Atrani
Encyclopedia
Atrani is a town and comune
on the Amalfi Coast
in the province of Salerno
in the Campania
region of south-western Italy
. It is located on the outskirts of Amalfi
, several minutes drive down the coast. On the night of 9 September 2010, Atrani was the scene of severe flooding and mudslides caused by the Dragone River
bursting its banks.
), and the smallest comune in Southern Italy.
's first depiction of Atrani was his early and realistic work Atrani, Coast of Amalfi
, a lithograph
first printed in August 1931. Although that work is relatively unknown, the image of Atrani recurs several times in Escher’s work, most notably in his much more famous series of Metamorphosis prints: Metamorphosis I
, II
and III
.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
on the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
-In popular culture:The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in "Positano," a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953...
in the province of Salerno
Province of Salerno
The Province of Salerno is a province in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 139,579; Cava de' Tirreni with a population of 53,488; Battipaglia with a population of 51,115; and Nocera Inferiore which has a...
in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of south-western Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is located on the outskirts of Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
, several minutes drive down the coast. On the night of 9 September 2010, Atrani was the scene of severe flooding and mudslides caused by the Dragone River
Dragone River
The Dragone is a river of the Amalfi Coast, Italy. The river hit the headlines on September 9, 2010 when the river flooded its banks, resulting in mudslides in the village of Atrani, near Amalfi....
bursting its banks.
Geography
With an area of 0.20 km², Atrani is the second-smallest comune in Italy (after Fiera di PrimieroFiera di Primiero
Fiera di Primiero is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 60 km east of Trento....
), and the smallest comune in Southern Italy.
Main sights
- Church of Santa Maria Maddalena (13th century), with a Baroque façade and a majolicaMaiolicaMaiolica is Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colours on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.-Name:...
-covered dome. - Church of San Salvatore de' Bireto (10th century). Here the doges of Amalfi received their headgear (bireto in the local dialect)
Appearance in the work of M. C. Escher
M. C. EscherM. C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
's first depiction of Atrani was his early and realistic work Atrani, Coast of Amalfi
Atrani, Coast of Amalfi
Atrani, Coast of Amalfi is a lithograph print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher, first printed in August 1931. Atrani is a small town and commune on the Amalfi Coast in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. Atrani is the second smallest town in Italy and was built...
, a lithograph
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
first printed in August 1931. Although that work is relatively unknown, the image of Atrani recurs several times in Escher’s work, most notably in his much more famous series of Metamorphosis prints: Metamorphosis I
Metamorphosis I
Metamorphosis I is a woodcut print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher which was first printed in May, 1937. This piece measures and is printed on two sheets....
, II
Metamorphosis II
Metamorphosis II is a woodcut print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher. It was created between November, 1939 and March, 1940. This print measures and was printed from 20 blocks on 3 combined sheets....
and III
Metamorphosis III
Metamorphosis III is a woodcut print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher which was created by between 1967 and 1968. Measuring 19 cm × 680 cm , this is Escher’s largest print and most likely the largest print ever made. It was printed on thirty-three blocks on six combined sheets and mounted...
.