Los sacromontes italianos

Abstract

Jtalian "Sacromontes".
The "Sacromontes" are artistic, religious and political programmes which developed in Tuscany, the North of Jtaly (Piedmont and Lomabardy), and in other countries from the I 5th to the 19th century. In the present study the author examines the motives which led the religious orders and the powers-that-were to consistently encourage this phenomenon, especially in the ltaly of the 15th to 17th centuries. She illustrates the variety of content which is to be found in the concept of the Sacromonte, discussing it both as a form of artistic expression and as a standard-bearer of the Counter-Reformation. She also shows the relationship with the idea of a theatre and with that of the Ideal City. Finally, the most important artists connected with these iconographic and artistic programmes are mentioned, and a brief typological clasification is proposed.