The project ‘Testimonies of medieval and modern spontaneous graffiti along Umbrian pilgrimage paths’ by the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio dell’Umbria, code number 19488 (2020.0353), consists of a widespread thematic exhibition for the knowledge, recovery and valorisation of medieval and modern graffiti in the Umbrian territory.
The project is part of the activities within the ERC ADG project
Graff-IT, Writing on the Margins. Graffiti in Italy, 7th to 16th centuries (https://graffitproject.eu/
Principal Investigator: prof. Carlo Tedeschi, University G. D’Annunzio if Chieti-Pescara).
In Umbria, as in the rest of Italy, graffiti appears everywhere: inside and outside of both secular and religious buildings, on doors, columns, walls. In places of worship, these signs are often left by pilgrims and wayfarers and are concentrated on frescoes. Inscriptions, especially those of a devotional nature, are more numerous in places located along ancient routes, as evidenced by the numerous traces found in Umbria along the two main consular roads of the Roman era, the Via Flaminia and the Via Amerina, together with their side roads. Alongside devotional graffiti, there are also memorial, commemorative, practical and chronological writings, which record historical events and natural occurrences. In addition to the graffiti in religious sites, there are also testimonies found in places of secular tradition, in various public or private buildings and palaces, where graffiti inevitably loses its devotional and cultic value, and is no longer linked to pilgrimage, but expresses needs more closely linked to the personal sphere: one thinks of love graffiti or prison inscriptions.
The exhibition displays Umbrian graffiti from the 8th to the 17th century of various origins, with photo-reproduction, transcription, translation, description and indication of location. The intention is to foster knowledge of a little-known historical source and to promote sustainable tourist routes and enhancement of the territory.
The exhibition is accompanied by a video projection section. Each individual card is equipped with a QRCode through which it will be possible to link to the relevant online page of the website, with information on the graffito’s place of origin and directions to reach it.
The curator of the exhibition is Dr. Pier Paolo Trevisi of the University for Foreigners of Perugia; the scientific coordinators are Prof. Francesca Malagnini of the University for Foreigners of Perugia and Prof. Carlo Tedeschi of the G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara.
The exhibition’s official photographer is Dr. Lorenzo Dottorini.
The project was realised with the support of the Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia Foundation
(BANDO ARTE 2020 for the enhancement of the historical-artistic heritage and the promotion of culture).
PARTNERS:
Assessorato Beni Attivita Servizi Culturali – Municipality of Foligno
University G. D’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara
University for Foreigners of Perugia
