PhD Program in Historical studies
Vasto: the capital of the feudal state of the d’Avalos. The palace
The city of Vasto, in 1497, was bestowed on Innico II d’Avalos, who became its first lord with the title of marquis, and it remained in the family until the abolition of feudalism (1806). The Abruzzo town soon became the centre of the political and economic life of the family: in fact, it was there that they concentrated their export of grain and other local products, through the lawful forms of trafficking of wheat or the profitable means of smuggling. The d’Avalos only settled permanently in Naples in the thirties of the eighteenth century, declaring the decadence of their sumptuous palace in Vasto.
Located in Piazza Prudente, Palazzo d’Avalos is built on the remains of a building of the fourteenth century. It is an original building of the fourteenth century, which preserves several decorative details: it has a splendid mullioned window. After the Angevin period, which left deep traces in its structure, the building was enlarged by Caldora, then the feudal lord of the area, in 1427. Passing onto the d’Avalos, Vasto became the heart of their power and the palace was the centre of their court. Here Vittoria Colonna, wife of Fernando (Ferrante) Francesco d’Avalos also resided. In 1566 the building was burnt down by the Turks, led by the famous Pialy Pasha; only the outer walls of the building remained standing, but in the same year the d’Avalos began its restoration. Fra’ Valerio De Santis, a conventual of San Domenico was summoned to direct the work. The reconstruction involved a number of changes: the courtyard became more rational with the addition of a porch (now three of the four arches are closed), while to the east a spacious terrace for the apartments of the marquis was built. The interventions promoted by the d’Avalos were responsible for the building of a magnificent Baroque-style garden alongside the palace, overlooking the sea, which is reached after crossing the courtyard at the entrance of the building. Among boxwood hedges and rose bushes stand orange trees, lavender, rosemary, sage, creeper, jasmine, geranium and bougainvillea. The green is shaped like a cross crossed by orthogonal paths covered by a pergola supported on masonry columns: a model common to many gardens and cloisters of the Neapolitan Baroque age. In the past, there was even a pavilion supported by columns combined with two ornamental fountains that no longer exist today. There remain a well and tiled benches. After following the path that runs along the wall of the building where plants are arranged between the tombstones and archaeological remnants of this and other buildings, the terrace is reached. The palace became the centre of court life that revolved around the d’Avalos, especially between the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century, thanks to Cesare Michelangelo d’Avalos. The rich collection of paintings in the palace which today is missing, contained, among others, works by Federico BarocciFederico Barocci or Federico Fiori called il Baroccio (1535-1612) was a painter born in Urbino, an exponent of Mannerism, but at the same time a precursor of the Baroque. He began his career in Rome, under the inspiration of Raphael, but returned to Urbino in 1565, where he lived until his death except for brief periods with various Italian patrons., Annibale Carracci, lo Spagnoletto, Albrecht Dürer, Luca Giordano, Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, Pieter Paul Rubens, Titian and il VeronesePaolo Caliari, called il Veronese (1528-1588) was a Renaissance painter. His training was influenced by Parmigianino and Roman classicism, while Venice was under the influence of Titian and Tintoretto. Portraits, religious paintings, mythological scenes and frescos such as the cycle at Villa Barbaro at Maser, near Treviso, stand out in his production.. In the small private theatre inside the building important and modern plays were performed and great attention was paid also to the rich library. Currently it is the seat of the Archaeological Museum and Art Gallery, which contains a section dedicated to contemporary art and, in particular, the nineteenth century, where you can admire the works of Filippo Palizzi, Valerio Laccetti, Francesco Paolo Michetti and Giulio Aristide Santoro, all artists from Abruzzo.