Pietro Aldi | Art in Tuscany | Podere Santa Pia, Holiday house in the south of Tuscany

Pietro Aldi

Pietro Aldi, one of the most important Maremman artists, was born in Manciano in 1852. If not for his premature death (at 36 years of age in 1888), he would certainly have been one of the most important artists at the turn of the 20th century.

One of his many famous paintings is L’incontro a Teano (Encounter at Teano), a successful example of patriotic iconography, painted for the Siena Town Hall, in which the artist’s great interest in historical painting is evident.

Meeting between Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II

Pietro Aldi, Meeting between Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II on the bridge of Teano
on October 26, 1860, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena [1]

Aldi travelled extensively, but his interest in religious themes and his bond with his homeland were constant. For example, he painted La Madonna col Bambino che consegna a San Paolo della Croce il progetto del convento (The Madonna with Child who presents Saint Paul of the Cross with the convent plan), which features a vast perspective of the Orbetello lagoon, for the Passionists of Mount Argentario. For the Church of Saint Nicholas at Capalbio, he painted a large canvas of San Nicola di Bari (Saint Nicholas of Bari). For the Pitigliano Cathedral, he painted the Episodi della vita di San Gregorio VII (Episodes from the Life of Saint Gregory VII).

The Town Hall of Manciano, which erected a monument to the artist in Piazza Garibaldi in 1911 with funds raised by the public, houses a canvas painted in the artist’s youth. Giuramento di Ghino di Tacco (The Oath of Ghino di Tacco) mixes historical interest and the scrupulous reconstruction of setting with a marked affection for a well-loved rebel character from romantic culture. This demonstrates that Pietro Aldi, from the very start of his career, was greatly attached to the history of his land.

YouTube Pietro, Aldi, Amos Cassioli e il Risorgimento dipinto

YouTube Pietro, Aldi, Amos Cassioli e il Risorgimento dipinto (Museo Cassioli - Asciano- Fondazione Musei Senesi)

Pitigliano, Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul

Two paintings by Pietro Aldi are on display in the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.

These valuable paintings, commissioned by the Cathedral Chapter in 1883, depict two important moments in the life of Ildebrando da Sovana, the future Saint Gregory VII, who is also present in the second chapel to the right (where a statue of him can be seen) and in the square named after him in front of the Duomo.

The two works of art, the Predestinazione del giovanetto Ildebrando (Predestination of the young Ildebrando) and Arrigo IV a Canossa (Harold IV in Canossa) hang on the walls to the side of the main altar and were solemnly unveiled on September 13th 1885.

The paintings contain the historical and religious motifs so well-loved by the artist, rendered with great emotional intensity and painstaking historical reconstruction of the backgrounds.

The preparatory cartoons of the paintings were displayed for the public in the Palazzo Vescovile (Bishop’s Palace) a few days before the paintings were unveiled in the Cathedral.
Signed and dated, they are currently housed in Pitigliano’s Diocesan Museum.


house of birth of Pietro Aldi in Manciano	Monumento a Pietro Aldi in piazza Garibaldi a Manciano	Sign on the house of birth of Pietro Aldi in Manciano
Podere Santa Pia, situated in in the utmost quietness of the Alta Maremma, is a beautiful stone farmhouse only 2 km away from Castiglioncello Bandini. Ssome of the towns in the area which are worth a stroll around include Arcidosso, Castel del Piano, Roccalbegna, Semproniano and the spa town of Saturnia. San Quirico d'Orcia, Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano and Villa La Foce make Podere Santa Pia a perfect Tuscan getaway. The strategic position allows many day trips, including a day trip to Montalcino to taste some wines in the cellars of several of the top Brunello producers. Holiday homes in the Tuscan Maremma \| Podere Santa Pia


Podere Santa Pia	Siena, Piazza del Campo	Orbetello


Manciano	Saturnia, Cascate del Gorello	Manciano, Rocca


Wines in southern Tuscany	Arezzo	Sunsets in Tuscany



Podere Santa Pia, a spacious, comfortable and well furnished holiday home, offers its guests a breathtaking views over the Maremma hills, up to the Tyrrhenian coast and Monte Christo
[1] Foto LigaDue, licenziato in base ai termini della licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione-Condividi allo stesso modo 4.0 Internazionale [2] Source image: OwHgh-E0I0tFAA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level