The Papier-mâché Museum of Mysteries is located in Mirabella Eclano, within the monumental complex of San Francesco.
Founded in 1222, also home to the Town Hall and the Museo del Carro, the complex underwent substantial changes in its intended use from the 19th century onwards. It consists of the Church of the Convent, the former Oratory and the open spaces of the square, which in turn include the obelisk, the cloister and the garden.
Located in what were once the stables of the Franciscan con read more
The Papier-mâché Museum of Mysteries is located in Mirabella Eclano, within the monumental complex of San Francesco.
Founded in 1222, also home to the Town Hall and the Museo del Carro, the complex underwent substantial changes in its intended use from the 19th century onwards. It consists of the Church of the Convent, the former Oratory and the open spaces of the square, which in turn include the obelisk, the cloister and the garden.
Located in what were once the stables of the Franciscan convent, the Museum of Mysteries winds along a longitudinal path punctuated by cells, mezzanine floors and large spaces that slowly shrink to accompany the visitor along the stages of the Passion of Christ .
The sculptures inside the museum are entirely made of papier-mâché and are the work of the Eclanese artist Antonio Russo (1836-1914) who, in 1875, donated them to the local community.
The papier-mâché Museum of Mysteries contains figures modeled using old paper, glue and glass inserts for the eyes: each of them is about a meter and a half tall and is characterized by a particular expression of strength and pain that the artist has managed to impress on their faces. Furthermore, in the creation of these works, the sculptor wanted to reproduce some characters, combining nineteenth-century clothes and traits of really known people with the episodes narrated in the sacred texts. Finally, inside the Museum of Mysteries, it is possible to learn the main methods of working with papier-mâché, thanks to audio-visual teaching aids and the presence of a multimedia room.
The final scenes of the life of Jesus come to life in the papier-mâché Museum of Mysteries of Mirabella Eclano, in a characteristic and unmistakable mix of uses, customs and characters belonging to two distant eras. read less
