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| Pietro Perugino (Italian painter, 1446–1524), Virgin and Child in a Mandorla with Cherubim c 1480- 1500 National Gallery, London |
MANDORLA is the second Italian art history word I run into based on my art discussions with my friend Rosemary.
Mandorla is an Italian word that we lent to the English language as is. Same as LOGGIA that describes a typical Renaissance architectural patio attached to a church (like in the Spoleto's cathedral) or a belltower (like in Venice) or to a palace such as in Siena (seen in the Piazza del Campo). Therefore when we say 'Loggia' we know what we mean without translating it. Loggia is the first word I shared with Rosemary upon our art armchair traveling on Facebook.
The same popularity should apply to the word MANDOLA, however, this latter is less known than Loggia. So we have to translate it to be understood. Translating the word "Mandorla" is easy to do though. It is only one step away. 'Mandola' means almond. In art history terms 'Mandorla' is also known as "almond-shaped aureole". Here is a Mandola longer description from the National Gallery's glossary:
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Mandorla
Mandorla is the Italian word for almond. In painting or sculpture, the term is used to describe the almond-shaped enclosure which is sometimes depicted around Christ or the Virgin Mary. For example, the Virgin and Child are represented in a Mandorla in Crivelli's version of 'The Vision of the Blessed Gabriele', and 'The Trinity' is represented within one in Barnaba da Modena's panel.
Mandorlas are most often depicted in the context of Christ's Ascension and the Virgin's Assumption.
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I have seen several Mandorlas in Italian paintings in the churches I have visited these past years. There are several descriptions about the origins of such an almond-shaped aureole coming both from mythology as well as from the Christian tradition. Among all theories, the one I prefer is that the almond is linked to the almond tree and to fertility.
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| The traditional almond candies from Sulmona, Italy - We call them CONFETTI |
That was indeed the first thing that came to my mind: the almond candies we use in Italy for weddings share the same origin as the Mandola in religious paintings!
As a memory of a wedding or special celebrations such as baptism and graduation in Italy, we give guests a favor containing 5 almond candies as a sign of prosperity.
The most important production place of almond candies in Italy is SULMONA in the Abruzzi region. It is where the candy tradition started in Italy. I was in Sulmona for the first time in 2000 and I liked Sulmona very much. There are all sorts of almond candies there, anything you can think of. In Sulmona, producers have highly specialized in the field of almond candies and they are still the best in Italy.
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