L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano F e r r a r a , a c i t y steeped in history and graced with a r c h i t e c t u r a l marvels, harbors a jewel within its urban fabric — the P a l a z z o d e i D i a - manti or, to say it in Eng- lish, the "Diamonds Palace." As one of Italy's most unique and recognized buildings, Palazzo dei Diamanti stands tall with its distinctive "dia- mond" cladding, a visual nod to the brilliance of its creator a n d t h e n o b i l i t y i t o n c e served. The Palazzo dei Diaman- ti is the brainchild of well- known Renaissance archi- tect Biagio Rossetti, whose touch can be seen not only on various buildings and sculp- t u r e s b u t a l s o o n t h e overall u r b a n l a y o u t o f Ferrara. Commissioned in 1492 by the Este family, more specifically by Sigis- mondo d'Este, it was com- pleted only one year later, in 1493. This exquisite structure was once a noble residence, playing host to the family until Ferrara was absorbed by the Papal State in 1598. The palace's visual impact is extraordinary: its façades are studded with marble "dia- monds:" the look was devel- oped with a technique known as bugnato, a layered stone assembly designed to present a groove-like appearance. This unique feature creates an intriguing perspective, intensified by the inclined "diamonds" that reflect light in the most arresting ways. While the exact number of t h e s e m a r b l e p y r a m i d s remains a subject of debate – some say about 8,500, others claim 12,000 – their aesthet- ic contribution is undeniable. T o d a y , t h e P a l a z z o d e i Diamanti serves as a presti- gious art exhibition venue, as it houses the National Art G a l l e r y a n d t h e C i v i c Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. How- ever, despite its public func- tion, the building retains an air of mystery. Legend has it that one of these marble dia- monds hides an actual gem, a secret shared only by Duke E r c o l e I d 'E s t e and the master mason. This hidden gem, supposedly from the duke's own crown, is actually something more than a sim- ple royal secret: during Duke E r c o l e I ' s r e i g n , F e r r a r a underwent a massive urban renewal project, popularly k n o w n a s t h e A d d i z i o n e Erculea, an undertaking that redefined the city's layout, aligning it with modern sen- sibilities of the time. The Palazzo dei Diamanti holds a pivotal spot in this revised blueprint because it over- looks the Quadrivio degli Angeli — an intersection of two main axes of Addizione Erculea itself. The building's alignment with the Quadriv- io is further accentuated by a prominent balcony with can- delabra carvings by Gabriele Frisoni. A visual strategy designed to create a unique perspective, this feature also hints at the palace's ability to... channel energy fields. Y e s , y o u r e a d i t r i g h t , energy fields, because Palaz- zo dei Diamanti is not only an architectural beauty, it is also steeped in magic and mysterious energies, or so e s o t e r i c e n t h u s i a s t s a n d m y s t e r y h u n t e r s b e l i e v e . They are quite convinceede that Ferrara's unique urban plan reflects specific astro- nomical calculations, and that there may be something m a g i c a l a l s o i n t h e Palazzo itself: indeed, leg- ends say that regular alchem- ical and astrological gather- ings were held in the palace, which gave rise to the belief that the hidden diamond we mentioned was placed strate- gically to harness the Earth's energies So, following this interpre- tation, the city's plan was a terrestrial mirror of celestial o r d e r , w i t h t h e C a s t e l l o Estense at the center and r o a d s r a d i a t i n g o u t w a r d . T h i s p e n t a g o n a l l a y o u t , teeming with astrological symbols and geometrical fig- ures, was a concerted effort involving not only architects a n d s u r v e y o r s b u t astrologers, too. The Palazzo dei Diamanti pays tribute to the greatness of a family, the Este, who were known for their support of the arts and for having m a d e F e r r a r a o n e o f t h e most modern Renaissance towns in Europe. Whether a real diamond is somewhere hidden in its façade or not, this building shines bright like the most precious of all stones, thanks to its undeni- able beauty and history. T h e I t a l i a n w o r d sfogarsi (sfoh- gahr-see) carries a p r e t t y d e e p emotional mean- ing because, in the realm of emotions and psychology, the act of sfogarsi plays a vital role in interpersonal relation- ships and self-care. The verb sfogarsi comes from the noun sfogo, mean- ing "relief" or "outlet," and it encompasses a multitude of actions related to emotional e x p r e s s i o n a n d r e l e a s e . Indeed, sfogarsi can mean confiding in someone, reveal- ing one's sorrows and anxi- e t i e s , s u c h a s i n t h e s e n - tence, aveva proprio bisogno di sfogarsi con me ("he really needed to confide in me"). In this sense, sfogarsi means sharing one's internal strug- gle and opening up emotion- ally, and it underlines the therapeutic power of conver- sation. I n a d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t , though, sfogarsi can be the manifestation of negative emotions like anger, resent- ment, or hatred. When some- one si sfoga su qualcuno, they vent their frustration on someone and displace their discontent unjustly, often as a consequence of emotional o v e r f l o w f r o m a n o t h e r source. Note how easy it is to d i s c e r n t h e f i r s t m e a n i n g o f s f o g a r s i f r o m t h e second: sfogarsi con qualcu- no means to open up with someone and seek relief and u n d e r s t a n d i n g ; s f o g a r s i suqualcuno (or qualcosa), means to vent your frustra- tion on someone or some- thing. A n o t h e r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of sfogarsi revolves around s a t i s f y i n g a n i m p u l s e o r i n s t i n c t . T h i s c o u l d b e through sfogarsi mangiando ("indulging in eating"), or sfo- garsi a piangere ("giving in to tears"): in this sense, the term s h o w s h o w e m o t i o n s c a n d r i v e b e h a v i o r s a n d h o w actions can serve as emotional outlets. Mark voleva sfogarsi con un amico dopo la lite con il suo datore di lavoro Mark needed to vent to a friend after the discussion he had with his boss Quando sono stressato mi sfogo andando in palestra W h e n I a m s t r e s s e d , I decompress at the gym Ha avuto problemi con la moglie e si e' sfogato il giorno dopo sui colleghi di lavoro He had issues with his wife and ended up letting all his f r u s t r a t i o n g o o n h i s c o l - leagues. LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Sfogarsi: when you need to let it all out! Italian curiosities: why is there a Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara? (Photo: Antoniodiaz/Dreamstime) The particular texture of the Palazzo dei Diamanti's façades (Photo: Filippo Carlot/Dreamstime; Fedecandoniphoto/Dreamstime)

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