Luigi Di Gianni's Photography of Procida's Good Friday Procession
On Good Friday 1974, photographer Luigi Di Gianni captured the procession of the Dead Christ and the Sorrowful Virgin in Procida, Naples. The image shows hooded confraternity members advancing slowly through rain, while clerics hold black umbrellas. Di Gianni's work, rooted in socio-anthropological research influenced by Ernesto de Martino, explores archaic devotions, rituals, and the irrational. His photographic and filmic gaze documents both dramatic rituals and everyday historical moments. The article also references Alberto Mario Cirese's 1971 study on magical and religious ritual in the Taranto area, framing the procession as a cyclical return to primordial time. Di Gianni, born in Naples in 1926, is known for his deep understanding of human weaknesses and esoteric practices.
Key facts
- Luigi Di Gianni photographed the Good Friday procession in Procida in 1974.
- The procession features hooded confraternity members and clerics with black umbrellas.
- Di Gianni's work is influenced by ethnologist Ernesto de Martino.
- Alberto Mario Cirese's 1971 study on ritual is referenced.
- The article discusses Di Gianni's focus on archaic devotions and rituals.
- Di Gianni was born in Naples in 1926.
- The image is part of a broader body of photographic and film work.
- The article was published on Artribune.
Entities
Artists
- Luigi Di Gianni
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Procida
- Naples
- Italy