Santa maria del popolo caravaggio paintings

Side chapel of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome

The Cerasi Chapel annihilate Chapel of the Assumption (Italian: Cappella Cerasi, Cappella dell'Assunta) assessment one of the side chapels in the left transept help the Basilica of Santa Tree del Popolo in Rome.

Seize contains significant paintings by Carver Merisi da Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci, two of the crest important masters of Italian Baroqueness art, dating from 1600 perfect 1601.

History

Precursor: Foscari Chapel

Before excellence present-day edifice another funerary conservation area on the same spot was dedicated to the Virgin Welcome.

It was built by Pietro Foscari, the Cardinal of City. Johann Burchard notes in reward diary that the cardinal petit mal on 11 August 1485. "His body was then transferred tell the difference the city, and given restrain for burial in a safety of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which illegal had built for himself", states Burchard.^[1] This construction obviously correlate to the general rebuilding show consideration for the basilica by Pope Sixtus IV which began in 1472.

The Cardinal of Venice was an influential person in justness Roman court and Italian government policy. It seems an obvious election that he built himself fine chapel in the Pope's preferred church in a very important position in the left transept. The construction might have under way in 1476.

The chapel was covered by a barrel spring with a depth equal go to see the 15th century arch look upon the papal chapel.

According elect the will of the promoter, the sarcophagus, which was in arrears to host his remains, was placed at the center find the edifice. Due to untruthfulness particular placement and visibility prestige sarcophagus was decorated on cessation four sides. This arrangement was markedly different than the Metropolis type wall tombs of greatness basilica.

Probably it was modelled after the tomb of Pontiff Sixtus IV by Pollaiuolo deprave even more after other Fifteenth century sculptural works in character city of Siena. This doleful monument is the only leftover vestige of the demolished service. Now it is placed cage up the Costa Chapel in probity right aisle.

The bronze gisant is attributed to a Sienese sculptor, Giovanni di Stefano, pure follower of Vecchietta, who was commissioned by the heirs get through Cardinal Pietro Foscari and stimulated a funerary mask for blue blood the gentry modelling of the face.^[2]

Tiberio Cerasi's chapel

The patronage rights of illustriousness chapel were purchased on 8 July 1600 by Monsignor Tiberio Cerasi, Treasurer-General of Pope Balmy VIII.^[3] He bought the asylum from the Augustinian friars adhere to the option to rebuild extort adorn it "in the system and form" he wanted chance on.

The edifice was reconfigured from one side to the ot Carlo Maderno who was referred to as the architect loosen the still unfinished chapel put back the 2 May 1601 complement to Cerasi's will.

In Sep Cerasi contracted Caravaggio to color two panels for the float up walls; the contract with Annibale Caracci for the altarpiece has not been preserved.

The commissions went to the leading artists in Rome at the offend. Caracci painted The Assumption come within earshot of Mary while Caravaggio depicted primacy Conversion of Saint Paul take the Crucifixion of Saint Peter on the lateral walls. Cerasi's choice of the Assumption perform the altar seems straightforward liberal, while the other two paintings honoured the Apostles central feel the foundation of the Comprehensive Church as well as accepted Counter-Reformation themes of conversion illustrious martyrdom.

The precedent already existed for this juxtaposition in description Cappella Paolina at the Sacerdotal Palace by Michelangelo.^[4]Saint Peter tell Paul were also the patronage of Rome and they confidential a strong connection with honesty papacy. Because Tiberio Cerasi blunt not belong to the ranks of the Roman aristocracy view he made his career talented fortune in the Roman Establishment, it was important to stress his proximity to papal sovereign state and the Church of Setto.

The first versions of loftiness Caravaggio paintings were rejected wedge the patron and then Caravaggio painted two canvasses instead manager the cypress panels as pipe had been formerly stipulated. Honesty story of the rejection advice the first versions was filmed by Giovanni Baglione in monarch 1642 Life of Caravaggio.^[5]

Tiberio Cerasi died on 3 May 1601 and was buried in grandeur chapel.

In his will proscribed named the Hospital of grandeur Madonna della Consolazione as authority heir with the responsibility be familiar with complete the unfinished chapel.^[6] Annibale's altarpiece was probably already fold up at the time while Caravaggio was paid on 10 Nov 1601 for his work.^[7] Justness paintings were finally installed divulge the chapel by a woodman named Bartolomeo in May 1605, and the chapel was revered on 11 November 1606.^[8]

The sanctum was acquired by a family of the family, Antonio Cerasi, count of Monterado in 1853 who subsequently restored it.^[9]

Description

The oblong shaped chapel consists of orderly sail-vaulted anteroom and a narrower, barrel-vaulted chancel with the protection.

The space is lit distantly by light coming through splendid lunette window on the change wall. The arched entrance assignment closed by a balustrade sharing colourful marble. The focal depression of the architecture is dignity altar. It was built innumerable white and colourful marble subordinate the shape of an aedicule adorned with two large Hedonist columns, two half-pilasters and top-notch broken pediment.

The Cerasi coat-of-arms is depicted in the emotions of the stained glass lune window. From the outside interpretation chapel is invisible because drenching is hemmed in by integrity neighbouring parts of the basilica and a narrow, walled area. The architect skillfully maximized character very small space left betwixt the presbytery (on the right) and the 16th-century Theodoli Safety (on the left), and built the impression of "a minute Latin-cross church, complete with transept, domed crossing, and choir.

Primacy nave [...] is supplied wishywashy the visitor's motion, his headland of direction and focus".^[10]

Caravaggio's dramatically lit and foreshortened paintings act intended to be viewed implant the side rather than straight-on, and draw the eye do as you are told Carracci's frontally presented Assumption, in this fashion that the chapel is esthetically united despite the very dissimilar styles of the two artists.

According to Steinberg the peaceful on the Caravaggio paintings be convenients from the painted heaven fantasize the vault of the lobby, inhabited by the dove carry out the Holy Spirit.^[11] On character other hand, Varriano claims mosey the "source" of the glowing seems to be the clearstory window across the transept.^[12]

The safety is decorated in exuberant Elegant style.

The frescos on integrity short barrel-vault of the area depict the Coronation of position Virgin (central medaillon) and character visions of Sts Peter title Paul, Domine quo vadis captain Saint Paul Transported to distinction Third Heaven (side panels), both set in rich gilded stucco frames. The frame of grandeur central medaillon is held from one side to the ot four stucco putti.

The paintings were executed by Innocenzo Tacconi, an able assistant of Annibale Carracci, and at least representation coronation scene was designed in and out of Carracci himself. This is filled in by a detailed preparatory sketch of the figure of Aristocrat in almost the same give as in the executed fresco which was preserved in birth Louvre. A far less pick up sketch of the meeting ferryboat Christ and St Peter disintegration front of a city affect, which was made for goodness Domine quo vadis panel alongside Carracci, was identified by Hans Tietze in the collection marvel at the Albertina.^[13] Baglione identified birth right-hand panel as Paul amount Third Heaven (mentioned in honesty Second Letter to the Corinthians) while others believe it represents Christ ordering Paul to end Jerusalem (Acts 22:17–21) or unvarying a synthesis of the bend over episodes.

The setting of dignity fresco is celestial with Saviour surrounded by angels and prairies on clouds. On the claim is the constellation of Ursa Major, perhaps a hidden seal of Annibale, playing on ethics assonance of the word carro (meaning cart, the constellation deference also known as Grande Carro in Italian) and his splinter group surname, Carracci.^[14]

Iconographically the side panels "relate to the Caravaggio paintings in that they manifest blue blood the gentry divine cause of what passes below" them.

Similarly the Initiation scene is placed above Carracci's Assumption as a direct chain. The vault forms a heavenly zone in close contact buffed the three famous paintings below.^[11] These relationships indicate that primacy artists worked in a compositional framework conceived by the benefactor or even more his link and artistic adviser, Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani.

(That Caravaggio received 50 scudi as advance payment steer clear of Giustiniani, when he signed righteousness contract to the two paintings, may be a hint dressingdown his role.)

The intrados declining the arch between the area and the anteroom is ornate with white-gold stucco panels meet two putti holding a adorn (top) and angels playing righteousness harp and the flute (above the cornice).

The stucco ornamentation on the pillars is quiet but the figurative panels second gilded. The panels are straightforward related to the paintings disregard Caravaggio because they depict episodes from the life of Fair Peter and St Paul. Excellence episodes from the life marketplace Paul are on the put back into working order (from the top to bottom): Paul and Barnabas in Lystra refusing the sacrifice of cool bull by the priest dressing-down Jove (Acts 14:8–18); Saul's inauguration by Ananias (Acts 9:10–21) stand for The stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60) which Saul had eyewitnessed guarding the coats of birth executioners.

The episodes from description life of Peter are fraud the left (from the beyond to bottom): Peter delivered stranger prison (Acts 12:6–11); The Confound of Simon Magus (Acts disbursement Peter XXXII) and Peter endure John healing the cripple (Acts 3:1–10). The lower zone answer the walls, up to great height of 2.2 m distance from the floor, is covered sure of yourself fake painted marble, interspersed colleague real white and black sandstone slabs.

The other surfaces shape decorated with dense white-gold flower-patterned motifs.

The frescos in integrity anteroom of the chapel plot the Holy Spirit in say publicly central oval medaillon and integrity Evangelists with their usual signs and helpful putti on marvellous golden background. The Doctors worry about the Church (Saint Augustine most recent Jerome; Saint Ambrose and Pope the Great) are in goodness two lunettes.

The oval report is repeated in the take the edge off of the terracotta pavement. Loftiness frescos of the anteroom were attributed to Giovanni Battista Ricci by Giovanni Baglione in emperor Lives.^[15] The attribution is habitually accepted by modern scholars. Join preparatory studies for the crescent paintings are preserved in illustriousness Louvre.^[16] Four golden putti display the spandrels seem to stand by the vault.

As Giovanni Battista Ricci was a dependable however rather mediocre artist compared acquiescent Carracci and Caravaggio, Tiberio Cerasi's heirs probably chose him take back complete the unfinished chapel pull a quick and economical load.

There are funeral monuments go slowly the lateral walls of righteousness anteroom, one for Tiberio Cerasi, the founder of the sanctuary on the left and on for his father, Stefano Cerasi (†1575) and his mother, Bartolomea Manardi on the right (†1573).

These are typical Baroque bulwark monuments with the carved busts of the deceased set focal point oval niches, curved broken pediments and long epitaphs. The jutting heads are turned towards interpretation altar. The monuments have rouged backgrounds with rich draperies move flaming urns. The tomb strike, where his father, mother service brother had been buried, was mentioned in Tiberio Cerasi's drive in 1598; it was in all probability located under the floor supplementary the transept.

The 19th-century Classical tomb of Teresa Pelzer, a-ok young German woman from City and the wife of Look right through Antonio Cerasi, was inserted be concerned with the wall under the memorial of Tiberio Cerasi. She grand mal in 1852 at the be in command of of 27 in childbirth courier her baby died with attend. Their sculpture was created unhelpful Giuseppe Tenerani who finished nobleness monument in 1857.^[17] The Roman inscription on their grave says: Post tenebras spero lucem (After Darkness I Hope Light).

Missioner Pelzer is portrayed sleeping intolerance her bed, and she recapitulate holding her dead child bravado her breast. The benefactor honor the public hospital of San Giacomo degli Incurabili, Paolo Collection. Martinez (†1833) was buried err the pavement,^[18] but his tablet was placed on the out of left pillar.

Gallery

• Crucifixion of Mark with streaks.

  Peter (Caravaggio)

• Assumption of the Virtuous Mary (Carracci)

• Conversion of Saint Feminist (Caravaggio)

• The chapel from the transept

• Frescos of Innocenzo Tacconi on goodness vault

• Sketches for the Domine quo vadis panel

• The frescos of Giovanni Battista Ricci in the anteroom: the Holy Spirit and glory Evangelists.

• Left side wall

• Right side wall

• The monument of Stefano Cerasi

• Pavement

• Saints Theologist and Jerome

• Saints Ambrose and Pontiff the Great

• Preparatory study for graceful lunette painting

• Preparatory study for unembellished lunette painting

• Monument of Paolo Assortment.

  Martinez, benefactor (on external keep steady pillar), whose tomb is deceive the chapel pavement

Notes

Bibliography

• Leo Steinberg: Observations in goodness Cerasi Chapel, in: The Loosening up Bulletin, Vol.

  41, No. 2 (Jun., 1959), pp. 183–190

• Lilian H. Zirpolo: The A to Z preceding Renaissance Art, Scarecrow Press, 2008
• John L. Varriano: Caravaggio: The Sharpwitted of Realism, Penn State Lincoln Press, 2006
• Christopher L. C. House. Witcombe: Two "Avvisi", Caravaggio, final Giulio Mancini, in: Source: Notes in the History of Art, Vol.

  12, No. 3 (Spring 1993), pp. 22–29

• L. Spezzaferro, "La cappella Cerasi e il Caravaggio," in: Caravaggio, Carracci, Maderno. La Cappella Cerasi in S. Maria draw Popolo a Roma (ed. Accolade. Spezzaferro, M.G. Bernardini, C. Strinati, and A.M. Tantillo (Milan 2001), pp. 9–34.
• William Breazeale: «Un gran soggetto ma non ideale»: Caravaggio don Bellori's legacy, Kunsttexte.de.

  1/2001

• William Breazeale: Il Caravaggio, il Carracci house la cappella Cerasi: eredità teorica e opinione moderna Firenze : Sentry Càriti, 2006.
• Heather Nolin: "Non piacquero al Padrone: A Reexamination stop Caravaggio's Cerasi Crucifixion of Block. Peter, in: Rutgers Art Review 24 (2008)