Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: self portrait

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo´s two centres are the Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Next to the Duomo di Bergamo, opening to the Piazza Duomo, is the "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore". The basilica, here seen is a detail of the frieze, that runs around the semicircular apse (see previous upload), was founded in 1137 on the site of an older church and the altar was consecrated in 1185, but during the 13th and 15th century the works slowed down and the Romanesque church never got completed. The southern portal was just like the northern, more elaborated one created by by Giovanni da Campione ~1360. It is often called "Porta dei Leoni bianchi", while the northern is "Porta dei Leoni rossi". The frieze may well depict portrait of Giovanni da Campione and his workshop. The Master is seated on the left, designing/sketching another piece, while to the right three stonemasons are working.

The construction St. Lorenz started around 1250, replacing a smaller Romanesque church. At the same time St. Sebaldus, another great church in Nuremberg was under construction - only 300 meters east. That probably caused a kind of rivalry. Nuremberg was a "Free Imperial City". The "Golden Bull" (1356) named Nuremberg as the city where newly elected kings of Germany must hold their first Imperial Diet, making Nuremberg one of the three highest cities of the Empire. So it is no surprise, that St. Lorenz, a church that was (financially) cared of by the city council and by wealthy citizens, was a kind of very prestigious object for the city. St. Lorenz was completed ~ 1390, but - following St. Sebaldus - already a decade later alterations started. The side aisles got demolished and were replaced by wider ones. The erection of the Gothic hall-chancel was done 1439 - 1477. Since 1525 St. Lorenz is a (Evangelical) Lutheran parish church. Only 8 years after Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg. Though Lutheran that early St. Lorenz never suffered from an iconoclast, maybe the now Lutheran citizens respected, what their ancestors had created here (by funding!). The about 20 metres high tabernacle is a masterpiece, created by Adam Kraft (and his studio) 1493 - 1496. Donor was Hans IV. Imhoff, a wealthy, prominent merchant and city councilman. The contract between Hans IV. Imhoff and Adam Kraft is in the archives of the "Germanisches Nationalmuseum" in Nuremberg. Imhoff paid more than 77 guldens, the doors were another 20. Three life size figures support the structure. In the center is a self portrait of Adam Kraft. He must have been a very self confident artist. lorenzkirche.de/

The construction St. Lorenz started around 1250, replacing a smaller Romanesque church. At the same time St. Sebaldus, another great church in Nuremberg was under construction - only 300 meters east. That probably caused a kind of rivalry. Nuremberg was a "Free Imperial City". The "Golden Bull" (1356) named Nuremberg as the city where newly elected kings of Germany must hold their first Imperial Diet, making Nuremberg one of the three highest cities of the Empire. So it is no surprise, that St. Lorenz, a church that was (financially) cared of by the city council and by wealthy citizens, was a kind of very prestigious object for the city. St. Lorenz was completed ~ 1390, but - following St. Sebaldus - already a decade later alterations started. The side aisles got demolished and were replaced by wider ones. The erection of the Gothic hall-chancel was done 1439 - 1477. Since 1525 St. Lorenz is a (Evangelical) Lutheran parish church. Only 8 years after Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg. Though Lutheran that early St. Lorenz never suffered from an iconoclast, maybe the now Lutheran citizens respected, what their ancestors had created here (by funding!). The about 20 metres high tabernacle is a masterpiece, created by Adam Kraft (and his studio) 1493 - 1496. Donor was Hans IV. Imhoff, a wealthy, prominent merchant and city councilman. The contract between Hans IV. Imhoff and Adam Kraft is in the archives of the "Germanisches Nationalmuseum" in Nuremberg. Imhoff paid more than 77 guldens, the doors were another 20. Three life size figures support the structure. In the center is a self portrait of Adam Kraft. He must have been a very self confident artist. The other figures may depict two of Kraft´s assistants. lorenzkirche.de/

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. The staircase has 25 steps that gradually shorten (from 3,47 m for the first step to 1,40 of the last one). The well is in a "beehive tomb" (= "tholos"), that is 2,5m in diameter and 7 m high. The tholos has an oculus in the top, from where I took this self portrait.