WITH THE FREE PATRONAGE OF
CARNEVALE DI PUTIGNANO
CHURCH OF SAN PIETRO APOSTOLO
Putignano a history you don't expect
Little Church of Santo Stefano (15th century)
In 1402 a small church was built which was later dedicated to S. Stefano, protector of Putignano. The internal plan is cross-shaped and the sloping roofs covered with typical chiancarelle reflect the ancient shape of the buildings in the historic center of Putignano. It is also identified as the small church of the fountain due to the presence on the external side of one of the first public fountains installed in the ancient village. On the entrance door, in the lunette, there is the fresco of Santo Stefano Protomartire to whom the church is dedicated.
Inside the church, now deconsecrated, there are three paintings by the Molfetta artist Vito Calò (1744-1817) a pupil and follower of the other most famous painter from Molfetta Corrado Giaquinto. The painting on the central altar of the church depicts the "Immaculate Conception" and is the work of the painter from Molfetta
Also by the same artist are the two pictorial representations of the side chapels and specifically in the right one there is "the stoning of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr" while in the left one "the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ"
Calò worked on commission from the Confraternity of Charity and Immaculate Conception which had its seat in the same church. The latter no longer exists because it was suppressed for political reasons in 1810.
Calò himself painted a canvas, now present inside the Conservatory "Santa Maria degli Angeli in Putignano", with the representation of the traditional iconography of the Immaculate Conception with a crown of 12 stars and the moon and the snake under the feet. find already in the beautiful picture.It was based on the description found in the Apocalypse of St. John:
"Then a great sign appeared in the sky: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
These historical information on the works of Vitò Calò existing in Putignano, unpublished until a few years ago, are the result of the research of the master Antonio Lippolis
This website project born from the idea of Gianni Musaio is enclosed in a team spirit and is the result of the collaboration of people, ordinary citizens, who care about the historical, cultural, artistic, geographical, food and wine heritage of the historic center of Putignano, a town in to live.
The historic center of a town is the fulcrum of the territory, where ancient stories, traditions and culture of those who preceded us are preserved. You too can contribute to leaving the testimonies of the past to the generations to come, taking care of them.