Il Tirreno Giornale (PISA, Italia, Saturday 15 June 2002)
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The Tolaini History : "The Work is by Bonanno" The thesis advanced by professor Caleca that the bell tower has been created by Gerardo of Gerardo is refuted by Emilio Tolaini PISA. I read on last June 11 in the Pisa chronicle, like a great novelty, the announcement that professor Anthony Caleca, in a his book just out, denied the Vasari attribution of the bell tower to Bonanno, he assigns the monument to an unknown Gerardo of Gerardo. It is not a novelty, because this hypothesis was advanced in 1925 by the superintendent Peleo Bacci, and disproven five years later by Vincent Biagi, then again in 1995 by Ragghianti. The same Caleca had made the statement in the 1974. Therefore things are well-known. Caleca bases the conclusion on a document of June 18, 1174 in which Tedicius of the former Eritteto, represented by his leader (we could tell his methods today) Deotisalvi, sells ground to a Villano, pastor of the Cathedral. Witnesses are, among others, (with a large make because they were illiterate) Gerardo formerly of Gerardo, worker of the bell tower, and the aforesaid Deotisalvi formerly of Alberto. To this document Caleca connects another, which on January 5 1172 Berta widow of Calvo leaves sixty soldi for the work of the bell tower. It is witnessed, among others, by Gerardus supervisor of the Sancte Marie work, expert on work for Cathedrals. Hypothesizing that the Gerardo of 1174 and that of 1172 is the same person, Caleca, in 1974 wrote in a small local magazine, though now he denies it, that, being: "expert of the work on the Cathedral January 5 1172, supervisor of the bell tower June 18 1174, we need little imagination to conclude that Gerardo of Gerardo has furnished the plan for the same bell tower that was founded August 9 1173". But the two Gerardi are not the same person (Gerardo is one of the more popular names in that time), the Gerardo of 1172 doesn't come with suitable background. It is known that in the documents of the time the ecclesiastical are generally indicated without the name of the father, except in the cases of the same names. Therefore this Gerardo is religious, probably a canon, with some responsiblity in the work of the Cathedral. As for the title of supervisor, expert, a qualification is dealt with that are up to not only to the artisans and artists, (magister lapidum, murorum, etc.), but also to priests of the Cathedral (magister scolae, canonicus). From 1158 to 1199 they have attested, among others, the Magistrate Beneincasa, Bernard, Benenato, Bandino, Bartholomew, Lotterio, Wanders, Ildebrando, Leonardo, Lamberto, Alberto, Herrigo, almost all canonical, and all named simply as "magistri" and without a surname. Do we want to make architects of them ? The Gerardo of 1172 is one of these, he is a religious, has the title of magistir and is linked to the work on the Cathedral, (not necessarily linked to the work of the bell tower, because each monument was administered as its own from an own "work"). We come to the Gerardo of 1174. While Gerardo of the document of 1172 is a religious, that of 1174 is a layman, because he is recorded with a surname. Besides he does not have the title teacher (maestro), as those who are known do not lose the title or be mentioned as to his expertise. He has the title of "operarius", worker, that he answers to an administrative position, while teacher and supervisor (capomaestro) are technical functions. Confuse the two idetnities as Caleca has done, and it is like saying that doctor Pier Francesco Pacini, superintendent of the Cathedral is the author of the altar and of the liturgy of the Vangi. The only point of contact between Gerardo of 1172 and Gerardo of 1174, rests in the illiteracy. But was whoever therefore this Gerardo formerly of Gerardo? It was a character quoted heavily in the Pisan documents of the time: illustrious member of a family where the practice was in force to impose the first name of the parent. In a document of 1182 appears "signum magnus Gerardi comitis maioris Gerardi et minoris Gerardi filius maioris": the older count Gerardo and his small child Gerardo (today would be called senior and junior). The family, needless to say, is that of the Gherardeschi. Much imagination is needed to conclude that the illustrious ruler had a second job of planning the bell tower. |
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