Bardineto
THE CHURCH OF San Nicolò
The church of San Nicolò in Bardineto, of medieval origin, houses a wonderful early 15th-century fresco cycle, an extraordinary expression of the courtly Gothic style. These frescoes represent a crucial example of late Gothic art between Piedmont and Liguria.
In Bardineto, at the mouth of the Scravaiòn hill where the Bormida River rises, lies the renowned Fons Salutis spring, known since ancient times for its pure water. Next to it, you can see the remains of an ancient medieval tower, whose significance has yet to be clearly understood.
Not far away, on higher ground, stands the community’s first parish church, dedicated to San Nicolò, located a mile from the town. This church was active until the 16th century, when the sacraments began to be celebrated in the more accessible church of San Giovanni Battista. Consequently, the church of San Nicolò fell into a state of semi-abandonment starting in the 16th century, unattended and with a surrounding cemetery where the deceased were laid to rest.
The Church of San Nicolò
Of ancient origins, from at least the early Middle Ages (probably built in the 11th century), despite some alterations and restorations, the church of San Nicolò retains a reminder of its distant origins in the small, circular right-hand lateral apse, clearly Romanesque in style. A 15th-century renovation transformed the church into a single nave, enlarging it, incorporating one of the original circular apses, and adding a new square central apse (which corresponds to the current presbytery).
Characterized by a stone construction and a stone roof, the chapel gradually began to lose its importance starting in the 15th century, when it became primarily a burial place, partly due to its location outside the new residential area.
Inside the church, one of the most fascinating examples of courtly Gothic painting in Liguria is preserved, fully legible. Characterized by an exceptional descriptive taste, this pictorial cycle stands out for the abundance of nature, portrayed with faithfulness and variety, for the elegant and precious clothes of the characters, also enriched by luxurious inserts in vair and jewels, and the scenographic setting.
The pictorial work, which skillfully fills every space of the triumphal arch and the presbytery, is the result of a single execution and is attributed to at least two masters active in the early decades of the 15th century. The extraordinary integrity of the pictorial cycle allows us to fully appreciate its formal and expressive refinement, as well as the remarkable execution of its artists, who used engravings, stencils, and pigments of the highest quality in their artistic practice. This pictorial cycle has since been recognized as a crucial moment in the understanding of late Gothic artistic and figurative culture between Piedmont and Liguria, recalling the Tuscan artistic developments present in the Ligurian port centers and the influence of Lombardy and the Po Valley.
At the center of the triumphal arch is the scene of the Annunciation, with the angel on the left and the Virgin on the right, set among fruit trees; above the clouds is the Eternal Father. A procession of saints unfolds on either side: on the left, the previously unseen Saint Bridget receiving divine revelation, Mary Magdalene, and Saint Martha with the dragon; on the right, Saint Michael the Archangel weighing souls, with Saint Paul of Thebes (or Saint Onuphrius) at his side.
The composition on the right ends in the lower register with three monumental figures. From the left, Saint Christopher, depicted with his feet and Jesus on his shoulder, the Madonna enthroned with the Child on her lap, and, finally, Saint Catherine of Alexandria with the wheel of martyrdom.
Of particular note is the scene of Saint George slaying the dragon, on the left: the saint, on horseback, pierces the creature with his lance, following a widespread iconographic model in southern Piedmont at the time. In the smaller panel above, the king and queen, looking out from a fortress with a raised drawbridge, observe the princess’s liberation, enriching the narrative scene.
In the presbytery, on the back wall, there is a painted polyptych with aedicules, cusps, and pinnacles, reproducing typical Gothic architecture.
At the center is Saint Nicholas, the church’s patron saint, seated on a cathedra, holding a pastoral staff in his right hand and a holy book in his left. Next to him, from left to right, are recognizable by their traditional attributes: Saint John the Baptist in a camel hair tunic and a red cloak with a scroll that reads “Behold the Lamb of God.” Next comes Saint Bernard, in a white robe and carrying a chained demon; Saint Anthony the Abbot, in an elderly appearance, wearing a black habit, a T-handled staff, and a bell; and finally Saint Lawrence, holding the gridiron of martyrdom.
The side walls depict the twelve Apostles, while the vault displays a celestial vision: Christ in Majesty in a mandorla (almond shape), with a crossed halo, surrounded and supported by seraphim and cherub angels. The symbols of the Evangelists can be recognized on the sides of the vault.
On the left side wall, the series of the six Apostles is interrupted by the panel of Christ in Pietà, inserted into a micro-architecture. On the opposite wall, the series of the Apostles begins with the panel with the face of Jesus imprinted in a veil. The cohesion of the decorative design also extends to the ornamental elements: the figurative episodes are framed by a plinth with a red velarium, which imitates the appearance of rich draperies, enriched with decorations executed with pre-designed stencils, demonstrating the rich stylistic repertoire of the workshop.