artworks (frescos, paintings on board and canvas, sculptures) coming from Sicily (but also from the North of Italy) which will show the evolution of this iconographic theme, from the Middle Ages icon of the Madonna Odigitria to the modern Madonna dell’Itria.

Exhibition’s opening hours: Tues - Fri 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. + Monday the 18th of April, closed on the 25th of April

Cost of the ticket: 10€ reduced price - 12€ full price