During the Middle Ages and Ranasas, every city in Italy had its own “Gonfalone”, a complexly designed banner, representing the main symbols of the city. These banners were not just political symbols, but frank works of artOften finished by the best artists of the time.
In the case of L’Aquila, a medieval city at the foot of the Grand Sasso Mountain, the capital of the central Italian region Abruzzo, the city’s banner was completed by a local master of manner art Giovanni Paolo Cardone.
The 130 square feet of monumental banner, represents four holes from patrons, which offer to the city of L’Aquila to Christ through the petition of the Virgin. At the center of the picture we find a detailed depiction of L’Aquila, Which is an unusual artistic choice for the weather – most Renaissance artists have created idealized versions of a city, not its actual outlines.
Cardone represents the city as supported by four saints: St. Maxim, St. Peter Celestinus, St. Bernardino from Siena and St. Eccition. In the upper part of the flag we find Christ, the Virgin and an angel with a column at the back, probably a symbol of the church, while at the bottom we see St. Anthony of Padua, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John of Capitra and two local bishops.
Cardone created this majestic presentation of the city’s cartridges by painting its subjects on red silk, following a technique that became popular in the Renaissance after many Italian cities became silk producers. It was completed in 1576 and placed inside the St. Bernardino Basilica, where it was preserved until 1865.S Later, the flag was transferred to the Museum of Civil Arts and finally to the National Museum of Abruzzo.
In 2009, when a brutal earthquake of magnitude 5.8 destroyed much of L’Aquila, killing 309 people, Gonfalone It was one of the many works of art that was damaged. After being extracted from the partially destroyed Abruzzo National Museum, it was transferred to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure from Florence, a national center specializing in restoration and cultural storage.
In January 2025, the 500-year-old banner was finally returned to his location at the Abruzo National Museum after extensive restoration work, led by the Dafra of Opificio Emanuel. The restoration sponsored by the Italy Banking Association was challenging due to the monumental size of the silk flag, the wearing of its materials and the damage caused by the earthquake, The restorers said in a press message. To return the flag to its previous fame, the team resorted to experts from both textile and drawing teams. “This is a job that plays an important role in the identity of the city,” the restorers said in a statement. “Therefore, the return of this banner to the National Museum of Abruzzo acquires a strong symbolic connotation.”
By james art