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A historical-memorial fresco
This historical-memorial fresco is part of a framework for preserving and promoting local memory.
The idea was, in fact, to honor the municipal and intercommunal memories through an artistic representation. Thus, after carrying out a field survey to collect these local memories, the team of researchers from the “Paoli-Napoléon” project at the University of Corsica contacted the artist Hugo Peter known as “Piombu” so that he could immortalize, in the stone, the memories and the imagination of the inhabitants.
The Cervioni fresco is the first of its kind to be created, others will follow throughout the island territory. Helping to distribute tourist flows towards the interior of the island, they will above all constitute, once assembled, a true commemorative pilgrimage to the history and memory of the Corsicans. Promoting cultural and memorial tourism, this project is above all educational in nature, and will notably allow schoolchildren across the island to learn differently, parts of Corsican history.
To learn more about the significate of creating this fresco click here.
In the center of the fresco, crowned with a royal crown, stands majestically Théodore de Neuhoff (1694-1756). In 1736, when the revolutions in Corsica had begun seven years ago, this mysterious traveler landed on the island, in Aléria, stronghold of the Matras, one of the most powerful Corsican families of the time.
Claiming to be able to bring the Revolution to its climax and build an independent state separate from the Republic of Genoa, Theodore was crowned king of the Corsicans in the convent of Alesani on April 15, 1736.
His reign was ephemeral, but productive. Beyond the new breath that he gave to the Revolution, he laid the foundations for a truly independent State: a Constitution was drawn up, he minted the currency and planned to open a University. Local memory is divided about it. If some oral stories make him the liberator of the Corsicans, others consider him to be a vein adventurer in search of wealth. It is also said that he fled with chests full of coins. But literature from outside Corsica, like Voltaire's Candide, undoubtedly has a lot to do with this negative image that it would be good to consider anew today. On either side of Theodore are represented symbols of rural and traditional life in Corsica.
Three men are shown singing a “paghjella”, a polyphonic song with three voices, a symbol of traditional Corsican and Mediterranean music.
On the left, two women. The first standing and proud, located in front of a green chestnut tree, once an essential element of the economic and social balance of Corsica. This motif represents the resilience and strength of women who faced difficult rural life alongside their husbands. The second woman is shown practicing “Ochju”, a prayer based on a syncretism between paganism and Christianity, which chases away evil and evil spirits. In this way, it symbolizes an imagination made up of beliefs, legends, and myths.
On the left, two women. The first standing and proud, located in front of a green chestnut tree, once an essential element of the economic and social balance of Corsica. This motif represents the resilience and strength of women who faced difficult rural life alongside their husbands. The second woman is shown practicing “Ochju”, a prayer based on a syncretism between paganism and Christianity, which chases away evil and evil spirits. In this way, it symbolizes an imagination made up of beliefs, legends, and myths.
Two religious buildings are also represented on the fresco.
On the right is the Cathedral of Saint Erasmus of Cervioni. It symbolizes the omnipresence of religion in Corsica.
On the left, we see the small chapel of San Mamilianu around which the legend of Calcagnetta was built.
On the right is depicted Napoleon Bonaparte scanning the sea. In fact, this characterizes a rather tenacious local legend according to which the fallen Emperor, then exiled to the island of Elba, returned to his native island for one night. He would have docked at Moriani and spent the night with Marie Elisabeth Sicurani, the widow of Imperial General Jean-Baptiste Cervoni.
Other elements present in island memory could not be represented on the fresco for technical and artistic reasons. Among these elements are the humorist Grossu Minutu, whose jokes remained anchored in tradition, Louis Giafferi, proclaimed general of the Corsican Nation in 1735, then Prime Minister of Théodore de Neuhoff, as well as Ange-François Mariani, the inventor of the ancestor of Coca-Cola which supplied its pharmaceutical drinks to the Pope. Also present in local memory is the village of Pinzu, which refused to recognize French authority and is said to have surrendered to the Tsar of Russia. General Jean-Jacques Ambert allegedly had the women and men of this village murdered and the survivors found refuge in a cave.
Outside of the period concerned, intercommunal memory has preserved the memory of the aeronaut Louis Capazza, the first man to cross the Mediterranean in a balloon in 1886. Finally, the massive departure of thousands of Corsicans to the colonies and then the two tragedies of the 20th century, the First and Second World Wars, of course occupy a prominent place in local memories.
Outside of the period concerned, intercommunal memory has preserved the memory of the aeronaut Louis Capazza, the first man to cross the Mediterranean in a balloon in 1886. Finally, the massive departure of thousands of Corsicans to the colonies and then the two tragedies of the 20th century, the First and Second World Wars, of course occupy a prominent place in local memories.
The artist Piombu
A witness to his time and his territory, Piombu is a graffiti artist who has made the street and the walls his means of expressing his moods generally through 3 colors, black, red, and white. An explosive mixture combining island symbolism and street art that he expresses through his frescoes, his drawings, and his paintings. A committed artist, these works question the future of this land and denounce the rampant concretization. Whether with pencils or spray paint, Piombu explores raw art in the hope of making an impact and raising awareness.
Through this work, he explores the significant events and emblematic figures of the region, thus offering a bold reinterpretation of our cultural heritage.
To find out more: www.piombu.corsica
Through this work, he explores the significant events and emblematic figures of the region, thus offering a bold reinterpretation of our cultural heritage.
To find out more: www.piombu.corsica
The Paoli Napoléon program
Corsica has an unusual political tradition, having notably been the seat of an innovative republican experience in the 18th century (a democratic, secularized regime, placing education at the center of public action, provided with a constitution opposable to the government and a control system for elected officials…). Among the remarkable innovations of this political thought characteristic of the Enlightenment, let us mention the right to self-determination of peoples, the notion of nation in the modern sense, as well as the right to happiness which we will find a few years later in the declaration of American independence. This political tradition was embodied by a head of state, Pasquale Paoli, and had a determining influence on the action of Napoleon Bonaparte, who had completed his political apprenticeship in this intellectual atmosphere.
The “Paoli-Napoléon” program highlights this experience which has had a lasting impact on Corsican political thought, including in its current extensions.
This program has two components: the first (scientific) has already given rise to numerous international seminars and conferences, as well as the creation of the journal Lumi dedicated to studies on the age of Enlightenment and revolutions; the second part (valorization-development) is particularly oriented towards the economy of culture. It generated a partnership between the LISA laboratory (CNRS) of the University of Corsica and the communities of Costa Verde, Oriente and Fiumorbu-Castellu. This partnership concerns on the one hand the educational and heritage field and on the other hand economic and social development (oriented towards cultural and memorial tourism through a territorial network of interest to the different municipalities of intercommunalities). Finally, let us point out that the Paoli-Napoléon program is integrated into the UNESCO “Devenirs en Méditerranée” chair.
The “Paoli-Napoléon” program highlights this experience which has had a lasting impact on Corsican political thought, including in its current extensions.
This program has two components: the first (scientific) has already given rise to numerous international seminars and conferences, as well as the creation of the journal Lumi dedicated to studies on the age of Enlightenment and revolutions; the second part (valorization-development) is particularly oriented towards the economy of culture. It generated a partnership between the LISA laboratory (CNRS) of the University of Corsica and the communities of Costa Verde, Oriente and Fiumorbu-Castellu. This partnership concerns on the one hand the educational and heritage field and on the other hand economic and social development (oriented towards cultural and memorial tourism through a territorial network of interest to the different municipalities of intercommunalities). Finally, let us point out that the Paoli-Napoléon program is integrated into the UNESCO “Devenirs en Méditerranée” chair.