Well that sounds like a mouthful, but what a wondrous thing to study in the city of Modica. I have been here for a week or so now and I have lost count of the number of photographs I have taken of the architecture. It is simply stunning. One feature that stands out are the exquisite baroque balcony brackets.
Baroque
Modica and the surrounding area was absolutely devastated by a massive earthquake in 1693. The town was basically flattened and had to be rebuilt. At this time, many of the stonemasons and carvers had done their classical training on mainland Italy.
There they were taught the style of Baroque that is commonly seen from the 17th & 18th centuries. What transpired however, was the evolutionary skill and creativity of these tradesmen. After returning back to Sicily, their personal style began to emerge, and so did a very unique style of Baroque.
Sicilian Baroque
Know for its ostentation nature and lavish detail, Baroque is a beautiful style of architecture. During the rebuild of Modica, and other nearby towns, the craftsmen began exaggerating the Baroque style even further.
Because of this, these incredible towns in Sicily have very unique characteristics to the buildings. One place where this ornate fashion was used was in the balcony brackets that adorn many of the old buildings here in Modica.
Brackets
I instantly fell in love with these large and imposing brackets that support the quintessential Juliette balconies on the buildings. These brackets come in all shapes and sizes.
Many are very classical looking and may have flora and other detailing.
Some have animal figures, which I really enjoy seeing, especially the marine life.
And still others have faces, a few of which have become uniquely Sicilian in that they became grotesque and exaggerated. These are perhaps my favourite balcony supports.
They are incredibly individualistic and very creative. Often a balcony will have several different characters holding up the same platform. One cannot assume that all the brackets will be identical.
Many a day I have returned to my adorable Airbnb, high on the hilltop of Modica Alta, wondering why the heck my neck is screaming in pain. Only to realize it is because I have been walking around town for the last three hours, craning my eyes forever upwards, seeking the beauty of these ostentation balconies.
