Situated in what were once the stables of the Franciscan convent, the Museum of Mysteries unfolds along a longitudinal path marked by cells, raised floors, and wide spaces that gradually narrow to guide the visitor through the stages of the Passion of Christ. The sculptural groups, also called “paintings” or “panels,” are entirely made of papier-mâché and are the work of the artist from Eclano, Antonio Russo (1836-1914), who donated them to the City in 1875. The figures, modeled using old paper and glue with glass inserts for the eyes, are about one and a half meters tall and stand out for the expressions of vigor and pain that the artist was able to instill in them; the faces of some characters in the collection are inspired by people actually known to the artist. Indeed, in the panel “Christ stripped of his clothes,” there appears a man dressed in nineteenth-century attire: he is a usurer with whom the artist had contracted debts and who caused him serious problems; on the other hand, the face of the Madonna is that of his beloved mother. Inside the Museum of Mysteries, it is possible to learn the main papier-mâché working methods through audiovisual educational supports and the presence of a multimedia room. The Car Museum, open to the public since 2005, is set up on the first floor of the same monumental complex of San Francesco, seat of the Municipality of Mirabella Eclano. The Museum exhibits some original parts of the seven registers that make up the Car. The fascinating work is an obelisk 25 meters high entirely covered with woven straw panels arranged according to the architecture of a spire. The entire sculpture is the result of the work of skilled artisans who for more than a century have taken care of the “straw jewel.” The transport of the Car takes place every year on the Saturday preceding the third Sunday of September, a day dedicated to the Sorrowful Madonna to whom the Car festival pays homage. The obelisk, supported by two agricultural cart wheels, travels through the city streets pulled by six pairs of oxen and a multitude of people who, clinging to the hemp ropes, regulate its stability. Inside the Museum there is also a permanent photo exhibition that illustrates the history of the Car from its first project dated 1869, covering the key phases of its construction up to the most significant moment of the “pulling.” SERVICES PROVIDED -First visitor reception -Information point management through the distribution of informational material – Educational activities – Temporary exhibitions – Cultural, tourist and hospitality information – Management of the booking schedule for visits and participation in any activities organized for the school, resident and tourist public
Information on the Civic Museum of the Straw Car and Papier-mâché Mysteries
Monumental Complex of S. Francesco,
83036 Mirabella Eclano (Avellino)
0825 438078
mirabellaeclano@sistemamuseo.it
Source: MIBACT
