Giorgio Orsini
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| Giorgio Orsini | |
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| Born | circa 1410 Zara, Republic of Venice (now Zadar, Croatia) |
| Died | 1473/1475 Sebenico, Republic of Venice (now Šibenik, Croatia) |
| Occupation | sculptor, architect |
Giorgio Orsini usually called Giorgio da Sebenico[1][2][3] (Croatian: Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac, Latin:Georgius Mathaei Dalmaticus), (circa 1410 - 1473), was a medieval sculptor and architect, who worked mainly at Sebenico in Dalmatia . He was born in the Dalmatian city of Zara (today Zadar, Croatia), which was then ruled by the Republic of Venice and died in Sebenico (now Šibenik, Croatia).
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[edit] Life and Work
He was educated in Venice [3][4], in the workshop of Giovanni and Bartolomeo Buon. He helped them sculpt the decorations on the Porta della Carta of the Doge's Palace.[4] His opus represents the golden age of Dalmatian medieval art [3] . His most beautiful achievement is probably the Cathedral of St.Jacob in Sebenico (today Šibenik), for which he was a chief architect from 1441 to 1473.[4] The entire building was built solely of stone elements (with no wood or bricks used in the structure). Especially interesting are 72 portraits of his fellow-citizens carved in stone, surprisingly realistic for the period [citations needed]. They reflect in a very direct sense the character of urban life of that time.
In Spalato (today Split) he built several palaces and in 1448 he carved a stone altar in Spalato cathedral.[4] In Ragusa (today Dubrovnik) he helped repair the Duke's palace and helped build the Minčeta fortress. He also made an urban plan for Pago.[4] In Italy, he worked in Ancona where he built the Loggia dei Mercanti and the portal of San Francesco's (St. Francis) Church.[4] His carvings and sculptures belong to the late gothic style, but his architecture is early Renaissance in style.[4]
[edit] Name controversy
There is a dispute regarding the artist's name and the architect is regarded as alternatively the Italian 'Giorgio Orsini', or the Croat 'Juraj Dalmantinac'[1][5][6][7][8].
The Italian names 'Giorgio Orsini' was always used in international works (such us Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition[2]). Some Croatian authors have claimed that 'Orsini' was not used by the architect and that his son took it only after death of his father[9][10]. There is not the same claim for 'Giorgio da Sebenico'.
The name 'Juraj Dalmatinac' was introduced after the death of the artist[1] as a translation of the Latin nickname 'Georgius Dalmaticus'.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Quaderni Giuliani di Storia Anno XXIII (n°1 gennaio-giugno 2002) pag.21-35; article La letteratura italiana in Dalmazia: una storia falsificata by Giacomo Scotti [1]
- ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica (1911) articles about Sebenico and Ancona
- ^ a b c Biography (Artnet)
- ^ a b c d e f g General Encyclopedia of Yugoslavian Lexicographic Institute, volume 4 (Zagreb, 1978), article Juraj Dalmatinac.
- ^ La Voce del Popolo 21/07/2003; Dalmazia, una storia »falsata«; by Kristjan Knez (xoomer.alice.it/histria/storiaecultura/testiedocumenti/articoligiornali/dalmazia.htm)
- ^ La Repubblica, August, 14, 2004; "Traù, fuga di mezzanotte"; by Paolo Rumiz
- ^ La Voce del Popolo; L'Adriatico orientale e la sterile ricerca della nazionalità delle persone; by Kristjan Knez (xoomer.alice.it/histria/storiaecultura/testiedocumenti/articoligiornali/artadriatico.htm)
- ^ Corriere della Sera, November, 3, 2000: "Gli italiani d'Istria litigano con il Vaticano"; by Gian Antonio Stella
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