Original scientific paper
Excerpts from the everyday life of Trogir in the period of Neoclassicism
Fani Celio Cega
orcid.org/0000-0003-3918-6992
Abstract
Neoclassicism did not leave so many visible traces in Trogir, as it did in the northern part of Croatia, however even its scarce presence bears witness to the neoclassical spirit of the city life. Trogir was still overwhelmed by the strong government of Venice when Neoclassicism first appeared in Europe; that government weakened by the end of the 18th century, when the city endured tumultuous years of overthrowing Venetian aristocrats, then two Austrian and one French government. All the aforementioned changes impoverished the city, which made it impossible for the wishes of the citizens, especially those of the Garagnin family concerning the redecoration of their living spaces in the spirit of the new style, to be executed as envisaged. Nonetheless, renowned neoclassical architects Selva and Mazzoli were contracted in Trogir; we still keep their blueprints which were never utilised.
In the city everyday life you could feel the spirit of neoclassical life in terms of dressing, painting, entertainment and food. New modern trends arrived to the city by sea, and they influenced personal and social life of its citizens. Preserved archive records, orders and invoices, property registers, dowry registers, all bear witness to the abovementioned fact. For instance, the dowry of Francesca Borelli, the wife of Giovanni Luca Garagnin, though not as abundant as one might expect (her family was impoverished by social changes), nonetheless represents a genuine depiction of a marriageable girl of the time.
To conclude, it should be emphasised that brothers Giovanni Luca and Domenico Garagnin, members of a renowned and wealthy family of the time, were meritorious for the revival of the neoclassical spirit in the city, while, at the same time, numerous theretofore wealthy families from Trogir endured stagnation, poverty and decline. Since they were introduced to European trends through commercial relations, they could greatly contribute to it.
Keywords
Trogir; Neoclassicism; everyday life; dressing; painting; architecture; cuisine; entertainment
Hrčak ID:
99690
URI
Publication date:
25.2.2013.
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