Salvator Rosa

I recently have been visiting the Detroit Institute of Arts on my lunch break. I am within walking distance and it is summer. I realized I should take advantage of the nice walk by the beautiful Beaux Arts building and the very refreshing water fountains out front, say “hi” to the old Thinker and take in more art. Of course, the place is huge and I can only see a fraction in the 45 minutes or so that I have mid-day. Bit by bit I am planning to make my way through. Recently, I decided to take the “Tour of Italy” to see what they had.

There was one painting, or rather the accompanying description, which captured my attention. It was dark. A man looking over his right shoulder, hair rather unkempt, his gaze slightly away from the viewer. He was standing in shadows, just enough light on his face to see his features. It was a self portrait of the artist Salvator Rosa. The placard said he had “a serious interest in witchcraft,” which naturally piqued my interest.

Turns out he was something of a rebel and perhaps eccentric for the time. He was quite independent and tried making a living with his art, which also included acting, music, and printmaking, without being tied to a rich patron. He was also a satirist. His other paintings for the most part match the mood and darkness of his self-portrait. There are lots of landscapes, where the natural features – rocks and mountains and trees – dwarf the humans depicted. He would paint a bible story here and there but usually the more obscure ones, some of them featuring witches.

Though I find this all intriguing, the last decade or so has made me weary of the “bad boy” – how toxic was this persona? Hard to tell nearly 400 years later, but Wikipedia described him and his wife Lucrezia as “dedicated and lifelong companions” which is reassuring. They didn’t marry until 1673, shortly before he died, and I’m not sure why since they had several children together.

The Shade of Samuel Appears to Saul (featuring the Witch of Endor), 1668

In the witchcraft-related paintings, the witches are often among giant grotesque creatures, giant birds or bird skeletons. The witches themselves are not friendly looking either. These images are dramatic and terrifying, especially if you view them as potentially realistic. Rosa did not seem to romanticize witchcraft at all, but I wonder about the nature of his interest. Was he afraid of witches? Was he painting his nightmares? Did he think stories about witches were over blown and he was making fun at how ridiculous some claims were? I usually have more questions than answers.

I have requested a book on him from the library – hopefully his story is as good as I imagine it will be.

Ancestry, part two

I’ve been trying to figure out who my great-grandmother was. What was she like. I don’t know anyone still living who would remember her. I don’t have diaries or other first-hand accounts. I have a handful of facts and my imagination. Her name was Alphonsine. I’ve never come across that name anywhere else. How unique was she?

Ancestry, part one

I’ve always identified strongly with my Italian heritage. That’s where my last name comes from so it is literally part of my identity.

Growing up, I believed I was 25% Italian. I knew my dad’s dad’s parents came to the United States from Italy. Therefore, my grandpa was 100% Italian, my dad 50%, and I was 25%. My brothers also identified with the Italian side of our family. My youngest brother got an Italian flag as his first tattoo. Then, several years ago, my eldest brother had his DNA tested and received a scandalous revelation: he was only 2% Italian. I received similar results not long after. 

Women and the Presidency

[Portrait of Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blyth], Library of Congress

I’ve enjoyed listening to the Presidential Podcast from the Washington Post over the past few months. Each episode is about a different U.S. President, and the experience has been enlightening. It’s easy to forget that these historical figures are more than just a name we try to memorize and only associate with one or two events or policies from their administrations. They each had complicated stories, and in some cases they’ve been misunderstood.

Summer Olympic Dreams

Proposed Olympic Stadium. Image from the Detroit Historical Society.

We are in the midst of the Olympic games, which always make me think of what a Detroit-hosted Olympics would look like. Could we do it? What venues would host the different events? Would it be contained in the city, or would some events be in the suburbs? Would we be best suited for the summer or winter games?  

A Promise of Paved Roads and Inside Toilets: Redford’s Annexation to Detroit

I’ve been spending more time lately contributing to other blogs besides this one. I debated about just publishing this one here, but it’s Redford and we really needed some content for the Historical Commission’s website!

 

 

Annexation: A Promise of Paved Streets and Inside Toilets (Part I)

Annexation: A Promise of Paved Streets and Inside Toilets (Part II)

How Mary Ellen Riordan Lead the Detroit Federation of Teachers’ Fight for Collective Bargaining

I wrote this blog post for the Reuther Library, based on one of the collections I processed. Check it out!

Source: How Mary Ellen Riordan Lead the Detroit Federation of Teachers’ Fight for Collective Bargaining

Processing archives

You may know what archives are and what an archivist is, in an abstract sense. But what are they, exactly? Archives can exist in a business, organization, nonprofit, federal, state, or municipal government, a university, historical society, museum, or for just a single individual. Archives contain the documents created by and relating to these entities which have enduring value. They can be used by researchers in creating histories, genealogists documenting their family trees, people needing practical information such as where exactly their property line is, are they entitled to certain benefits, the location of miners trapped in a collapsed tunnel, or an understanding of our present with that ever important connection to the past.

Who was Hubert B. Bulman?

I wrote this blog post for the Redford Township Historical Commission about the namesake of my elementary school – check it out!

On display now – highlights from Bulman Elementary School. During the 1940s and 1950s, enrollment in Redford Union Schools increased significantly. In 1945, the school board purchased a lot f…

Source: Who was Hubert B. Bulman?

Ancient Assyria at the British Museum

I recently came across a news item about the Google interior view of the British Museum. I saw the screen grab of the interior atrium and was transported back in time to my visit there during my semester abroad.