Cattedrale di San Gerlando, Agrigento, Sicilia

Speranza



Sicilians are apt to attribute all the remarkable Baroque stucco work of their churchers to Serpotta, and although the author of the Cattedrale di San Gerlando, a dazzling late 17th or early 18th century composition is unkwnon, it has much in common with Serpotta's decorations at Palermo.

The cathedral of San Gerlando recalls many phases in the history of Italian art.

It stands on the site of the oldest sanctuary of the ancient Greek acropolis, the temple of Zeus Polieus.

A Roman sarcophagus carved with reliefs illustrating the myth of Fedra and Ippolito confronts a huge mediaeval crucifix at the east end of the interior.

The nave is in the noblest Romanesque style.

A certain order is imposed on all this exuberance by a series of huge, square Baroque paintings showing scenes from the life of St. Paul.