Watercolor painting of this beautiful church in Agrigento
I captured this view of the Cathedral of Saint Gerland while visiting Agrigento. It was a beautiful sunny day during the #italiagrandsketchingtour, my motorbike tour to visit and paint the beauties of Italy.
My arrival in Agrigento was adventurous. Probably it was one of the longest drives during my trip, all passing through crazy side streets in the middle of nowhere. Arriving from the coast, I discovered that Agrigento ancient city was built on the top of a hill coming down all around its sides. So to reach it, the way is all up and downs, with small streets that were packed with lunch hour traffic.
Once I reached the B&B, I parked with some problems because there were no spaces for motorcycles and I went immediately to explore. “The first must go place is the Cathedral of Saint Gerland” they told me. What they didn’t tell me was that it was exactly on the top of everything!
So I climbed, stair by stair, in those small alleys that are so picturesque and finally I arrived to my destination. And it was worth it.
The long history of the Cathedral of Agrigento
The Cathedral is built on a sort of cliff and it is very peculiar. It is inserted between small houses in a narrow street and the facade is visible only from an angle. And it was from this angle that I captured it in my watercolor painting. From here you could see the front of the cathedral , but also on the street side you can infer the lateral entrance.
The Cathedral of Agrigento was built with the arrival of the normans in 1088 and it was named after Gerlando di Besançon, the cousin of Great Count Ruggero, that became the bishop of the city. The building was changed and restored many times, due to the sismic conditions of the area. But also the change in the goverment of the Sicilian Island took its toll.
For example during the Saracen wars the Cathedral was transformed in a military facility because of its perfect location with view all around. From the 14th Century is the tower originally built as a watchpost, and you can see it with its new face.
Inside the Cathedral: the richess of the centuries
The plainness of the outside is completely overthrown once you get into the Cathedral of Agrigento. The inside is spacious and luminous and rich of decorations that guide you into a visit that feels like wonderland.
You can immediately notice the restorations that have altered over and over the church throughout the centuries of foreign dominations in Sicily. The different combinations of arches, roofing and styles are stratifications of multiple interventions sponsored by sovereigns, clergymen and patrons in every era.
The Latin cross plan of the Cathedral is characterized by three naves. Toward the entrance they are divided by pointed arches resting on octagonal pillars, near the transept you find round arches insisting on columns, and mixes of the two in the restored parts.
Quite majestics are also the decorations of the celeings and walls with figures of saints, biblical characters, masks and allegorical figures, phytomorphic festoons, figures of bishops and noble coats of arms.
I think I could have spent a day painting and drawing the insides, but after painting under the sun and visiting the Cathedral on the top of Agrigento I was exhausted and I decided to go back and enjoy the peace of my B&B. An incredible place that felt like home!
Bring home the beauty of the ‘Cathedral of Agrigento’
This painting is part of the Italia Grand Sketching Tour Collection. It includes a series of almost 200 ink and watercolor paintings done on location during my tour by motorcycle to discover the marvelous Italian heritage.
Painting Information:
- Watercolor and ink on white watercolor paper
- Professional grade colors
- Signed on the front by the artist
- Size 19 x 28.5 cm (7.5 x 11.2 inches)
- Shipped in a box
- Certificate of authenticity will be sent with the painting
- This painting is featured in the second volume of my book Italia Grand Sketching Tour.
Cathedral of Agrigento Painting availability:
The original watercolor painting is for sale in my SHOP.
It is also possible to commission a painting of this or other subjects of your choice. Write me for information in the form underneath.
