See Naples and die. Her beauty is unrivalled. A powerful identity, a proud spirit, crumbling buildings that conceal baroque courtyards, chapels and sanctuaries. Children playing in the streets, their high-pitched voices echoing along the alleys. Dirty, noisy streets with avenues to die for just around the corner. The breathtaking views of Mount Vesuvius, the sea and the islands of the Gulf. The murals that color the Spanish quarters and Maradona, idolized on the walls and in votive shrines dedicated to him. That profound feeling in the eyes of Neapolitans, proud of this city that is so extreme and ambiguous, yet refined, cultured and wonderful. Naples fascinated the likes of such as Hemingway, Neruda and Warhol in the last century, and it continues to fascinate tourists from all over the world today. But its charm does not end here. There are so many interesting stories to tell; mysteries and legends that have merged over the centuries and that can now be heard during a visit to IlCartastorie, the museum at the Banco di Napoli Historical Archives
IlCartastorie – the museum at the Banco di Napoli Historical Archives
Located in the heart of the historic center, in Via dei Tribunali, the ancient Palazzo Ricca hosts the Museum and Archives of the Banco di Napoli, created to promote the immense heritage of the old Neapolitan public banks. Millions of original documents, from as far back as the mid-16th century, tell unpublished stories about the city and the people who lived in it. There are documents and registers, client lists, account ledgers and credit vouchers (which today we would call cashier’s checks), accompanied by pages and pages of detailed payment descriptions. We can read, for example, about payments made for the transport of goods, wine, rent, medical services, and works of art, giving us a comprehensive picture of Naples as it appeared many centuries ago.
A unique historical and cultural heritage that just had to be promoted through IlCartastorie. Kaleidos, the museum’s permanent multimedia path, created by Stefano Gargiulo | Kaos Produzioni, takes visitors through a maze of rooms filled with tomes and large rolls of paper while images and sounds envelop the senses. The archives tell the story of Raimondo di Sangro, Prince of Sansevero, an enlightened and fascinating 18th century figure, believed by some to be an alchemist and a sorcerer by others. It debunks the popular belief that the magnificent marble veil of the Veiled Christ exhibited in the Sansevero chapel was the result of an obscure spell. The work was sculpted entirely by Giuseppe Sanmartino. The description of the payment with which Raimondo di Sangro commissioned Sanmartino to produce the work for 500 ducats provides irrefutable evidence. The Angolo Cuomo interactive room also offers eclectic multimedia content, such as the mystery surrounding the Radolovich Altarpiece which Caravaggio was commissioned to paint by a Croatian merchant (Radolovich) but has never been found. Who knows, perhaps it was never painted. The details in the description of the payment in 1606, however, provided such a clear image that it was possible to “recreate” the work.
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