Muzio Mattei
Encyclopedia
Muzio Mattei was an Italian nobleman of the House of Mattei. He helped the Mattei rise to prominence by supporting political and cultural initiatives of the Pope and the Church
in Rome
.
which became the Roman Ghetto
; the portion of the city which housed the Roman Jewish population. When Pope Paul IV
decided to build a wall around the Ghetto in 1555 and imprison the Jewish population, Mattei was given a key to the gate.
(Turtle Fountain) in front of his residence. In an original plan of 1570 a new fountain was to have been placed near the Theater of Marcellus in the Piazza Giudea, the site of a market in the Jewish ghetto. Mattei had been appointed to the committee which would select the site, though, and used his influence and money to have the fountain location changed to the small Piazza Mattei, in the block where the members of his family lived. Mattei also offered to pay to have the piazza properly paved to ensure the sculpture would be well protected; "che il signor Mutio Matthei si obblighi a far mattonare" ("...that Mr Muzio Matthei undertakes to make paved").
A popular Roman
legend suggests Mattei, ruined by gambling, ordered the fountain to be built overnight in order to impress the wealthy father of a woman he wished to marry. The next morning he opened the window of his palazzo and showed his future father-in-law the fountain. The father, suitably impressed, allowed the marriage to go ahead, and Mattei, to remember the event, had the window overlooking the fountain closed up. A window closed by brick still overlooks the fountain.
. Mattei was responsible for carrying out the orders of Sixtus in relation to the construction of the Four Fountains
of Rome. On 23 May 1589, Sixtus V issued the following order:
Though his role is unclear, he was also responsible for some portion of the planning or construction supervision for the Palazzo Albani del Drago on the Quirinal Hill
.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Political activity
Mattei and his family were Roman Catholic but lived in the part of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
which became the Roman Ghetto
Roman Ghetto
The Roman Ghetto was a ghetto located in the rione Sant'Angelo, in Rome, Italy, in the area surrounded by today's Via del Portico d'Ottavia, Lungotevere dei Cenci, Via del Progresso and Via di Santa Maria del Pianto close to the Tiber and the Theater of Marcellus...
; the portion of the city which housed the Roman Jewish population. When Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
decided to build a wall around the Ghetto in 1555 and imprison the Jewish population, Mattei was given a key to the gate.
Fontana delle Tartarughe
Between 1580 and 1585, Mattei commissioned one of the most famous fountains in Rome; the Fontana delle TartarugheFontana delle Tartarughe
The Fontane delle Tartarughe is a fountain of the late Italian Renaissance, located in the Piazza Mattei, in the Sant'Angelo district of Rome, Italy. It was built between 1580 and 1588 by the architect Giacomo della Porta and the sculptor Taddeo Landini...
(Turtle Fountain) in front of his residence. In an original plan of 1570 a new fountain was to have been placed near the Theater of Marcellus in the Piazza Giudea, the site of a market in the Jewish ghetto. Mattei had been appointed to the committee which would select the site, though, and used his influence and money to have the fountain location changed to the small Piazza Mattei, in the block where the members of his family lived. Mattei also offered to pay to have the piazza properly paved to ensure the sculpture would be well protected; "che il signor Mutio Matthei si obblighi a far mattonare" ("...that Mr Muzio Matthei undertakes to make paved").
A popular Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
legend suggests Mattei, ruined by gambling, ordered the fountain to be built overnight in order to impress the wealthy father of a woman he wished to marry. The next morning he opened the window of his palazzo and showed his future father-in-law the fountain. The father, suitably impressed, allowed the marriage to go ahead, and Mattei, to remember the event, had the window overlooking the fountain closed up. A window closed by brick still overlooks the fountain.
Other projects
It seems Mattei played a role as financier or "project manager" for a number of projects commissioned by Pope Sixtus VPope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V , born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.-Early life:The chronicler Andrija Zmajević states that Felice's family originated from modern-day Montenegro...
. Mattei was responsible for carrying out the orders of Sixtus in relation to the construction of the Four Fountains
Quattro Fontane
The Quattro Fontane is a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and built at the direction of Muzio Mattei; installed between 1588 and 1593...
of Rome. On 23 May 1589, Sixtus V issued the following order:
Though his role is unclear, he was also responsible for some portion of the planning or construction supervision for the Palazzo Albani del Drago on the Quirinal Hill
Quirinal Hill
The Quirinal Hill is one of the Seven Hills of Rome, at the north-east of the city center. It is the location of the official residence of the Italian Head of State, who resides in the Quirinal Palace; by metonymy "the Quirinal" has come to stand for the Italian President.- History :It was...
.