Basilica of San Domenico
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of San Domenico is one of the major churches in Bologna
, Italy. The remains of Saint Dominic
, founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans
), are buried inside the exquisite shrine Arca di San Domenico
, made by Nicola Pisano
and his workshop, Arnolfo di Cambio
and with later additions by Niccolò dell'Arca and the young Michelangelo
.
Between 1219 and 1243 the Dominicans bought all surrounding plots of land around the church. After the death of Saint Dominic, the church of San Nicolò was expanded and a new monastic complex was built between 1228 and 1240. The apsidal area of the church was demolished and the nave was extended and grew into the Basilica of Saint-Dominic, This church became the prototype of many other Dominican churches throughout the world.
The big basilica was divided in two parts:
Both churches ware divided by a ramp. The church was consecrated by Pope Innocent IV on 17 October 1251. On this occasion the crucifix by Giunta Pisano
was shown for the first time to the faithful.
The remains of the saint were moved in 1233 from its place behind the altar to a simple marble sarcophagus
, situated on the floor in the right aisle of the church for the faithful. Since most of the pilgrims, who came in great numbers to see the grave, were not able to see this shrine, hidden by so many people standing in front of it, the need was felt for a new shrine. In 1267 the remains of saint Dominic were then moved from the simple sarcophagus into the new shrine, decorated with the main episodes from the life of the saint by Nicola Pisano
. Work would continue on this shrine for almost five centuries.
The church was enlarged and the two sections were modified in many ways in the course of the next centuries. New side chapels were built, the majority in the 15th century. A Roman-Gothic bell tower
was added in 1313 (recently restored). The dividing wall between the two churches was finally demolished in the beginning of the 17th century. The choir was at the same time moved behind the altar. Between 1728 and 1732 the interior of the church was completely renewed by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti, sponsored by the Dominican pope Benedict XIII
, into its present-day Baroque style.
Early on the church began receiving many works of art from the faithful. This has grown into the present-day vast collection of exceptional art treasures created by some the greatest Italian artists, including Giunta Pisano
, Nicola Pisano
, Arnolfo di Cambio
, Niccolò dell'Arca, Michelangelo
, Iacopo da Bologna, Guido Reni
, Guercino and Filippino Lippi
.
The column in the middle of the square is a brickwork column with the bronze statue of St Dominic (1627) and on the back of the square a column in marble, bricks and copper of the Madonna of the Rosary, after a design by Guido Reni
(1632), commemorating the end of the plague
in the city.
Behind the first column stands the tomb of Rolandino de’ Passeggeri by Giovanni (1305) and on the left, adjoining a house, the tomb of Egidio Foscarari (1289), enriched with an ancient Byzantine
marble arch with relief works from the 9th century.
The Romanesque
façade dates from 1240 and was restored in 1910 by the architect Raffaele Faccioli. In the center is a large, embroidered rose window
. The lunette
above the portal contains a copy (1921) of St Dominic blessing Bologna by Lucia Casalini-Torelli (1677–1762).
On the left side of the façade is the Lodovico Ghisilardi chapel in Renaissance style.It was built as an example of Vitruvian
classicism by the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi around 1530.
, two lateral aisles, several side chapels, a transept
, a choir
and an apse
. The interior was completely renewed in Baroque
style with refined elegance and well-balanced proportions by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti (1678–1759).
In the lunettes above the Ionic
columns along the nave we can see 10 paintings, depicting episodes (true and untrue) in the history of the church. The first two are by Giuseppe Pedretti
(1696–1778), the others by Vittorio Bigari
(1692–1776).
Young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
played on the organ in this chapel, while he was studying with padre Giovanni Battista Martini
in 1769.
and a canvas by Guercino
St. Thomas Aquinas writing the Holy Sacrament (1662)
(1330), a pupil of Giovanni Pisano
. Now only the statue of St Peter the Martyr still exists and is on display in the City Museum. The present high altar was made by Alfonso Torreggiani
(died 1764). In the middle of the golden altar-piece at the back of the apse, is the Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomeo Cesi
, flanked by paintings (on its left side) of Saint Nicholas
of Bari and (on its right side) of Saint Dominic
. Below is the Miracle of the Bread by Vincenzo Spisanelli
.
The 102 wooden choir stalls are an exquisite example of Renaissance
carving by the Dominican friar Damiano da Bergamo. (1528–1530). Between 1541 and 1549 they were inlaid with intaglia by the same artist, using a series of drawings from a book by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola
, and carved by his brother Stefano da Bergamo. The work was finished by brother Bernardino da Bologna. These decorations display scenes from the Old Testament (on the right side) and from the New Testament (on the left side). Because of its extraordinary artistic value, this remarkable marquetry
work was considered by its contemporaries as the eight wonder of the world. It is also noted in the Vite (IV,94) by Giorgio Vasari
s and monstrance
s.
A small selection :
The three-aisled Renaissance library, planned like a basilica, dates back to 1466 and contains many precious books. Part of the library complex is now the seat of the faculty of philosophy and theology, run by the Dominicans. Another part is used as a conference room with a wooden-paneled coffer ceiling. At its end hangs the Baroque painting Ecstasy of St. Thomas Aquinas by Marcantonio Franceschini
.
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Italy. The remains of Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
, founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
), are buried inside the exquisite shrine Arca di San Domenico
Arca di San Domenico
The Arca di San Domenico is a monument containing the remains of Saint Dominic. It is located in Dominic’s Chapel in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, Italy.- History :...
, made by Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of modern sculpture.- Early life :His birth date or origins are uncertain...
and his workshop, Arnolfo di Cambio
Arnolfo di Cambio
Arnolfo di Cambio was an Italian architect and sculptor.-Biography:Arnolfo was born in Colle Val d'Elsa, Tuscany....
and with later additions by Niccolò dell'Arca and the young Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
.
History
Dominic Guzman, on arriving in Bologna in January 1218, was impressed by the vitality of the city and quickly recognized the importance of this university town to his evangelizing mission. A convent was established at the Mascarella church by the Blessed Reginald of Orléans. As this convent soon became too small for their increasing number, the preaching Brothers moved in 1219 to the small church of San Nicolò of the Vineyards at the outskirts of Bologna. St. Dominic settled in this church and held here the first two General Chapters of the order (1220 and 1221). Saint Dominic died in this church on 6 August 1221. He was buried behind the altar of San Nicolò.Between 1219 and 1243 the Dominicans bought all surrounding plots of land around the church. After the death of Saint Dominic, the church of San Nicolò was expanded and a new monastic complex was built between 1228 and 1240. The apsidal area of the church was demolished and the nave was extended and grew into the Basilica of Saint-Dominic, This church became the prototype of many other Dominican churches throughout the world.
The big basilica was divided in two parts:
- the front part, called “internal church”, was the church of the brothers. It was built in a protogothic style with a nave, two aisles and ogival vaults.
- the church for the faithful, called “external church”, with the simple columns and the trussed flat roof of the old church.
Both churches ware divided by a ramp. The church was consecrated by Pope Innocent IV on 17 October 1251. On this occasion the crucifix by Giunta Pisano
Giunta Pisano
Giunta Pisano was an Italian painter. He is the earliest Italian painter whose name is found inscribed on an extant work. He is best known for his crucifixes.He is said to have exercised his art from 1202 to 1236...
was shown for the first time to the faithful.
The remains of the saint were moved in 1233 from its place behind the altar to a simple marble sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
, situated on the floor in the right aisle of the church for the faithful. Since most of the pilgrims, who came in great numbers to see the grave, were not able to see this shrine, hidden by so many people standing in front of it, the need was felt for a new shrine. In 1267 the remains of saint Dominic were then moved from the simple sarcophagus into the new shrine, decorated with the main episodes from the life of the saint by Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of modern sculpture.- Early life :His birth date or origins are uncertain...
. Work would continue on this shrine for almost five centuries.
The church was enlarged and the two sections were modified in many ways in the course of the next centuries. New side chapels were built, the majority in the 15th century. A Roman-Gothic bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was added in 1313 (recently restored). The dividing wall between the two churches was finally demolished in the beginning of the 17th century. The choir was at the same time moved behind the altar. Between 1728 and 1732 the interior of the church was completely renewed by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti, sponsored by the Dominican pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
, into its present-day Baroque style.
Early on the church began receiving many works of art from the faithful. This has grown into the present-day vast collection of exceptional art treasures created by some the greatest Italian artists, including Giunta Pisano
Giunta Pisano
Giunta Pisano was an Italian painter. He is the earliest Italian painter whose name is found inscribed on an extant work. He is best known for his crucifixes.He is said to have exercised his art from 1202 to 1236...
, Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano
Nicola Pisano was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of modern sculpture.- Early life :His birth date or origins are uncertain...
, Arnolfo di Cambio
Arnolfo di Cambio
Arnolfo di Cambio was an Italian architect and sculptor.-Biography:Arnolfo was born in Colle Val d'Elsa, Tuscany....
, Niccolò dell'Arca, Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
, Iacopo da Bologna, Guido Reni
Guido Reni
Guido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
, Guercino and Filippino Lippi
Filippino Lippi
Filippino Lippi was an Italian painter working during the High Renaissance in Florence, Italy.-Biography:...
.
Square and façade
The square in front of the church is paved with pebbles, as it was in medieval times. The square was used by the faithful to listen to the sermon from the preacher from the pulpit on the left corner of the church. It was also the original cemetery.The column in the middle of the square is a brickwork column with the bronze statue of St Dominic (1627) and on the back of the square a column in marble, bricks and copper of the Madonna of the Rosary, after a design by Guido Reni
Guido Reni
Guido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
(1632), commemorating the end of the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in the city.
Behind the first column stands the tomb of Rolandino de’ Passeggeri by Giovanni (1305) and on the left, adjoining a house, the tomb of Egidio Foscarari (1289), enriched with an ancient Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
marble arch with relief works from the 9th century.
The Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
façade dates from 1240 and was restored in 1910 by the architect Raffaele Faccioli. In the center is a large, embroidered rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
. The lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
above the portal contains a copy (1921) of St Dominic blessing Bologna by Lucia Casalini-Torelli (1677–1762).
On the left side of the façade is the Lodovico Ghisilardi chapel in Renaissance style.It was built as an example of Vitruvian
Vitruvius
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
classicism by the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi around 1530.
Interior
Nave
The church consists of a central naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, two lateral aisles, several side chapels, a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The interior was completely renewed in Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style with refined elegance and well-balanced proportions by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti (1678–1759).
In the lunettes above the Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns along the nave we can see 10 paintings, depicting episodes (true and untrue) in the history of the church. The first two are by Giuseppe Pedretti
Giuseppe Pedretti
Giuseppe Pedretti was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, active mainly in Bologna. He was a pupil of the painter Marcantonio Franceschini and his son Giacomo Franceschini....
(1696–1778), the others by Vittorio Bigari
Vittorio Bigari
Vittorio Bigari was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque. He was active in his native Bologna, where he was a pupil of Antonio Dardani. He painted frescoes in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, as well as the cupola of the church of the Madonna della Guardia, and the gallery of the...
(1692–1776).
Chapels on the right side
- St. Rose of Lima : the painting above the altar, portraying the Ecstasy of the Saint, is by Cesare GennariCesare GennariCesare Gennari was an Italian painter of Baroque period. His Saint Mary Magdalene is in the Pinacoteca Civica di Cento...
. The altar-piece Virgin appearing to St. Hyacinth by Ludovico CarracciLudovico CarracciLudovico Carracci was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna....
(now in the Louvre), used to stand here. - St. Vincent Ferrer : the painting above the altar (St. Vincent brings a young boy back to life) is by Donato CretiDonato CretiDonato Creti was an Italian painter of the Rococo period, active mostly in Bologna.Born in Cremona, he moved to Bologna, where he was a pupil of Lorenzo Pasinelli. He is described by Wittkower as the "Bolognese Marco Benefial", in that his style was less decorative and edged into a more formal...
(1731). On both sides of the chapel are two painting, representing the Miracles of the Saint, by Giuseppe PedrettiGiuseppe PedrettiGiuseppe Pedretti was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, active mainly in Bologna. He was a pupil of the painter Marcantonio Franceschini and his son Giacomo Franceschini....
. The elegant stucco angels are by Angelo Pio (1690–1769), one of the best artists of his time. - St Antoninus of Florence : The painting above the altar (The Lord and the Blessed Virgin Appearing to St. Antoninus and St. Francis) is by Pietro Facini (1562–1602), while the paintings on the side walls (Blessed Matteo Carreri and Blessed Stefania) are by Pietro Dardani (1728–1808).
- St. Andrew the Apostle : paintings of the Coming Martyrdom of the Apostle, Blessed Imelda and Blessed Giovanna are by Antonio RossiAntonio Rossi (painter)Antonio Rossi was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, active mainly in Bologna. He was a pupil of the painter Marcantonio Franceschini. He painted for the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna.-References:...
(1700–1753) - Madonna of Fevers: above the altar is the painting Sant’Emidio by Filippo Gargalli (1750–1835). The painting Slaughter of the Innocents by Guido ReniGuido ReniGuido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
, now in Bologna’s Pinacoteca Nazionale, was once hung in this chapel. - St Dominic’s chapel : this is the main chapel of the church. It has a square plan and a semi-circular apse, where the remains of the saint rest in the splendid Arca di San DomenicoArca di San DomenicoThe Arca di San Domenico is a monument containing the remains of Saint Dominic. It is located in Dominic’s Chapel in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, Italy.- History :...
under the cupola. The chapel was built by the Bolognese architect Floriano Ambrosini, replacing the old gothic chapel from 1413, to match the splendour of the other existing chapels. It was decorated between 1614 and 1616 by important painters of the Bolognese SchoolBolognese School (painting)The Bolognese School or the School of Bologna of painting flourished in Bologna, the capital of Emilia Romagna, between the 16th and 17th centuries in Italy, and rivalled Florence and Rome as the center of painting. Its most important representatives include the Carracci family, including Ludovico...
, TiariniAlessandro TiariniAlessandro Tiarini was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School.He was born in Bologna. His mother died when he was a child, and he was raised by an aunt, and early on they tried, unsuccessfully to guide him towards becoming a cleric...
(1577–1688), Mario RighettiMario RighettiMario Righetti was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.He was born at Bologna He became a pupil of Lucio Massari. In Bologna, he painted an Archangel Michael for the church of S. Guglielmo; a Christ appearing to the Magdalen for San Giacomo Maggiore; an Adoration of the Magi for S. Agnese;...
, Lionello Spada (1576–1622), MastellettaGiovanni Andrea Donducci (Mastelletta)Giovanni Andrea Donducci , also known as Mastelletta, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School . His father was a maker of vats...
(1575–1655), culminating in the fresco on the cupola of the apse St Dominic’s Glory, a masterpiece by ReniGuido ReniGuido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
, painted between 1613 and 1615. The Theological and The Cardinal Virtues in the niches of the apse were painted by Giovanni Todeschi between 1617 and 1631. The bust in white marble by Carlo Pini (1946) represents the real face of Saint Dominic, modeled on the precise measurements performed on the saint’s skull. - Chapel of St Pius V : the altar-piece is by Felice Torricelli (1667–1748).
- Chapel of St Hyacinth of Poland : with the painting A Miracle of the Saint by Antonio Muzzi.
- Chapel of St Catherine of Siena: with St Catherine’s Mystic Communion by Francesco Brizzi (1546–1625) above the altar.
- Chapel of St Catherine Virgin and Martyr: the painting above the altar, Mystical Marriage of St. Catherine, is an important panel and one of the last works by Filippino LippiFilippino LippiFilippino Lippi was an Italian painter working during the High Renaissance in Florence, Italy.-Biography:...
(1501–1503).
Chapels on the left side
- Chapel of St. Louis Bertrand : contains two canvases: (on the right) Blessed Pietro Geremia by Alessandro TiariniAlessandro TiariniAlessandro Tiarini was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School.He was born in Bologna. His mother died when he was a child, and he was raised by an aunt, and early on they tried, unsuccessfully to guide him towards becoming a cleric...
and (on the left) St. Albert the Great by Clemente Bevilacqua (died 1754) - Chapel of the Holy Blood has some important paintings : (on the right) Annunciation by Denis CalvaertDenis CalvaertDenis Calvaert was a Flemish painter born at Antwerp, but lived most of his life in Italy, where he was known as Il Fiammingo . Calvaert was a profound student of architecture, anatomy, and history, exceedingly accurate in perspective and graceful in design...
(1540–1619), (above the central altar) St. Michael Archangel by Giacomo FranciaGiacomo FranciaGiacomo Francia was an Italian engraver and artist.Francia was born in Bologna. His father Francesco Raibolini and brother Giulio Francia were also artists. Francia often worked with his brother, primarily on church altarpieces. He died in Bologna in 1567.-References:...
(1484–1557), (on the left) St Martin de Porres by Renzo Magnanini, (in the big lunette) The Disputation of St Catherine Virgin and Martyr by Prospero FontanaProspero FontanaProspero Fontana was an Italian painter of the late Renaissance.-Biography:Fontana was born in Bologna, and became a pupil of Innocenzo da Imola. He afterwards worked for Perin del Vaga in the Palazzo Doria in Genoa. Towards 1550, it is reported that Michelangelo introduced him to Pope Julius III... - Chapel of Blessed Benedict XI with the painting The Blessed is taken to Heaven by Felice TorelliFelice TorelliFelice Torelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque style, active mainly in Bologna.He was born to a family of artists in Verona, including his brother, Giuseppe Torelli, a noted violinist and composer of concerti. Both his son, Stefano Torelli, and his wife, Lucia Casalini , were painters. His...
(1667–1748) - Rosary Chapel is the most prominent chapel on this side of the church. The vivacious fresco on the vault (the Assumption) and in the apse (Heaven and Earth praising the Madonna of the Rosary) were painted between 1655 and 1657 by Angelo Michele ColonnaAngelo Michele ColonnaAngelo Michele Colonna was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Bologna, northern and central Italy and Spain. He is sometimes referred to as Michelangelo Colonna.-Biography:...
(1600–1687) and by Agostino MitelliAgostino MitelliAgostino Mitelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque period and best known as a fresco painter of quadratura or illusionistic perspectival architectural frameworks....
(1609–1660). The two choir stalls were designed by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti in 1736 after the redesigning of the interior of the church. The altar was designed by the Bolognese architect Floriano Ambrosini (1557–1621). But the most important paintings in this large chapel are the famous Mysteries of the Rosary, finished in 1601. The most prominent artist of their time worked on the decoration : Lodovico Carracci (the Annunciation and the Visitation), Bartolomeo CesiBartolomeo CesiBartolomeo Cesi was a painter of the Baroque era of the Bolognese School.Born to a wealthy family of Bologna, he studied under Giovanni Francesco Bezzo . In Bologna, he contributed works to the Duomo, Santo Stefano and the Basilica of San Domenico. He collaborated with Ludovico Carracci and...
(the Nativity), Denis CalvaertDenis CalvaertDenis Calvaert was a Flemish painter born at Antwerp, but lived most of his life in Italy, where he was known as Il Fiammingo . Calvaert was a profound student of architecture, anatomy, and history, exceedingly accurate in perspective and graceful in design...
(Presentation of Jesus in the Temple), the female artist Lavinia FontanaLavinia FontanaLavinia Fontana was an Italian painter.-Biography:Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a prominent painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher...
(Jesus among the Doctors and the Coronation of the Virgin), Bartolomeo CesiBartolomeo CesiBartolomeo Cesi was a painter of the Baroque era of the Bolognese School.Born to a wealthy family of Bologna, he studied under Giovanni Francesco Bezzo . In Bologna, he contributed works to the Duomo, Santo Stefano and the Basilica of San Domenico. He collaborated with Ludovico Carracci and...
(Christ in the garden), Ludovico CarracciLudovico CarracciLudovico Carracci was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna....
(the Scourging and Christ falling under the Cross), Bartolomeo CesiBartolomeo CesiBartolomeo Cesi was a painter of the Baroque era of the Bolognese School.Born to a wealthy family of Bologna, he studied under Giovanni Francesco Bezzo . In Bologna, he contributed works to the Duomo, Santo Stefano and the Basilica of San Domenico. He collaborated with Ludovico Carracci and...
(the Crowning with Thorns, the Crucifixion and Pentecost), Guido ReniGuido ReniGuido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
(the Resurrection), Domenichino (the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin).
Young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
played on the organ in this chapel, while he was studying with padre Giovanni Battista Martini
Giovanni Battista Martini
Giovanni Battista Martini , also known as Padre Martini, was an Italian musician.-Biography:Martini was born at Bologna....
in 1769.
- Vestibule of the side door contains the marble tomb of Alessandro Tartagni (1477) by Francesco di Simone Ferrucci da Fiesole (1437–1493).
- Chapel of St Joseph : the canvas above the altar is Death of St. Joseph and St Anthony abbot by Giovanni Battista BertusioGiovanni Battista BertusioGiovanni Battista Bertusio was a painter of the early-Baroque period, active in Bologna. He trained initially under Denys Calvaert, then under Ludovico and Agostino Carracci. He married the painter Antonia Pinelli. He died after 1650.-References:...
(died 1644), and the paintings on the left (San Teresa di Gesù) and on the right (St Anthony of Padua) are by Giovanni Breviglieri. - Chapel of St. Peter the Martyr : the painting above the altar Kneeling Saint is by Giuseppe PedrettiGiuseppe PedrettiGiuseppe Pedretti was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, active mainly in Bologna. He was a pupil of the painter Marcantonio Franceschini and his son Giacomo Franceschini....
, while the paintings on the left (Sant’Agnese da Montepulciano) and on the right (St Catherine de Ricci) are by Pietro Dardani (1728–1808) - Chapel of St Raymond of Peñafort contains the famous canvas the Saint plowing the Waves on his Mantle by Ludovico CarracciLudovico CarracciLudovico Carracci was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna....
- Chapel of Blessed Ceslaus with the painting the Blessed by Lucia Casalini-Torrelli
Right transept
There is a small chapel on the right side of the altar with a painting by the Baroque artist Bartolomeo CesiBartolomeo Cesi
Bartolomeo Cesi was a painter of the Baroque era of the Bolognese School.Born to a wealthy family of Bologna, he studied under Giovanni Francesco Bezzo . In Bologna, he contributed works to the Duomo, Santo Stefano and the Basilica of San Domenico. He collaborated with Ludovico Carracci and...
and a canvas by Guercino
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri , best known as Guercino or Il Guercino, was an Italian Baroque painter from the region of Emilia, and active in Rome and Bologna. Guercino is Italian for 'squinter', a nickname that was given to him because he was cross-eyed...
St. Thomas Aquinas writing the Holy Sacrament (1662)
Left transept
- Chapel of the Holy Cross: On the wall is a marble slab, carved in 1731 by Giuseppe Mazza, commemorating the death in 1272 of King Enzio of SardiniaEnzio of SardiniaEnzio was an illegitimate son of Emperor Frederick II and King of Sardinia.-Life:...
, son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick IIFrederick II, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
. He had been captured by the Bolognese GuelphGuelphs and GhibellinesThe Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
forces in the Battle of FossaltaBattle of FossaltaThe Battle of Fossalta is an en episode of the War of the Guelphs and Ghibellines in northern Italy. It took place in Fossalta, a small location on the Panaro river, and is especially remembered for the capture of Enzio of Sardinia, son of Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.In the spring of 1249,...
in 1249. The painting above the altar is Christ being laid down by Pier Francesco Cavazza (1667–1733), while on the right is the Assumption of the Madonna by Vincenzo SpisanelliVincenzo SpisanelliVincenzo Spisanelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna.Spisanelli was born at Orta San Giulio, Piedmont. He was a pupil of Denis Calvaert in Bologna, but was also active in Ferrara, Imola, Modena, and in Lombardy.He survived the plague of 1630, but not his wife,...
(1595–1662). - Chapel of St Michael the Archangel : Here on view is the imposing Crucifixion, the masterpiece by Giunta PisanoGiunta PisanoGiunta Pisano was an Italian painter. He is the earliest Italian painter whose name is found inscribed on an extant work. He is best known for his crucifixes.He is said to have exercised his art from 1202 to 1236...
(mid-13th c.). It is still much influenced by the Byzantine style and represents one of the best examples of 13th-century Italian painting. This crucifix has much influenced CimabueCimabueCimabue , also known as Bencivieni di Pepo or in modern Italian, Benvenuto di Giuseppe, was an Italian painter and creator of mosaics from Florence....
, who would then slowly evolve into his own style. On the right side we find the marble monument, spanning the two chapels, dedicated to the Bolognese ruler Taddeo Pepoli (died 1347) (who added in 1340 a barrel span to the northern transept of this church). This monument was begun in the 14th century and only finished in the 16th century. The fresco on the left wall St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Benedict dates from the 14th century. - Chapel of the Sacred heart: The papier-mâché bust of Ven. Serafino Capponi, a theologian (died 1615) is on the left side of the altar. Beneath the altar is the urn with the relics of James Griesinger, the Blessed James from Ulm (died 1491), who added most of the stained-glass windows to this church (now destroyed). He is also depicted on canvas in this chapel by Giacinto BelliniGiacinto BelliniCavaliere Giacinto Bellini was an Italian painter active in the Baroque period.Giacinto Bellini, born at Bologna, in the early part of the 17th century, was a scholar of Francesco Albani. On leaving the school of that master, he was taken under the protection of the Count Odoardo Pepoli, by whom...
(1612–1660). The fresco Madonna with Child among the Saints is by an unknown EmiliaEmilia (region of Italy)Emilia is a historical region of northern Italy which approximately corresponds to the western and north-eastern portions of today’s Emilia-Romagna region...
n artist at the end of the 13th century. Facing King Enzo’s monument is a fragment of a 14th-century fresco Face of St Thomas Aquinas
The choir
This monumental choir was moved behind the high altar in the 17th century. The original altar was a masterpiece decorated with basreliefs and nine sculptures by Giovanni di BalduccioGiovanni di Balduccio
Giovanni di Balduccio was an Italian sculptor of the Medieval period. He was born in Pisa, and likely did not train directly with the famous Pisan sculptor Andrea Pisano. He travelled to Milan to help sculpt the arc of St. Peter Martyr now in the Portinari Chapel, in the Basilica of...
(1330), a pupil of Giovanni Pisano
Giovanni Pisano
Giovanni Pisano was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect. Son of the famous sculptor Nicola Pisano, he received his training in the workshop of his father....
. Now only the statue of St Peter the Martyr still exists and is on display in the City Museum. The present high altar was made by Alfonso Torreggiani
Alfonso Torreggiani
Alfonso Torreggiani was an Italian architect, principally associated with Bologna.-Life:Torregiano was born in Budrio. An apprentice of G. A...
(died 1764). In the middle of the golden altar-piece at the back of the apse, is the Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomeo Cesi
Bartolomeo Cesi
Bartolomeo Cesi was a painter of the Baroque era of the Bolognese School.Born to a wealthy family of Bologna, he studied under Giovanni Francesco Bezzo . In Bologna, he contributed works to the Duomo, Santo Stefano and the Basilica of San Domenico. He collaborated with Ludovico Carracci and...
, flanked by paintings (on its left side) of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
of Bari and (on its right side) of Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
. Below is the Miracle of the Bread by Vincenzo Spisanelli
Vincenzo Spisanelli
Vincenzo Spisanelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna.Spisanelli was born at Orta San Giulio, Piedmont. He was a pupil of Denis Calvaert in Bologna, but was also active in Ferrara, Imola, Modena, and in Lombardy.He survived the plague of 1630, but not his wife,...
.
The 102 wooden choir stalls are an exquisite example of Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
carving by the Dominican friar Damiano da Bergamo. (1528–1530). Between 1541 and 1549 they were inlaid with intaglia by the same artist, using a series of drawings from a book by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola was one of the great Italian architects of 16th century Mannerism. His two great masterpieces are the Villa Farnese at Caprarola and the Jesuits' Church of the Gesù in Rome...
, and carved by his brother Stefano da Bergamo. The work was finished by brother Bernardino da Bologna. These decorations display scenes from the Old Testament (on the right side) and from the New Testament (on the left side). Because of its extraordinary artistic value, this remarkable marquetry
Marquetry
Marquetry is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns, designs or pictures. The technique may be applied to case furniture or even seat furniture, to decorative small objects with smooth, veneerable surfaces or to freestanding pictorial panels...
work was considered by its contemporaries as the eight wonder of the world. It is also noted in the Vite (IV,94) by Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, writer, historian, and architect, who is famous today for his biographies of Italian artists, considered the ideological foundation of art-historical writing.-Biography:...
The museum
The church's small museum houses many important works of art and a wide collection of precious reliquaries, chaliceChalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
s and monstrance
Monstrance
A monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican churches to display the consecrated Eucharistic host, during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Created in the medieval period for the public display of relics, the monstrance today is...
s.
A small selection :
- The reliquary of Saint Louis IX, king of France, is of special interest as a most elaborate example in Gothic style of an unknown French goldsmith at the end of the 13th century. It was a gift to this church by king Philip IV of FrancePhilip IV of FrancePhilip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
, following the canonization of Louis IX in 1297. - The remains of a terracotta Pietà (1495) by the architect, painter and sculptor Baccio da MontelupoBaccio da MontelupoBaccio da Montelupo , born Bartolomeo di Giovanni d'Astore dei Sinibaldi, was a sculptor of the Italian Renaissance. He is the father of another Italian sculptor, Raffaello da Montelupo...
(mentioned by Vasari in his Vite) - A polychromed terracotta Bust of Saint Dominic by Niccolò dell'Arca (1474)
- The remains of a fresco of Madonna with Child and Saint Dominic by an unknown Bolognese artist (possibly Cristoforo da BolognaCristoforo da BolognaCristoforo da Bologna was an Italian painter. He was active in Bologna, Modena, and Ferrara. He painted toward the close of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century.-References:...
) (second half of 14th century) - Madonna of the Velvet, tempera on wood by Lippo Dalmasio (ca. 1390)
- The Paschal Lamb, an oil painting on wood sometimes ascribed to Giorgio VasariGiorgio VasariGiorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, writer, historian, and architect, who is famous today for his biographies of Italian artists, considered the ideological foundation of art-historical writing.-Biography:...
- Madonna with Child, Saint Dominic and Vincenzo Ferreri (ca. 1773), one of the best works of by Ubaldo GandolfiUbaldo GandolfiUbaldo Gandolfi was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, mainly active in and near Bologna.He was born in San Matteo della Decima and enrolled by the age of 17 at the Clementine Academy, where he apprenticed with Ercole Graziani the Younger, Felice Torelli, and Ercole Lelli...
(1728–1781) - Several valuable intarsias by fra Damiano da Bergamo, such as The Story of San Girolomo, and geometrical fugures.
Convent and library
The square-shaped convent next door is also worth visiting for its cloisters (14th, 15th and 16th centuries) with various tombstones and memorial tablets in its walls. The chapter room displays a precious fresco of Saint Dominic from the 14th century. It is the oldest known image of the saint. On the ground floor of the old dormitory is St Dominic’s cell, so called because it is an original cell from his time and possibly the cell (or a similarly one) where he died. Some original letters of introduction and his canonization bull of 9 July 1234 are here on display. At the front of the library is a fresco Madonna with benedictory Child (by an unknown artist).The three-aisled Renaissance library, planned like a basilica, dates back to 1466 and contains many precious books. Part of the library complex is now the seat of the faculty of philosophy and theology, run by the Dominicans. Another part is used as a conference room with a wooden-paneled coffer ceiling. At its end hangs the Baroque painting Ecstasy of St. Thomas Aquinas by Marcantonio Franceschini
Marcantonio Franceschini
Marcantonio Franceschini , was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mostly in his native Bologna. He was the father and teacher of Giacomo Franceschini.-Biography :...
.
Other burials
- Guido ReniGuido ReniGuido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style.-Biography:Born in Bologna into a family of musicians, Guido Reni was the son of Daniele Reni and Ginevra de’ Pozzi. As a child of nine, he was apprenticed under the Bolognese studio of Denis Calvaert. Soon after, he was joined in that...
, in the Rosary Chapel - Elisabetta SiraniElisabetta SiraniElisabetta Sirani was an Italian Baroque painter whose father was the painter Giovanni Andrea Sirani of the School of Bologna-Biography:...
, also in the Rosary Chapel - James Of Ulm
- Enzio of SardiniaEnzio of SardiniaEnzio was an illegitimate son of Emperor Frederick II and King of Sardinia.-Life:...