Mezzogiorno (literally “midday” in Italian.) Giuseppe Garibaldi, credited as the primary force behind the unification of Italy, popularized the term that is now used as a reference to the Southern region of Italy and Sicily. Before Garibaldi, the South was ruled by a succession of Norman, French and Spanish feudal lords. Unification eliminated the feudal system, but did little to educate and transition the commoners to meaningful work. Famine and disease were rampant in the South, contributing to a mass exodus, including the artist’s family to the United States. Today, the term mezzogiorno is often used as a pejorative. Northern and Southern Italy are worlds apart with different economies. But when it comes down to the abundance of Greek, Roman, Norman, Phoenician, Turkish and Spanish architecture, antiquities, food and ethnic diversity, the South rules. It also is home to some of the greatest museums in the world, Renaissance art included.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 10:56:44 +0000
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