L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Continued from page 4 Square. This is to say that Codognotto's sculptures are outstanding examples of a time-honored art form in the history of Italian culture. And let's not forget that a wood sculpture is the center of one of Italy's most endur- ing and world-famous nar- ratives, Pinocchio, whose images are found just about everywhere in Italy. Just steps from Codog- notto's studio, the traveler can view his beautiful, deli- cately carved realistic relief of Padre Pio in a side altar in the Basilica di Sant'Agosti- no. A beautiful likeness of the saint, it sits near a Raf- faello fresco on one of the church's pillars. Steps away in a side chapel hangs one of C a r a v a g g i o ' s m o s t r e n o w n e d p a i n t i n g s , t h e Madonna di Loreto. Codognotto's style varies from realistic portraits to graceful curvilinear abstract r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f t h e h u m a n f i g u r e . W h a t e v e r form his works take, they are all intuitive creations, especially those larger pieces in the nearby gallery that interlock, have gears and hinges. They range in size from table-top sculptures to massive, abstract construc- tions spanning a dozen feet or more. He has done a cre- ative model of the façade of the Church of San Giorgio in Velabro in Rome, a tribute to Italian socialism, dedicat- e d t o B e t t i n o C r a x i , a n d c o u n t l e s s o t h e r s , a l l o f which can be viewed online with a google search of his n a m e . T h e c a t a l o g o f h i s work is as expansive as it is timeless. But in my judgment, the truly wonderful aspect of Codognotto's art is that it is not limited to churches and galleries. The true enjoy- ment of discovering his art is that once introduced to his sculptures at his gallery, t h e t r a v e l e r w i l l f i n d h i s familiar style throughout Rome's streets and shops. He is truly a Roman trea- sure, creating art for virtual- l y e v e r y o n e w h o w a l k s Rome's streets. Certainly, Codognotto brings a high seriousness to his art in his religious, social and political works. But he also expresses a s e n s e o f h u m o r i n h i s sculptures that never fails to bring a smile to the viewer. If travelers take the time to look closely in the win- d o w s a n d d o o r w a y s o f Rome's shops, they will be richly rewarded. At the cor- ner of Via dei Pianellari and Via dei Portoghesi is Rome's oldest barber shop, Genco Sala da Barba. High on the exterior wall on Pianel- lari, Codognotto has provid- ed a carefully carved pair of s c i s s o r s a n d a n a n t i q u e shaver. Across from his stu- dio on Pianellari are approx- imately thirty carved signs d i r e c t i n g t h e t r a v e l e r t o R o m e ' s s i t e s . A m o n g h i s more humorous expressions among the signs are images of a seagull with an arrow p o i n t i n g u p a n d a n o t h e r sculpture of a cinghiale, a wild boar, with an arrow pointing down to the street where cinghiali now regu- larly roam, even in the his- t o r i c c e n t e r . T h e y h a v e become both a problem for city officials and an amuse- ment for residents. In our favorite wine shop, Il Vinaio on Via dei Portogh- esi, Codognotto sculpted a creative sign and abstract pomegranate tree that sits prominently in the middle of the shop. Around the corner, on Via della Campana, he has sculpted the name of the shop's dog, who sits promi- nently on a cabinet before the door where he inspects e v e r y o n e w h o e n t e r s h i s domain. Around the corner o n V i a d ' A s c a n i o , i n t h e doorway of Coiffeur Brigida, i s C o d o g n o t t o ' s a b s t r a c t sculpture of a well-coiffed woman adorned with flow- ers. The name of the shop is craftily carved in the body of the figure. He always brings a creative twist to his work t h a t b o t h s u r p r i s e s a n d delights the viewer. Just down the street on V i a d e i P r e f e t t i i s o u r favorite pizza al taglio, (not t o m e n t i o n i t s e x q u i s i t e daily pasta dishes, best-con- sumed road-side at a table on Prefetti). Codognotto has p r o v i d e d P i z z e r i a d a Pasquale with a creatively sculpted rendition of the restaurant's name above the door. Among my favorite, not far away in Piazza delle Coppelle in the window of the famous Ristorante Mac- c h e r o n i , i s a n o v e r s i z e d plate of rigatoni, replete with carefully carved ridges. It is impossible not to stop before this piece and won- der at its skillful carving while chuckling at Codog- notto's sense of humor. Codognotto is not only a consummate artist working in the refined tradition of Rome's great sculptors, he is a Roman treasure, an artist who has not only dedicated his life to his craft but who h a s b r o u g h t h i s a r t t o Rome's residents and visi- tors. If you miss a visit to his gallery or fail to experience his works throughout the historical center, you will miss an essential aspect of Roman life and culture. K e n S c a m b r a y ' s m o s t recent book is Italian Immi- g r a t i o n i n t h e A m e r i c a n West: 1870-1940 (Univ. of Nevada Press). The true enjoyment of discovering Codognotto's art is that once introduced to his sculptures at his gallery, the traveler will find his familiar style throughout Rome's streets and shops. The sun, as seen through the eyes of artist Ferdinando Codognotto (Photo: Carole Scambray)

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