The creation of the monumental sculpture dedicated to the Virgin Mary (cathedral choir – late 18th century) was not a smooth ride.
From the quarries in Carrara, Italy, problems began for sculptor Bridan, who had to choose his materials…
« November 6, 1770. In the presence of me, notary in Carrara and the undersigned witnesses, sieur Vital Finelli, sculptor of the said town well known to me, having been asked to tell the pure truth, after having received his oath on the holy scriptures, of his own free will and in the best way he can, gives evidence of the following, namely:
That the truth is, in the beginning of Sieur Charles Bridan’s arrival in Carrara, having been he, Sieur Finelli accompanied by Sieur Bridan scouring all the statuary marble quarries, not finding marble of sufficient measure ; after two months, Sieur Finelli, together with Sieur Bridans, decided to take from the top of the mountain of a statuary marble quarry in the canton of Sieur Dom Jules Larreni, six blocks of the largest statuary marble for Sieur Bridant’s group of the Assumption, and after having undertaken the work on these blocks, accident befell and the disgrace that a large block perished when it was detached from the top of the mountain, which delayed the work by five months, and that Sieur Bridan agreed to have it removed and to wait for a measure proportionate to the aforementioned block which was broken, which is the pure truth and he has sworn to it with the aforementioned oath. »
The saga continues… The vagaries of marine weather, November 6, 1770.
Here is the original document (translated from Old French)
« Appeared before me, Notary and the undersigned witnesses, the Sieur Vital Finelli of this city of Carrara, fully known to me, who required to tell the pure truth, after having sworn on the holy scriptures said and gives evidence of the following, namely:
That the work on Sieur Charles Bridan’s Assomption group was completed in its present form last September, and immediately transported to the seaside to be loaded onto the ships currently on dry land, which can only be put back out to sea when calm returns, because we don’t have a proper harbor here, but a beach where the ships retreat to dry land attesting further that the group could not leave because of the bad sea and the inconstancy of the weather and that for the transport of the said group from Carrara to the seaside, including the gabelle, Sieur Bridan spent the sum and quantity of ninety Sequins of florence and that the whole is the pure truth as above.
Passed at Carrara in our study and in the presence of Sieurs Antine Triscornia and Fabio Manescalchy of Carrara, witnesses. Signed by Sieur François Marie René notaire and legalized by Sieur Bonami vice chancellor of the corps of notaries of Carrara.
Bridan. »
to follow...