Saturday, November 29, 2014

Giuseppe Ghezzi

Baptism of Christ
San Silvestro in Capite

Giuseppe Ghezzi 1634 - 1721
Giuseppe Ghezzi was a Baroque artist, illustrator and permanent secretary of the Accademia di San Luca and personal adviser to many of Rome's art collectors.
He was born in The Marches and was the son and pupil of artist and engraver Sebastiano Ghezzi.
He painted many altarpieces and portraits and mainly worked in Rome after moving there in around 1660.
His first work in Rome was an altarpiece in 1674 for Santa Maria del Suffragio. It was also the year that he became a member of the Accademia di San Luca.
He went on to paint two altarpieces for the Chiesa Nuova in 1695 and 1702, the Creation of Adam and the Resurrection of the Dead.
His son, Pier Leone Ghezzi also became an artist. 

Giuseppe Ghezzi Art in Rome
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere 
Saints Stephen and Lawrence
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
Santa Annunziata
San Silvestro in Capite
Santa Maria del Suffragio
Chiesa Nuova

Friday, November 28, 2014

Marco Benefial

the Martyrdom of St Anges
Santissima Trinità degli Spagnoli



Marco Benefial 1684 - 1764
Marco Benefial was a late Baroque, early Rococo artist who trained under Bonaventura Lamberti, studying in the classical style of Raphael. He painted many frescoes, altarpieces and portraits in and around Rome, the city where he was born. 
In 1716 he was given his first important commission, the Martyrdom of Saint Saturninus for Santi Giovanni e Paolo, followed by a commission to paint the Jonah for San Giovanni in Laterano in 1718 and another commission for the Mater Dolorosa with Angels Bearing the Symbols of the Passion in 1721 for Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori. 
In 1741 he was finally admitted into the Accademia di San Luca after years of opposing and criticizing the academy and the talent of its members, only to be expelled in 1755.
He died in Rome in 1764 after a long career and many of his paintings, that were mistakenly attributed to others, have recently been recognised to be by his hand.

 Marco Benefial Art in Rome
Santi Giovanni e Paolo
San Giovanni in Laterano
Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori
Santa Maria alle Fornaci
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
San Francesco delle Stimmate
San Lorenzo in Lucina
Santissima Trinità degli Spagnoli
Galleria Corsini
Galleria Spada



Saturday, November 8, 2014

San Francesco di Paola ai Monti

where: Piazza di San Francesco a Paola, Monti
open: unavailable
getting there: metro linea B/Cavour

Not far from San Pietro in Vincoli is San Francesco di Paola ai Monti.
The church was built in 1645 with funds from Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini Pamphilj, a wealthy heiress and wife to ex-cardinal Camillo Pamphilj, and niece by marriage to Pope Innocent X.
It was dedicated to the 15th century Calabrian saint, Frances of Paola, the founder of the minim friars.
The interior was redecorated and added to in the 18th century and holds works by artists such as Onofrio Avellino, Giuseppe Chiari, Giovanni Antonio Grecolini, Stefano Perugino, Giacomo Triga, Stefano Pozzi, Sassoferrato, Agostino Masucci and Filippo Luzi.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem possible to visit inside the church as it has been closed for renovations for many years.





Gesù Nazareno all'Argentina


where: Via dei Barbieri near Via di Largo Argentina
open: Sunday 11:30,  mass: 12:00
getting there: bus 64 Argentina

This little baroque church was built between 1722 and 1724 for the Confraternita dei Barbieri, a brotherhood of barbers who performed blood-lettings and surgery as well as trimming beards and cutting hair.
The church has a single nave and the interior of the church is covered in stucco and gold leaf.
In 2010 and after many years of restoration, the church was again reopened for mass and weddings. 
At the altar on the right is an oval tondo of the Madonna and Child attributed to one of the Zuccari brothers and in the left-side altar is a painting from 1594 of Santa Helena with the Cross attributed to Cristoforo Roncalli.
The nave vault fresco by Giovanni Antonio Grecolini depicts the Apotheosis of Saints Cosmas and Damiano and there are two frescoes of the Lives of Saints Cosmas and Damiano by Michelangelo Cerruti.



Helpful Hints

Getting Around

I found walking Rome was the best way to see everything.

The metro, trams and buses are also an easy and cheap option.

Buses and the metro can get crowded. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated.

Beware of pickpockets.

Buses 40 (express) and 64 start at Termini and end near Saint Peter's, traveling past places of interest, returning the same way.


Some stops along the 64 route are:

Repubblica

Piazza Venezia

Via Nazionale

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II


Bus 75 takes you past the Colosseum to Trastevere

Bus 910 takes you to Villa Borghese


Ticket Options

€1.50 B.I.T (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo) is the standard ticket valid for one metro, unlimited tram or bus rides within 100 minutes.


€7.00 B.I.G ( Biglietto Integrato a Giornaliero) is a daily ticket valid for unlimited metro, tram, bus and train travel within Rome.


Purchasing Bus and Metro tickets.

Newsstands, train stations, metro stations, kiosks with the ATAC logo and tabacchi shops sell tickets for the metro, trams and buses.

Large fines apply to travelers not holding or validating their ticket. Tickets once validated start from the time they have been stamped.






These are a few of my favourite books about Rome

The Cardinal's Hat by Mary Hollingsworth
This book tells the story of one of the sons of Lucrezia Borgia who became a cardinal during the 16th century.

The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev
I love this book telling the story of Caterina Sforza who was fighting against the Borgia pope to retain the rights of her land and her freedom.

The Popes by John Julius Norwich
A detailed but easy and enjoyable book to read about the history of the papacy and the popes.

The Pope's Daughter by Caroline P Murphy
This book describes in beautiful detail, the life and times of Pope Julius II daughter, Felice della Rovere.

The Families Who Made Rome by Anthony Majanlahti
I love this Book! It explains the families who made Rome what it is as we see it today and also looks at their triumphs, scandals and failures.

Rome by Robert Hughes
This book explains Rome from its beginning and expands on the Renaissance and Baroque until present times.

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
Another of my favourite reads about a lost Caravaggio painting and the search for its provenance.





other sites I trust for information on Rome are:
Rome Art Lover
Churches of Rome wiki