anticSwiss 28/09/2021 06:49:50 http://www.anticswiss.com Blessed Giovanni Cacciafronte de Sordi with the Vicenza mode FOR SALE ANTIQUE DEALER Period: 16° secolo - 1500 Ars Antiqua srl Milano Style: Altri stili +39 02 29529057 393664680856 Height:51cm Width:40.5cm Material:Olio su tela Price:3400€ DETAILED DESCRIPTION: 16th century Blessed Giovanni Cacciafronte de Sordi with the model of the city of Vicenza Oil on oval canvas, 51 x 40.5 cm The oval canvas depicts a holy bishop, as indicated by the attributes of the miter on the head of the young man and the crosier held by angel behind him. The facial features reflect those of a beardless young man, with a full and jovial face, corresponding to a youthful depiction of the blessed Giovanni Cacciafronte (Cremona, c. 1125 - Vicenza, March 16, 1181). Another characteristic attribute is the model of the city of Vicenza that he holds in his hands, the one of which he became bishop in 1175. Giovanni Cacciafronte de Sordi lived at the time of the struggle undertaken by the emperor Frederick Barbarossa (1125-1190), against the Papacy and the Italian Municipalities. Giovanni was born in Cremona around 1125 from a family of noble origins; still at an early age he lost his father, his mother remarried the noble Adamo Cacciafronte, who loved him as his own son, giving him his name; he received religious and cultural training. At sixteen he entered the Abbey of San Lorenzo in Cremona as a Benedictine monk; over the years his qualities and virtues became more and more evident, and he won the sympathies of his superiors and confreres. He was first appointed prior of the small monastery of S. Vittore, dependent on the abbey of S. Lorenzo and then abbot of the same great abbey of Cremona. In those years a schism broke out in the Church, with the election of the antipope Victor IV (1159-1164), supported by Frederick Barbarossa, against the legitimate Pope Alexander III (1159-1181), who opposed the imperial power, supporting the Lombard League of Municipalities, which opposed the invasion of the troops of Barbarossa. Abbot Cacciafronte with his influence managed to keep Cremona in obedience to Pope Alexander III, but the emperor made him exile; later the pope entrusted him with the government of the diocese of Mantua, in place of the bishop Graziadoro who had joined the schism of the antipope Victor IV and his successors Pasquale III (1164-1168) and Callisto III (1168-1179). After the famous battle of Legnano 1 / 3 anticSwiss 28/09/2021 06:49:50 http://www.anticswiss.com (May 29, 1176) lost by the Emperor Barbarossa by the Lombard League, whose head Pope Alexander III had been elected, there was peace dealt with in Venice in 1179, after which the antipope in office Callixtus III was deposed. The repentant bishop Garziadoro returned to the episcopal see of Mantua and again in 1179, Msgr. Giovanni Cacciafronte de Sordi, was transferred to the bishopric of Vicenza, which remained vacant at that time. Just two years later, on March 16, 1181, bishop Cacciafronte was killed by a certain Pietro, a feudal lord in concession of the assets of the Vicentine Church, who wanted to take revenge because the bishop had excommunicated him and deprived him of his assets, due to his frequent violations of the rights of the Church. The assassination of the bishop is mentioned in the 'decretals' of Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241), in the text of a letter dated 21 March 1198, sent by Pope Innocent III, to the bishop of Vicenza, Msgr. Pistore, forbidding him to give the assets of the Church as a fief to the assassins of Bishop Giovanni and their heirs. The body of the holy bishop and martyr was buried in the cathedral of Vicenza and moved to the same cathedral in 1441, in a more worthy marble tomb. The cult of Blessed Giovanni Cacciafronte de Sordi, bishop and martyr, for centuries given to him, was confirmed by Pope Gregory XVI on March 30, 1824. His liturgical feast is set for March 16, while in the diocese of Mantua his memory is celebrated on July 9. https://www.anticswiss.com/en/fine-art-antiques/blessed-giovanni-cacciafronte-de-sordi-with-the-vicenza-mode-20774 2 / 3 anticSwiss 28/09/2021 06:49:50 http://www.anticswiss.com Gallery 3 / 3 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org).