Lesson 4: Counter Reformation

Campo Vacino is divided by the palace façade. This was an important part of the city in the 1600’s.

Just to the right of the Coliseum (two bell towers from St. John the Lateran) is the Campidoglio. This is almost exactly in between St. John the Lateran and St. Peter’s. The Campidoglio was the new city center. This is one of the 7 hills of Rome. This is a very important street and it connects the city. The stress is called the Via Papalais. Or also called the Via Triumphalis. The emperors would pass after important victories in antiquity. In the Renaissance, after the election of the a pope, they used thie parade route. It was called the “possesso” and meant “the taking over of the city.” He continues his procession to the Coliseum and to St. John the Lateran. Theer he sits on the throne of Constantine.

Michelangelo, Piazza del Campidoglio (Palazzo Nuovo, Palazzo dei Senatori, Palazzo dei Conservatori), mostly completed by della Porta in 1590’s, Patron: Paul III Farnese
• It was restored by the popes. In 1536 Paul III Farnese entrusted Michelangelo with the building of the piazza. The medieval building was built over a temple. He built the Palazzo Conservatori and the one across from it. He doubled the façade.
• There is harmony and meaning to his work. This is the only palazzo that was created by a single mind. It is also the only one where everything mirrors each other. This is the only one of its kind. The project lasted 70 years. It was the first piazza in the city. The Pienza was a renaissance project that might have been the prototype for this piazza.
• The pavement has a trapezoid design. It has a circle (oval) in the center. Teher is symbolism behind this. He is emphasizing the fact that we are on a hill. The center looks like the shield of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great actually copied the shield of Achilles. This connects with their present day because Paul III Farnese’s name was Alexander. This links him to Alexander the Great. We also see the symbolism of the oval and the rapezoid at San Pietro. There is continuity here. The Trapezoid lasts through antiquity, the renaissance, and Baroque.
• The buildings themselves have engaged pilasters and a roof. The buildings interlock. This shows the human/living quality of Michelangelo’s work because he believed that everything was a living and breathing thing. The travertine can be seen as the skeleton. The statues on the top are in controposto. The skin is the rose colored part of the building. These also coicide with Michelangelo’s philosophy of harmony, meaning m and human qualities in piazzas. He believed that a piazza should have a face.
• The view of the piazza also connects the pope with Marcus Aurelius because where the pope would stand is in a direct line with the statue.
• GOOD TO KNOW= when a pilaster takes 2 floors it is called a giant order. It symbolizes monumentality. In this instance they are the bones/ nerves of the building.
• The whole Via Papalais is made to walk to the Campidoglio.

The Different Orders of Christina Faith
• Jesuits
o They were sent on missions. They were thought of as the soldiers of Christ. They were the soldiers of the new Christian empire. They were angels who were invading the world with peace.
• Theatines
• Oratorians

Vignola and della Porta, Il Gesu (Façade), completed in 1590’s, patron: cardinal Alessandro Farnese (order of the Jesuits founded by saint Ignatius Loyola)

• There is continuity even in the commissions. The interior was to be white washed. There is one main nave and chapels all around. It became more decorated in 163o’s-1650’s . Jesuit father Olivia is the father who is responsible for decorating the Jesuit churches in Rome. He commissioned the assistant of Bernini , il Baciccio, for the ceiling. The church is dedicated to the name of Jesus. The letters HIS mean “Jesus” in Greek. The façade has the inscription of HIS on a shield with a huge angel.

Giovan Battista Gaulli (il Baciccio), Vault. Triumph of the Name of Jesus, 1679


• There is an infinite point of light with the letters HIS. It radiates throughout the space of the church. It is an example of the unity of the visual arts. The church itself is a container for the Eucharist which is kept on the altar 24 hours a day. It is always in contact with the infinite source of light. The host also has IHS on it.
• The other people on the ceiling
o Ignatius Loyola- the founder of the Jesuit order. In the 16th century he wrote a series of exercises were about the infinite love of the Eucharist. He is almost mediating between the space above and the space below.
o Magi and saints – The magi was the first who venerated the name of Jesus.
o The Damned – There are the seven deadly sins represented here. They are very chaotic and break the boundary or the frame because they are desperately trying to be part of the “good.” This mixes the three arts.
• This is the most illusionistic virtual reality.

Carlo Maderno, Carlo Rainaldi, Carlo Fontana, Sant’Andrea della Valle (façade), completed in 1665, patron: original patron Cardinal Peretti Montalto, (order of the Theatines founded by Thiene)

• In front of the church there is a speaking statue. These are made of famous people who used to speak on the sides of the Via Papalais and voice their views on politics and religion. They were much like satire for the time. They are the living presence that the street is losing its function as just a street. It has now turned into a theater. The churches are now theatrical stages. Everything about the route is theatrical.
• The Church was founded by Gaeton Thiene. He was made saint after he founded the order.
• The similarities between this church and il Gesu is the one main nave and the decorated vault.
Lanfranco, Dome: Glory of Paradise, at Sant’Andrea della Valle, 1625-28.

• This is the second largest Dome besides San Pietro. This echoes San Pietro because Andrew was Peter’s brother.
• There is a depiction of the Virgin Mary. She is in red and blue. The holy ghost is in the center of the dome. Thiene is to the left of Mary.
• This is a demonstration piece as to how to represent illusionism in a church.
• The center of the church as massive architecture which disappears when you look up in the dome.
• The illusionistic painting comes from Parma in northern Italy. The artist names Correggio of the 16th century is theinventor of this type of painting. Lanfranco comes from Parma.

Domenichino and Mattia Preti, Apse area: life of Saint Andrew, at Sant’Andrea della Valle 1623- 28

• The dome connects with the depiction of St. Andrew. It looks as if he will join the dome. He is looking up into the dome and into heaven.
The body of St. Sebastian is also located in the church and he can be seen on the façade.

Matteo di Citta di Castello, Martino Longhi il Vecchio, Rughesi, Chiesa Nuova- Santa Maria in Vallicella, 1517- 1600, patron: original patron Medici Family, (Order of the Philippines founded by Saint Philip Neri)

• This is built in different phases. It was especially sponsored by the Medici family. The prototype for this is still il Gesu.
• This was important site because it is very close to San Pietro.
• This dedicated to St. Philip Neri, the founder of the Philippine order. He renovated the devotion toward the virgin Mary.
• This site was said to have been invested with bad spirits. The was a grotto that was called the “Carentu” and was said to be the ancient Roman entrance to hell. To rid this place of evil they brought an icon of the virgin Mary. In the baroque era it became a grand church.
• There are three important paintings here. They are done by Rubens and Pietro da Cortona.
Pietro da Cortona, Vault: “Miraculous Intervention of the Virgin”; Dome: Trinity; Apse; Assumption of the Virgin, at Chiesa Nuova- Santa Maria in Vallicella 1647-65.
vault
interior
• There is a dramatic Virgin Mary in the semi circular dome. She is ascending to the dome. The dome has Christ and god the father. The virgin goes up to Christ/ father. They are waiting for her.
• Miraculous intervention … represents a miracle that happened in the life of St. Philip Neri. He was devout to the virgin. They destroyed the church in order to build a bigger one. The roof was about to collapse on the workers and right when it was about to fall the Madonna appeared and helped to support the church. In the painting, St. Philip is praying/thanking the Vrigin Mary for the miracle. The founder is the interssesor between the intermediary between them.

Rubens, Vallicella Altarpiece (Tripich Virgin and Child with Saints), at Chiesa Nuova- Santa Maria in Vallicella 1606-8

• Why did they use a Triptich?
o This usually a medieval thing. There was a Medieval icon and this is why they made the medieval feel.
• The icon is removable and is placed in the center of another painting. In a sense it is a painting within a painting. Behind the removable icon is the real medieval icon. The saints in on both sides are early Christian martyrs. They are the founders of the catholic church against the protestants.
• Cardinal Baronus is am important figure who studies Christian martyrs. He wrote their stories down and revived them.
• The saints are pointing to Mary and also pointing to the viewer. They are the communicatory agents between the viewer and the Madonna and child. The are conversing and recommending that our spirits and souls for heaven. This is why it is called a sacra conversazione. The saints talk to themselves an dto the viewer⇒ the virgin Mary⇒ and Jesus.

Borromini, Oratory Façade, 1637-43