Taverna, the Birthplace of Mattia and Gregorio Preti
In June 2022, in recognition of his scholarship and past and future contributions to the establishment of Taverna as an international center for the research and appreciation of the art of Mattia and Gregorio Preti, as well as of the history of art and culture of Southern Italy, the Consiglio Comunale of Taverna unanimously elected John T. Spike the Honorary President of the Archivio Pretiano in the Palazzo Gironda Veraldi, Taverna.
For the 350th anniversary of the death of Gregorio Preti (Taverna 1603 – 1672 Rome), the Comune of Taverna has hosted significant events. On 22 November 2022, in the Church of San Domenico, a conference on Gregorio Preti was held, presided by Franceso De Marco, President of CDA. The speakers included the Mayor, Sebastiano Tarantino; the Assessore of Culture, Clementina Amelio; the rector of San Domenico, Fr. Antonio Rubino; the director of the Civic Museum, Prof. Giuseppe Valentino, and John T. Spike, honorary citizen and President of the Archivio Pretiano of Taverna, who spoke on the theme, “The Story of the Rediscovery of Gregorio Preti, the elder brother and first master of Mattia Preti”.
From 22 December 2022 through 20 February 2023, the Museo Civico of Taverna hosted the exhibition, Gregorio Preti, “Pittore di buon nome”: Storia di una riscoperta, curated by John T. Spike and Giuseppe Valentino, director of the Museo Civico, Taverna. The exhibition featured Gregorio Preti’s masterpiece, I cinque sensi (The Five Senses) on loan from the Palazzo Barberini, Rome.
