Museo: Mostra TRA ULIVI E MARE - Alla scoperta di Armando Perotti, con lettere e ricordi

The Satire and Art of Friar Menotti

Menotti Bianchi, known as Friar Menotti, was born in Bari on September 24, 1863, and became a prominent figure in Apulian satire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His early life is shrouded in mystery, but it is believed that he developed his artistic skills thanks to his father's influence. He became famous for his pungent caricatures, especially in the satirical weekly Fra Melitone, where he ridiculed public figures and powerful individuals of the time. Menotti was known for his eccentric style: a pointed beard, pince-nez glasses, and a smoking pipe. A recognizable figure in the streets of Bari, he drew caricatures for various newspapers, ignoring different political lines and often causing friction among editors. His satire, sharp but never vulgar, made him a symbol of critical conscience, loved by the people and feared by the bourgeoisie. He had a deep intellectual friendship with the poet Armando Perotti; together, they shared satirical ideas and ideals and contributed to giving voice to the critical conscience of the city. During fascism, his activity was hampered by the regime, which did not tolerate political satire. Friar Menotti died on September 11, 1924, in poverty, despite his popularity and extensive artistic production. His life reflected a free mind, ready to mock power with irony and intelligence.

Rhyme, the Poet, and Abandoned Childhood (February 12, 1893) and At the Trani Festivals - The Poets (1889-1992)

In this cartoon, Friar Menotti portrays Armando Perotti in six different poses, capturing various moments of his demeanor as a lecturer. Perotti is shown leaning on the table, reading, declaiming, and drinking, with the candles slowly burning down, symbolizing the passage of time as he entertains the audience. At the center of the composition, in a framed area, Perotti is arm in arm with an elegant lady, symbolizing poetry or the inspiring muse. The cartoon alludes to the lecture on rhyme given by Perotti on January 31, 1893, in Bari, a charity event for orphans, mentioned in the article "Art" published on February 12, 1893, in the periodical Fra Melitone. Friar Menotti highlights Perotti's passion and theatricality, emphasizing both his oratory skills and the scenic effect of his speeches. In the subsequent black and white watercolor, we observe a lively and surreal scene in which Armando Perotti seems to be discussing the Adriatic, indicated by the writing above, while the unidentified character is intent on talking about the sex of angels, represented by the small naked angel with wings. The presence of the skeletal figure of death floating in the background adds a macabre and ironic note, perhaps a visual commentary on the existential themes that often accompany poetic discussions. The atmosphere is that of playful gatherings among intellectuals, where serious and frivolous topics intertwined, evoking a sense of philosophical lightness typical of the "poets' festivals" in Trani.

Various Personalities (August 21, 1902) and the ... Zoological Circle (February 1912)

This color lithograph depicts the editorial staff of the humorous Bari newspaper "Don Ferrante." Recognizable are engineer Ettore Bernich at the bottom left; then "Friar Menotti" portraying himself with a camera, Armando Perotti with a lyre, lawyer Vito Indelli dressed as Don Ferrante, Ciccio Attolini dressed as Don Abbondio, and another unidentified character. In the subsequent drawing in pencil and colored watercolor, the Philological Circle of Bari is transformed into a zoo where members appear as animals, emphasizing their characteristics. Among the characters: Armando Perotti (rooster), Damaso Bianchi (sitting monkey), Giuseppe Petraglione (turtle), Giovanni Praitano (rhinoceros), and Mayor Sabino Fiorese (ape with a stick) holding Filippo Petrera. In the background also appear Hon. Malcangi and Prof. Garrone as a small monkey on a tree.

Provincial Exhibition (May 1900), The Farce of Every Evening (1915), and Pro-Expelled (July 1912)

In this color lithograph, Saraceno stands out among those present, holding a sign with the inscription "Laboremus"; just below him is Antonio De Tullio. On the raised platform, Mauro Amoruso-Manzari, councilor and promoter of modern urban planning for the city, Michele Zonno, and Poli are distinguishable. At the bar is Giuseppe Re David, and on the ground floor, Cassano, Ginesi, and Armando Perotti are seen. In the subsequent ink and watercolor drawing, Armando Perotti is in Bari during the war and engages daily in passionate polemics with the physician Tommaso Storelli. On Perotti's shield is a portrait of a Prussian general. Then we move on to another ink and watercolor drawing where, with the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912), Italy conquered Libya, the Dodecanese, and Rhodes. However, this damaged the economy of the South, as the agricultural products of the colonies lowered local prices. Meanwhile, about 50,000 Italians were expelled from the Ottoman Empire, and trade relations suffered boycotts. In this context, Police Chief Calabrese, De Romita, Gadaleta, Narducci, Sereno, and Armando Perotti are depicted assisting the expellees who returned to Bari.

The Nationalist Pronouncement at the Announcement of Peace (1912) and On Trasimeno (1909)

This colored ink and watercolor depicts a protest demonstration against the peace of Lausanne of October 18, 1912, which concluded the Italo-Turkish War. Among the protagonists, satirical figures stand out such as Commendatore Laudisi in a wheelbarrow, Professor Fiorese with a crutch, Lawyer Petruzzelli with scissors, Gadaleta with a trumpet, Judge Epifania with a Napoleonic hat, and Armando Perotti raising a sign, joining his voice with the nationalists in defense of national pride. In the subsequent black and white watercolor, there is a caricature, part of a small album created by Friar Menotti with satirical portraits of various personalities of the time, portraying Armando Perotti as a "prelate" of Apulian literature, a cardinal with a red cape and biretta, giving him an authoritative air. Perotti holds his book of poems "Il Trasimeno" (1887).

Armando Perotti presents his book Bari Ignota (1908) and in Bisceglie during the Bombardment of August 2 (August 1916)

This colored watercolor highlights the most famous work of the Bari poet Armando Perotti, "Bari Ignota," an in-depth study of Apulian folk traditions, in which the author presents himself as a careful observer and guardian of local realities. This text, along with others, testifies to Perotti's connection to his land, combining research and passion for folklore. Perotti dedicated numerous works to popular culture and the intangible heritage of Puglia, including: Bari dei nostri nonni (Bari of our Grandparents), Vita pugliese (Apulian Life), Puglia e Venezia tra mito e storia (Puglia and Venice between Myth and History), Storia e storielle di Puglia (Stories and Tales of Puglia), Il libro dei canti (The Book of Songs), and Nuove storie e storielle di Puglia (New Stories and Tales of Puglia). These works offer a unique window into the customs, stories, and legends of the region, preserving the collective memory of Puglia. In addition to folklore, Perotti was also interested in toponymy, the protection of cultural heritage, dialect, environmental protection, and social and economic issues related to work and the market. The following ink and colored watercolor refers to August 2, 1916, when, during the First World War, two Austrian destroyers bombarded the city of Bisceglie: the unexpected war event caused the injury of nine people, including two women, and the destruction of several houses. Armando Perotti, in Bisceglie with his wife, hid in the cellar among the barrels.

Don't Touch the Old Port (1910) and No Disembarking Here! (1910)

In this watercolor, Armando Perotti leads a demonstration to defend the Old Port of Bari, with demonstrators waving the banner of San Nicola. Perotti, a prominent cultural figure and director of the National Library, was a staunch opponent of the urban demolition that threatened the old city, committing himself to the protection of historical heritage. However, the Margherita Theater was built in the Old Port, the construction of which was strongly criticized by Perotti, who called it a "criminal folly." Paradoxically, the stretch of coast "Lungomare Perotti" was named after him, despite the fact that the eyesores of "Punta Perotti" were built there, later demolished in 2005. In the subsequent ink and watercolor, Perotti is portrayed as a proud soldier on a rock, symbolizing his role as "guardian" of the Bari coast. With a rifle and a bicycle, he assumes a heroic and determined pose, accompanied by the phrase "No Disembarking Here!" to underline his will to defend the territory from foreign threats. The scene reflects the political tensions with Austria and the issue of the Adriatic, addressed by Perotti in articles for the Corriere delle Puglie and a lecture at the Teatro Piccinni on June 5, 1910. During the lecture, addressing the volunteer cyclists, Perotti firmly declared "There's no way through here!", expressing patriotism and resistance against Austrian ambitions.

With a Continuous Pump (1909) and the Very Bitter Adriatic (1908)

In this pencil and colored watercolor drawing, Armando Perotti is portrayed in the act of "churning out" publications for the Corriere delle Puglie, an image that vividly depicts the intense intellectual and journalistic activity that characterized his daily commitment. A leading journalist and a figure of great importance in Apulian culture, Perotti tirelessly contributed to spreading ideas, reflections, and insights on the social and cultural issues of his time. In the subsequent colored ink and watercolor, Gabriele D'Annunzio and Armando Perotti, in a satirical vein, symbolically pour sugar and honey into the Adriatic Sea to sweeten its waters. D'Annunzio's expression "Adriatico amarissimo" (very bitter Adriatic) alludes to the Austro-Hungarian domination until 1914, which weighed heavily on these coasts and populations with a centuries-old oppressive foreign presence. Menotti evokes the desire for liberation of the Adriatic lands and peoples from centuries of foreign influence, here symbolized by the attempt, however futile, to sweeten the bitterness of the sea itself.

I Did This (1900) and Happy New Year

This cartoon shows Antonio De Tullio and Armando Perotti. De Tullio, self-assured, walks with his chest puffed out, displaying a proud and almost pompous attitude, pointing to a sign on the ground, with stylized feces on it, bearing the inscription "Pugliese Exhibition 1900": De Tullio seems to attribute to himself the responsibility or "merit" for what is represented on the ground. Armando Perotti, holding his nose, seems to be running away, looking with disgust at those feces on the ground. A clear satire on the situation and the events related to the Pugliese Exhibition of 1900. In the following lithograph, Martino Cassano, director of the Corriere delle Puglie (later Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno), wishes a happy new year along with other characters including Armando Perotti with his lyre.

July (1910) and May (August 1910)

In this black and white watercolor, one can note the irony regarding two significant events for Bari in 1910: the inauguration of the city's tram network (July 13) and the organization of the Historical Exhibition of the nineteenth century for the centenary of Borgo Murattiano. On the left, an unidentified character operates a small tram as if it were a toy, a satirical allusion to the control exercised over the city's infrastructure projects. On the right, Armando Perotti emerges from a smoking cauldron with a sign bearing the inscription "Exhibition of 1913," suggesting how the Exhibition was immersed in a context of political tension. Perotti, represented as a "boiling" critic in the cauldron of political differences, symbolizes the heated discussions and contrasts linked to the celebrations and urban expansion projects. The subsequent cartoon depicts a scene in which Senator Antonio De Tullio undertakes diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire. Below, Armando Perotti, with a megaphone facing the sea, seems to be launching an appeal or a protest, with ships on the horizon alluding to foreign presences. The illustration reflects the tensions between Bari and Ottoman influence, with Perotti in the role of critical voice and defender of the city.

Friar Menotti and Armando Perotti Visiting the Cemetery (1912) and Armando Perotti Dying (May 1924)

In this watercolor, Friar Menotti and Armando Perotti are portrayed during a visit to the cemetery, a moment of reflection and meditation. The melancholic scene shows the two friends among cypresses and tombstones, symbols of the transience of life and their deep bond. Menotti notes a list of his visits, reflecting on death. This drawing symbolizes their friendship, which will last beyond life: both will die in 1924, a few months apart. In the subsequent watercolor, Perotti, marked by illness, is portrayed in a moment of fragility. Menotti pays tribute to him with affection and irony, reflecting on his career. Perotti, a poet and historian, shared with Menotti a civic commitment and a love for Bari. Their intellectual connection was born with their collaboration on the periodical "Don Ferrante" (1902-1907). On May 8, 1924, Menotti visited Perotti for a final farewell before dying in September. This work is a final tribute to a friendship that death would never break.