Page 81 - C_Modena

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mented in female convents, even more widespread during the period
after the Concilio di Trento.
The staircase’s austere solemnity – characterised by simple bricks, with
railing in wrought iron of essential linearity – contrasts with the mag-
nificence of the chapel, not having disappeared even after the inter-
ventions which had overlapped until the 20th century. The recent res-
toration works have recovered an architectural and decorative standard
of the culture flourished in the Este area during the baroque era. The
monumental door taking from the landing to the chapel accentuates
and anticipates the luxuriously patterned stucco that is also found in-
side the small classroom. The stuccoes are coloured in white and ochre,
imitating the gildings that perhaps once embellished architectural ele-
ments, volutes and festoons. The trabeated door - framed by a double
frame of ovals and foliated motifs that widen in the upper angular areas
- is surmounted by a pediment composed of a double order of faced
volutes, with Laurel festoons with ochre-golden berries above. The
upper volutes converge towards a three-pointed foliaceous element,
which represent the apex of this phytomorhic tympanum. At the cen-
tre of the tympanum, a cartouche is located between spirals of acan-
thaceae leaves. From the lower ones, two laurel festoons are hanging
under the architrave start. In the middle of the cartouche, an oval shield
- painted in Grisaille with traces of ochre imitating gold - depicts the
allegory of the Divine Wisdom, following the representation given in
Iconology, by Cesare Ripa: “Woman of incredibly beautiful and holy
aspect (...) armed in the corselet’s chest”, with a helmet on the head
surmounted by a rooster - symbol of intelligence - and a round shield
bearing the image of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, it holds the book of
Wisdom with the seven symbols and the Paschal Lamb above.
Both the frame’s outline and the stucco decoration - characterised
by a hefty and projecting sculpture and by the refined white-golden

Scalone monumentale, Complesso di San Paolo, Modena Monumental staircase, San Paolo Monastery, Modena