This chapel stands in the court yard of the Castello di Reschio on the Tuscan-Umbrian border. We were originally asked to do the painted architecture following the design made by Principessa Nencia Corsini and so it began..
Nencia initially led the team but became too busy with babies and running the estate’s Osteria. Alexander took over the project.
An eastern-Mediterranean atmosphere was decided on, as this seemed to suit the light stone colour that we had started with. Palm trees and damask cloth painting were sourced from early renaissance pictures.
A landscape was painted on either side of the entrance door. This landscape was to incorporate the Count Bolza family history. Various family estates were placed into the scenery that loosely follows a journey from Northern Italy, through Austria, Hungary and a return to Italy.
A river was painted in, connecting the past with the present day.
Above the door the family coat of arms awarded for halting Ottoman invasions of the 17th century.
Finally Alexander Hamilton was commissioned to paint five scenes from the life of the Holy Mary, to whom the chapel is dedicated. These paintings are all in grisaille / monochrome to emphasize a harmonious and contemplative atmosphere. These scenes run in the following sequences:
