Commissioned by Pope Leo X Medici (1513/21) who chose the project by Jacopo Tatti aka Jacopo Sansovino (1486/1570) for the Arciconfraternita di S. Giovanni Battista della Pietà dei Fiorentini (Confraternity of St. John the Baptist of the Mercy of the Florentine People)
The
Confraternity was founded after the plague of 1448 and originally had its
headquarters in the now disappeared Church of S. Pantaleone
Projects
for the church had also been presented by Raphael, Baldassarre Peruzzi and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
Begun in
1519 by Jacopo Sansovino and continued in 1521
by Antonio Cordini aka Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
(1483/1546) until Leo X's death on that same year when the works for the church
were interrupted
The works
continued from 1534 until 1546, year of the death of Sangallo
In 1559
Pope Pius IV Medici (1559/65) commissioned a new project to Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475/1564), which was carried
out slowly from 1560 until 1564, the year of the death of the master
Between
1564 and 1575 S. Filippo Neri (known as St. Philip Neri in English) was rector
of the church
From 1583
to 1598 Giacomo Della Porta (1533/1602) resumed
the works according to the plans by Sangallo
From 1598
to 1614 Carlo Maderno (1556/1629) completed the
works with the Dome 1612/13, the choir, the transept and also, since 1607, the Ospedale
di S. Giovanni Battista della Nazione Fiorentina (Hospital of St. John the
Baptist of the Florentine Nation) demolished during the Fascist period
The church
is also famous for the fact that entry to pet animals is allowed
It is the National Church of Florence
1734 Alessandro Galilei (1691/1737)
“Having
excluded the possibility, suggested by Giovanni Bottari, of adapting
Michelangelo's project for San Lorenzo in Florence, Galilei opted for a
basilica, referring to Roman solutions of the sixteenth century and especially
the works of Sebastiano Serlio and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger but making a
strong simplification. (...) The primacy of architecture over decoration, the
free interpretation of the Renaissance treatises as well as the tradition, the
rationalism of scientific matrix, the repeated use of the geometry of the
elements and symmetry relationships represent, as a whole, some of the emerging
features of the work of Galilei aimed at obtaining a measured and rigorous
language, that would combine Florentine, Roman and English influences” (Silvia
Cusmano - Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Treccani)
Coat of
arms of Clement XII Corsini (1730/40) on the façade
“S. Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi” by Salvatore Sanni
“St. Philip Benizi de Damiani” by Francesco Queirolo (1704/62)
“S. Pietro Igneo” by Simone
Martinez (1689/1763)
“Charity”
and “Fortress” 1749/51 by Filippo Della Valle
(1698/1768)
“S. Bernardo degli Uberti” by Gaetano Altobelli
“Blessed
Eugene deacon” by Pietro Pacilli (1716/after
1769)
“S. Caterina
de' Ricci” by Giuseppe Canard
Reliefs from the left:
“Visitation
to St. Elizabeth” by Paolo Benaglia (?/1739)
“Baptism
of Christ”
by Pietro Bracci (1700/73)
“Preaching
of John the Baptist in the Desert” by Filippo Della Valle
“Beheading
of John the Baptist” by Domenico Scaramuccia
The three
bells of the small BELL TOWER were bought in 1583 and come from English
churches
Above the
entrance ORGAN
in golden wood dating back to 1673
FLOOR
Half of
1800s from a design by Gaspare Salvi
(1786/1849). Restored in 1893
Right Nave of the Church
1st
RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. VINCENT FERRER
Above the
altar “St.
Vincent Ferrer” about 1604 by Domenico Crespi aka Passignano (1559/1638)
On the floor
“Tombstone
of the Marquis Onofrio Del Grillo” and thirteen coats of arms
of Florentine families
This is the
Marquis Del Grillo made famous in Italy by the film Il Marchese del Grillo in
1981 by Mario Monicelli with Alberto Sordi
PILLAR
BETWEEN 1st and 2nd CHAPEL
Cross that
once belonged to S. Filippo Neri (1515/95)
Above the
altar “Glory
of St. Philip Benizi de Damiani” end of seventeenth century by
an unknown Florentine artist
On the
vault frescoes “Fall of the Idols”, “Martyrdom of St. Simeon” and “Martyrdom of
St. Jude Thaddeus”
On the
sides “Stories of Sts. Simon and Jude Thaddeus”:
On the left
“Baptism
of the King of Persia and his general Barbadach” and on the
right “Legend
of the baby, who miraculously exonerate Eufrosinus, the deacon of the two
apostles” 1611/28 by Orazio Lomi aka Orazio
Gentileschi (1563/1639)
“The
frescoes by Gentileschi are very interesting for the expressiveness of the
characters and the representation of the clothing. Stylistically, one notes,
next to a moderate Caravaggio trend, the obvious influence of the frescos in
the nave of S. Maria Maggiore (1593) and in the transept of St. John Lateran
(1599/1601), collective enterprises to which Gentileschi himself took part.
From the cycle in the Lateran basilica, he took important cues from the Cavalier
d'Arpino, who was the construction manager and from Giovanni Baglione” (Daniele
Ferrara)
Coats of
arms of Florentine families on the floor. The first from the left near the
balustrade is the coat of arms of Carlo Maderno's family
PASSAGE TO
THE SACRISTY
Memory
funeral on aedicula of the years 1749/50 with “Bust
of Pope Clement XII Corsini (1730/40)” about 1742 by Filippo Della Valle (1698/1768)
3rd
RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. JEROME
Above the
altar “St.
Jerome penitent” 1599 by Santi di
Tito (1536/1603) who also worked on the small paintings on the side with
moralistic-apocalyptic scenes echoing the contemporary sermons of Girolamo
Savonarola, namesake of the saint to whom the chapel is dedicated
“Santi di
Tito and his pupils aspire to a chromatic style light, bright, perfectly in
tune with the ancient traditions. This gives the paintings of this school an
archaistic character, as if they were stained glass windows, which continues
until the seventeenth century and it is even transplanted into Roman land by
artists such as Agostino Ciampelli” (Hermann Voss)
To the
right “St.
Jerome writing the Vulgate in the study with three virtues”
1599 by Ludovico Cardi aka Cigoli (1559/1613)
To the left
“Construction
of the church with Michelangelo and St. Jerome” 1599 by
Domenico Crespi aka Passignano (1559/1638)
Stucco and
frescoes of the end of 1500s maybe by Stefano Pieri
(1542/1629)
Above the
altar “Virgin Mary appears to St. Philip Neri in heaven with Sts. Peter, Paul,
and Mary Magdalene” copy from an original by Carlo Maratta at Palazzo Pitti
LAST PILLAR
ON THE RIGHT
“Monument
to Francesca Riccardi” 1700 previously attributed to Ercole Antonio Raggi, but recently assigned to the Florentine Lorenzo Merlini (1666/1745)
“The result
of a sophisticated cultural language, the figure of the attractive marquise,
even if clearly inspired by the Roman sculptors Lorenzo Ottoni and Camillo
Rusconi, seems to contract debts mainly from the Florentine style, evident not
only in the Verrocchio-like neo-Renaissance air, but also in the hedonistic
composition of the image evidently derived from his knowledge of works of his
master G.B. Foggini, not immune to references to classical statuary and to the
new pre-rococo French style” (Sandro Bellesi – Dizionario Biografico degli
Italiani Treccani)
Altarpiece “The
Martyrdom of Sts. Cosmas and Damian” 1669 by Salvator Rosa (1615/73)
This
painting was the subject of a famous and controversial “challenge” to
Michelangelo: Salvator Rosa boasted of being able to paint a better nude figure
than those of the great master
“One of the
rare altar paintings by the Neapolitan artist, which in this Roman work -
criticized by his contemporaries - joined the baroque emphasis of the
composition with the expressive naturalism of the characters” (Daniele Ferrara)
Niches in the
upper right “Bust
of Ottaviano Acciaioli” about 1659 by Ercole Ferrata (1610/86) and in the upper left “Bust
of Ottaviano Corsini” about 1641 by Alessandro
Algardi (1598/1654)
Presbytery and Side Chapels
1612/14 by Carlo Maderno (1556/1629) and Matteo
Castelli (1560/1632) with fifteenth-century “Madonna
and Child” by an unknown artist
with style similar to the Lippis, linked to a miraculous event:
The image
was hit by a bocce player who was paralyzed until he obtained, through prayer,
forgiveness from the Virgin Mary
Frescoes “Stories
of the Virgin Mary” 1615 by Agostino
Ciampelli (1565/1630) and stucco work by Pietro
da Siena
To the
right “Death
of the Virgin Mary” 1616 by Anastasio
Fontebuoni (1571/1626)
Planned already in
1634 by Pietro Berrettini aka Pietro da Cortona
(1597/1669)
A sham
structure remained in place until 1656, the year in which Francesco Borromini (1599/1667) took over. He changed
slightly the project and worked on it until his death, when Pietro da Cortona returned
It was
completed in the years 1673/76 by Ciro Ferri
(1634/89) pupil of Pietro da Cortona, who followed the project of his master
Because of
the quarrels over this project, the long friendship between Pietro da Cortona
and Borromini, the two great masters of Baroque art, was affected
It is the first
example of theatrical conception of an altar with light coming from hidden
windows, later used in a similar way by Bernini
“If Bramante
universalism tends to identify a system of rules and reasoned exceptions, Baroque
is by its nature away from the role of binding rules and opens a space for
experimentation from which new rules arise continuously. The centripetal
situation of the sixteenth century is replaced in the seventeenth century by a
centrifugal situation consecrating the freedom of the artist” (Paolo
Portoghesi)
Impressive
marble group “Baptism
of Christ” 1667/69 by Ercole Antonio
Raggi (1624/86)
The group
had been originally commissioned to Francesco Mochi but he was not able to see
his work located in the spot it had been commissioned for. It is now visible in
Palazzo Braschi
Statues “Justice”
to the right by Michelangelo Anguier and “Fortitude”
on the left by Leonardo Reti
AT THE
SIDES
“Falconieri
Monuments” begun by Francesco Borromini and
finished by Ciro Ferri:
To the
right “Orazio
Falconieri and his wife Ottavia Sacchetti” with “Statue
of Charity” 1665/69 by Domenico Guidi
(1625/1701)
The
monument in the lower part dates back to 1733
To the left
“Monument
of Cardinal Lelio Falconieri” with “Statue
of Faith” about 1667 by Ercole
Ferrata (1610/86)
Francesco
Borromini. The crypt is
not used because it is subject to flooding
Above the
altar “Bronze
Crucifix” maybe by Paolo Sanquirico
(1565/1630) from the model by Prospero Antichi detto Prospero Bresciano (active from 1580/d. after 1592),
who maybe made also other stucco decorations in the chapel representing “Episodes
from the Ancient Testament”
To the left
“Road
to Calvary” with lunette “Crowning with Thorns”
To the
right “Agony
in the Garden” with lunette “Derision of Christ” 1621/24
masterpieces by Giovanni Lanfranco (1582/1647)
who also made “Evangelists” in the spandrels and “Ascension” in the vault for
the Sacchetti family
“The
decoration of Lanfranco is an important step in the evolution of the artist
that would soon lead to the baroque decoration of the Assumption in the dome of
S. Andrea della Valle: the 'breakthrough' of the vault inspired by Correggio
and the figure of Christ floating with the angels in golden sky, represent the
terminal phase of a thematic route that begins from the images on the walls”
(Daniele Ferrara)
IN A NICHE
“Reliquary
with the foot of St. Mary Magdalene” which, as the sign on the side says, was the
first foot to enter the tomb of the Risen Christ
Under the DOME
Tombs of
Francesco
Borromini and Carlo
Maderno
In the
church the painter Ludovico Cardi aka Cigoli (1559/1613) is also buried
Left Nave of the Church
LEFT
TRANSEPT
Above the
altar “Assumption
of St. Mary Magdalene to Heaven” about 1662/65 maybe by the
Sienese Astolfo Petrazzi (1583/1665)
Sculptures
in the upper part “Angel Musicians” by Giuseppe Ghezzi (1634/1721)
Niches at the top:
To the
right “Funerary
monument of Antonio Barberini” 1629 maybe by Giuliano Finelli (1602/53) commissioned by Carlo
Barberini
To the left
“Funerary
monument of Pier Francesco Rossi” 1673 by Domenico Guidi (1625/1701)
LAST PILLAR
To the left
“Monument of Girolamo Samminiati” 1733 by Filippo Della
Valle (1698/1768)
To the
right “Monument
of Alessandro Gregorio Capponi” 1746 by Ferdinando Fuga (1699/1782) with sculptures
by Michelangelo Slodtz (1705/64)
Above the altar
“St.
Francis” maybe by Santi di Tito
(1536/1603) or by Jacopo Ligozzi (1547/1627)
Frescoes “Stories
of St. Francis”:
To the left
“Honorius
III Savelli (1216/27) confirming the Franciscan rule” and to
the right “Preaching
of St. Francis before the Sultan” about 1586/87 by Niccolò Circignani aka Pomarancio (about 1520/98)
“The
frescoes by Circignani are an important stage of his artistic career, at this
stage geared toward rigorous monumentality, based on architectures that enhance
the depth of perspective” (Daniele Ferrara)
At the
center of the vault “Angels
musicians bearing roses” about 1684/87 by Giuseppe Ghezzi (1634/1721)
ON THE
PILLAR BETWEEN THE 5th AND THE 4th CHAPEL
“Funerary
Monument of Marco Panvini Rosati” 1826 by Pietro Tenerani (1789/1869)
On the
altar “Death of St. Anthony of Egypt” 1612 by Agostino
Ciampelli (1565/1630)
“It's
undoubtedly the most successful Roman altarpiece of the Florentine painter. The
simple, expressive manner, in which the event is represented in the lower half
of this painting has an immediate impact as few works of Ciampelli, generally
more proficient than deep. Even the gentle ascent of the soul (in the guise of
a cute boy) helped by groups of angels has the power to steer with the
beautiful rhythm of his movement” (Hermann Voss)
Frescoes in
the vault “Stories
of St. Lawrence”: in the center “Glory of St. Lawrence”, on
the right “St. Lawrence shows the judges the poor to whom he distributed the
goods” and on the left “St. Lawrence meets St. Sixtus II (257/258)” about 1612
by Antonio Tempesta (about 1555/1630)
Statues at
the sides of the altar “St. Francis” and “St. Dominic”, “Angels” on the
pediment and side pictures in stucco with “The Calling of St. Peter” and “Conversion
of St. Paul” about 1659/63 by Giovanni Angelo Canini
(1609/66)
3rd
CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
On the
altar “Preaching of St. John the Baptist” by Salvio
Savini
Above the
altar “Virgin
Mary and S. Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi” first half of 1600s by
Francesco Curradi
Frescoes in
the vault “Stories of St. Egidio, St. Luke and the Virgin,” on the left “Clothing
of Carlomanno” and on the right “Virgin
Mary and St. Luke” about 1592/98 by the Florentine Giovanni Balducci aka Cosci (about 1560/after 1631)
On the
altar “St.
Sebastian Tended by the Holy Women” about 1650 by G.B. Vanni
On the
right “St. Stephen I” by an unknown artist
On the
floor twelve coats of arms of Florentine families
Museo d'Arte Sacra
Museum
of Sacred Art
In the
building to the right of the church built in 1939 by Bruno
Maria Apollonj Ghetti (1905/89)
It replaced
the demolished Ospedale di S. Giovanni Battista della Nazione Fiorentina (Hospital
of St. John the Baptist of the Florentine Nation)
48 WORKS ON
DISPLAY IN 7 ROOMS, including:
“Bust of
Antonio Cepparelli” 1622 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
(1598/1680)
“Bust
of Antonio Coppola” 1614 by Pietro Bernini (1562/1629),
attributed by some art historians to Gian Lorenzo Bernini who would have
painted when he was sixteen
“St.
John as a child” about 1500 attributed in the past to Mino del Reame, Donatello and
Jacopo Sansovino but now attributed by some scholars, based on recently
discovered documents, to none other than a young Michelangelo
Buonarroti (1475/1564)
“Bust of
Pietro Cambi” 1627 by Pompeo Ferrucci (about
1566/1637)
“Relief
depicting Madonna and Child with St. Anne” maybe by Pierino
da Vinci (about 1530/53)
Various
precious reliquaries
