“A boatman’s tale,” whispered the wind as it brushed past the Madonna della Barbattola Mural. This artwork has traveled through time. It now resides in the Salone delle Adunanze. This hall is on the first floor of the Municipio.
The story of the Madonna della Barbattola Mural begins in the 15th century. Donato Del Conte owned the Osteria della Barbattola. He was an official of the ducal court. Del Conte entrusted the tavern to Battista de Lessa. De Lessa commissioned an unknown artist to create the painting. The artist completed it in 1479.
This was around the time the Oratory was finished. The Oratory stood within the grounds of Donato Del Conte’s farm. The Madonna della Barbattola Mural once adorned one of the Osteria’s main walls. Giuseppe and Alessandro Lavezzi owned the Osteria della Barbattola in 1932. They donated the fresco to the town. The brothers detached it from the wall. The building was about to be demolished for renovations.
Look closely at the child’s neck in the Madonna della Barbattola Mural. Notice the coral necklace. You’ll find this detail in other local paintings from that era. See it in the church of Vigano. Spot it in the Oratory of Sporzano. Observe it in the Oratory of Donato Del Conte.
The Osteria della Barbattola even had its own boat landing. Before a nearby bridge was built in 1930, the innkeeper ferried travelers. He took them to and from Vermezzo by boat.
So the Madonna della Barbattola Mural is more than just a painting. It’s a piece of local history. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of boat rides and old taverns. It whispers tales of artists long gone. It shows us the continuity of faith. The Madonna della Barbattola Mural stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of this place.