L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano Roman Silver Treasure back to its original splendor on display at the Getty Villa The history of the fortuitous archaeological discovery resem- bles plenty of other similar ones: N ormandy - M arch 1830, a farmer, named Prosper Taurin, while plowing a field, one kilo- meter west of Berthouville (the Roman Canetonum), chanced upon a Roman treasure, made of about ninety silver objects, dedi- cated to the Gallo-Roman god Mercury Canetonensis. Soon after the find, the then- curator of the Cabinet des m éda illes et antiques of the Bibliothèque royale (nowadays renamed: D épar tem ent des Monnaies, médailles et antiques of the Bibliothèque nationale de France) acquired the treasure, which since then has been kept in Paris, until in December 2010 it was shipped to the Getty Villa, in Malibu, for a multiyear study, restoration, and exhibition pro- ject. In 2005, the geophys ical research with electric resistivity scanning confirmed that the late second/early third century trea- sure belonged to a fanum, a reli- gious sanctuary, which was like- ly an annual pilgrimage's desti- nation. Alongside the large portion of objects, crafted locally in the Roman Province, others were heirlooms, probably made in Italy and transported to Gaul, by Roman donors, like the most recurrent, Q uintus D omitius Tutus , w hos e identity is unknown to us but for his dedi- cations to Mercury. A mong the firs t clas s of Gallic artifacts we find phialae (libation bowls), plates, paterae (deep bowls with long handles), a pitcher, some spoons, small vases, but also two silver and gold snakes, joined to form a torque, which, for its gigantic size, was probably placed on a deity statue rather than worn by a human. The two votive statuettes, rep- THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 www.italoamericano.com 4 resenting Mercury, display a cer- tain stiffness and disproportion, typical of a provincial crafts- manship. This criticism, though, makes sense only if we compare the Gallic items with their fifth- century BC Greek model: the sculptor Polykleitus. As a matter of fact, the figurines possess their own finesse, as in the gild- ed caduceus , carried by the tallest between the two. Besides, they both demonstrate their sil- vers miths ' mas tery in the repoussé, a technique through hammering from the reverse side and thus creating a design in low relief. By the w ay, if you haven't understood this method, don't panic! It is effectively explained through a short video, viewable along the hall, outside the exhibition rooms. Among the latter category, we find silver vessels, decorated either with Bacchic imagery, episodes from the Trojan War, or other mythological figures, as the Lydian queen O mphale, whose bare, sensual back lies as leep near the emblems of Hercules. These items, whether used at banquets, during all-male sym- posiums, or intended for display, served as subjects of erudite convers ations and debates . During those enlightened times, citizens' high status was based on the extent of their culture, and not limited to the amount of their wealth, as it is sadly today. Outside the Berthouville trea- s ure, four m is s or ia (s ilver plates), belonging to the collec- tion of the Parisian Cabinet and dating between the fourth and s ixth centuries , came to the Getty Villa, in order to undergo examinations and restoration. The largest two of the four have traditional names: the Shield of Scipio and the Shield of H annibal. Thes e erroneous labels corresponded to the early, false classification of the objects as votive shields, dedicated to SILVIA SIMONETTI the tw o oppos ite generals , instead of dining plates, depict- ing respectively Achilles with his captive Bris eis and a lion, beneath which lies the dismem- bered limb of a hoofed animal. Lastly, this fascinating exhibi- Bowl with a Medallion of Omphale from the exhibit. Photo courtesy of The Getty Villa tion, on display till August 17 th , is made of approximately seven- ty-five additional Roman luxury objects, from the same Cabinet: engraved cameos and intaglios, gold coins, jewelry, carved mar- bles, bronzes, mosaic, etc. E G O . T h e I t a l i a n e l e c t r i c superbike, manufactured by the Modena-based Energica Motor Company, does have a very big one. It showed it on the occasion of the official U.S. debut last summer, a triumphant tour from the West to the East Coast, and will confirm it at upcoming test ride taking place on January 2 4 t h i n N e w p o r t B e a c h , Southern California. In fact, as announced by the company at the EICMA motor- cycle show, held last November in Milan, the first U.S. retailer of the innovative Ego is going to be O r a n g e C o u n t y ' s N e w p o r t Italian. W e l l k n o w n a m o n g t w o - w h e e l e n t h u s i a s t s , t h e s t o r e opened in 2013 with the ambi- tion of "Bringing back the spirit and passion of the Italian bikes," as the owners stated. And from the legendary Moto Guzzi to the multi-awarded Aprilia, from the iconic Vespa to the newcomer Energica, the place really offers Italy's best in terms of motor- bikes. Y e t , n o t o n l y r i d e r s a r e attracted by the traditional flair of Newport Italian, which once a month turns into a meeting point f o r I t a l i a n s a n d I t a l i a n Americans of all ages. The store hosts fun themed-events for the whole family, featuring Italian food and entertainment. After the Christmas party with the par- ticipation of Santa Claus sharing tasty roasted chestnuts, the next appointment is scheduled on February 13 from 6 pm. It will b e d e d i c a t e d t o t h e I t a l i a n Carnival: guests are invited to wear costumes, and frittelle will be served. Newport Italian meets the needs of both kids and…older kids, who shouldn't miss the opportunity to ride the perfect c o m b i n a t i o n o f h i g h - p e r f o r - mance and eco-friendly technol- ogy that is Energica Ego. Zero emissions and a top speed of 240 km/h, it is also the only electric motorbike available on the mar- k e t a t p r e s e n t f o r a p r i c e o f $35,000. Color packages are limited to the classic dilemma b e t w e e n " M a t t e B l a c k " a n d " M a t t e P e a r l W h i t e " f o r t h e standard Ego, while the luxuri- ous Ego 45 also gets an elegant "Carbon Look" thanks to carbon fiber components. Open to the public through online reservation, participation t o t h e t e s t r i d e a t N e w p o r t Italian requires a valid motorcy- cle license and driving experi- ence. Get ready to fasten your helmets and to enjoy the ride, without worrying about the envi- ronment. Fun family events and exciting t e s t r i d e s : N e w p o r t I t a l i a n shows its Ego SILVIA SIMONETTI

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