Sacred Art - Room I
There are archeological plaque findings in this room, that may be dated between the VI and XIII century from the church of S. Pietro di Alba Fucens found following the earthquake which hit the Marsica on 13th January 1915. The oldest archeological findings date back to the first half of the VI century. They deal with fragments of paleochristian plateus made up of slabs about ten centimetres thick where Greek crosses are sculptured in a very low relief. Two fragments of presbyterial transenna date back to the period which followed, datable, respectively, to the XII and XIII centuries. The first one, having a rectangular shape, presents, in the centre, held by a listel, an almond entirely decorated by perforated quatrefoils, while the external corners are adorned with four stylized flowers. The second one is made up of a quadrangular slab in which a perforated motif is inserted and is made up of a beaded corolla circle from which, radially, fanciful leaves branch out. A very interesting archeological finding, datable to the XII century, is made up of a slab decorated on the left side with a cymatium of Acanthus leaves, depicting a lion in the act of tearing a sheep to pieces; such a subject, which was very widespread at that time, probably symbolized the Church which destroys the heresy. In the centre of the room there is an exhibition of a numerous series of fragments which, for the most part, date back to the XII century; it deals with corbels, capitals and various figures which made up the coronation of the ancient apsis and the original iconostasis, subsequently replaced by the cosmatescan work of Andrea.
The small pillar which holds the following inscription is of particular interest:
ABAS OD/ O RISIVS/ FIERI FECIT, MAGISTER/ GVALTERIVS, CVM MORON/ TO ET PET/ RVS FECIT / HOC OPVS.
The inscription indicates the purchaser of the iconostasis and the master accomplishers: Gualtiero, Moronto and Pietro. The two capitals belong to the same work, one of which is placed on the small pillar and on one side presents zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures, while the other sides are adorned by Acanthus leaves. The other capital which is of the same series as the previous one, shows altorilievo decorations inspired by the classic art. On the sides of the small pillar fragments can be seen prevalently realized be the Gualtiero school, characterized by a Lombardic component which prefers the altorilievo and full relief sculpture and by a classic component. Four fragments of the transenna probably date back to the IX century, originally functioning as windows; they are all marked by the perforating technique which in the first two are carried out with a quatrefoil motif and in the other two with five small arches. On the right side of the room there is an entire wall covered with fragments mostly datable to the XII century and probably carried out by Abruzzese minor arts mastery which simultaneously worked at the Gualtiero school. Numbered among the most interesting ones is a fragment of a jamb in which two fanciful animals are sculptured among fitomorfi spiraliforms and a slab with a fragmented figure of a whale, depicted with an open mouth, perhaps in the act of regurgitating the prophet Giona. The last work of art which may be dated to the XI century, is from the church of S.Maria in Valle Porclaneta di Rosciolo. It deals with a rectangular tile upon which, in bas-relief, the Vergine Regina is seated on a throne with the benedictory Bambino seated in her lap. The relief was attributed to the maestro Niccolo’, the same artist who carried out his own funeral monument inside the church of Rosciolo.
