Original
church built in the thirteenth or fourteenth century, known then as S.
Niccolò de Curte
Rebuilt in
the years 1727/30 by the great Neapolitan architect Filippo
Raguzzini (1680/1771)
Completed
in 1731 first by an unknown architect maybe Carlo De
Dominicis (1696/1758), who had been Raguzzini's assistant, and later by Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777)
Consecrated
in 1738
Church of
the University of Butchers since 1532 and of the Brotherhood of
Butchers since 1800
It was
originally facing a small square that enhanced the façade in a much more
distinctly theatrical way than the present clearing, connected with Piazza
Capodiferro, does now
Radical
interior restoration in 1864 by Andrea Busiri Vici
(1818/1911) who closed four windows and had Paolo
Croppi Lega make some colorful stuccos which covered the shades of gray
designed by Raguzzini
Restoration
1960/61 after a long period of neglect
“The four
small balconies that frame the altar and the entrance were put in place
probably after the master left the direction of the works in 1730. The
decoration in polychrome marble is very similar to that of the choirs of the
Basilica of S. Bartolomeo in Benevento, definitely the work of Raguzzini. The
appearance of the church today is quite different from how it was conceived by
the Neapolitan architect who had used mild effects blended with shades of gray
on gray, visible today in the church of S. Gallicano in Rome by the same
architect” (Maria Rita David Sponzilli)
COUNTER FAÇADE
“Wooden
Choir” 1731 by Domenico Gregorini, one of the
most beautiful in all of Rome
“Via Crucis”
with fourteen paintings by Pietro Barbieri
(1684/1730) a pupil of Carlo Maratta and by another anonymous follower of
Maratta
DOME
“Litany of
Our Lady” and SPANDRELS with “Prophets” 1864 by Guido
Molinari
ALTAR ON
THE RIGHT
Altarpiece “Baptism
of Jesus” beginning of 1700s maybe by Pietro Barbieri or by an anonymous artist
of the circle of Marco Benefial
In the
lunette “Marriage with Joseph” 1864 by Guido Molinari
UNDER THE
RIGHT BALCONY
“Wooden
Crucifix” by an anonymous artist of the sixteenth century
MAIN ALTAR
On the
altar venerated “Our Lady of the Oak Tree in Viterbo” of the beginning of the
seventeenth century
Lunette “Coronation
of the Virgin Mary” 1864 by Guido Molinari
Relics of
Martyrs Sts. Fermus and Fruttuoso
ALTAR ON
THE LEFT
On the
altar “Crucifixion” beginning of the eighteenth century by an anonymous artist of the circle of Marco Benefial,
maybe Filippo Evangelisti (1684/1761)
Lunette “Presentation
in the Temple” 1864 by Guido Molinari
CHAPEL
ENTRANCE TO THE LEFT
Statue “St.
Joseph migrant” by the contemporary sculptor from Vicenza Gianni Visentin (1938)
SACRISTY
Seventeenth
and eighteenth century paintings including “Madonna Enthroned with St. Francis”
by an anonymous seventeenth-century artist from the
Emilia region
No comments:
Post a Comment