SPOLIATIONS IN PERUGIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 336, 26 September 1879, Page 11

SPOLIATIONS IN PERUGIA.

(" E." in JVeir Yorli Freeman's Journal ) tlf* fP™' •' °7017 01 ' ed . tho ?oly Father, in a Decree of the MnniciP f VV y f tt g - a ' du f^ n^ the sacrilegious sjwliaton of the churches of (hat ll.s Episcopal City, of all the valuable paintings and precious objects they contain, for the purpose of forming therewith a So! theca in the Hotel de Ville. Amongst tbe Coluittee X,gcd wtth the execution of this «&a*e was the apostate Priest, Rossi. The churches of Perugia are nch in works of the Great Masters, especially ?Wh n£ "f set' etl n da C ? 1 - to 7. Sassoferrato and Raphael Santo. The VnSnnffh?V r WU '°^ OrieS - in i he P° ssessi °n of the miraculous Viigui of the >t>antisg, H io Bomr'w, the Special Patroness of Perugia styled by a Municipal Decree deltas Maria; Santissimi Rvmrii Ali the pictures relics, reliquaries, shrines, etc., not already removed are marked with the seal of the Municipality, 'and only aiti t thd fate. Ihe Paese of Perugia, No. of June 7th current, states that a petition is circulating covered w.th signatures, entreating the Municipality to deposit, at least temporarily, the paintings lately removed Tom the vaijous churches of the city, not in the Pinacotheca, but in one of the halls of^tbe section i devoted to painting, for the coming exhibition! Un i the law decides as to the propriety of restoring the pictures to took^r ci ' a r 0"^0 "^ th f " er pC ? siU ° n - A scene took place in toe Chmch of the Ge*u during the removal thence of the picture of Or*u Nazzareno, greatly venerated by the Faithful. It was earned off whilst M** was being celeb; ated, amid the protests of the members of the Confraternity, to whom the painting belongs, and of the priests attached to the Church ; numbers fainted ; cries and groans resounded on all sides ; the police were summoned- a delegate appeared, .carf on, and sword in hand; tbe Guards mounted upon the altar, overturning candlesticks, lighted candles, flowers altarcards, etc tratnplin? the altar cloths; tore the paintin- from its place over the altar, and bore it off in triumph. reeardless"of the G u^ Oi th ,' )Se l pr< r sent - This P aintin '- r is by B a>-occi of Uibino (1028-K»12), and the intended insult understood, sine* a wealthy private citizen had offered the Municipality, in gift another painting by the same Uaiocci, to complete, as they pretended to devise, the series or allegory of painting, provided they would leave the Gesa Aazzareno to the church where it belonged. Great devotion is manifested towards this pictme, which is said to have moved the eyes V". V Algous "a™, a writer not suspected of partiality, in his title* of Italy, speaking of the new Pinacotheca of Perugia bays •- Ihe best pictures in the town have been lemoved thither and greatly lose in interest by separation from the places for which they were intended and painted." y