Chiesa Di Polenta, Prima Del Restauro, 1900

Giuseppe Barberis created this work, “Chiesa Di Polenta, Prima Del Restauro,” using meticulous lines to capture the church’s facade. The stark contrast between the textured stone and the geometrically precise brickwork immediately draws the eye. Barberis employs hatching to create a sense of depth and age, particularly in the crumbling tower, which stands in stark contrast to the structured symmetry of the church’s main body. This dichotomy destabilizes a sense of fixed architectural meaning: the imperfect tower versus the ideal form. The detailed brickwork, punctuated by the circle and arch of religious symbols, creates a semiotic interplay, where the building itself communicates values of stability and faith. Note the use of line and form which functions both aesthetically and as part of a larger cultural discourse. It is a dialogue between decay and the eternal, raising questions about time, ruin, and the human quest for the divine.