The church of Santa Maria in Vallicella is connected to the life of Florentine St. Philip Neri who is one of Rome’s patron saints.
Madonna della Vallicella Peter Paul Rubens Oil on slate, 425 x 250 cm Rome, Santa Maria in Vallicella (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Chiesa Nuova after restoration (2006). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Santa Maria in Vallicella in Rome Italy
St. Philip is buried in the chapel to the left of the choir in a mother-of-pearl tomb under a copula supported by Sicilian alabaster. The church is filled with beautiful sacred art donated by patrons primary from the art period between 1620-1690.
Image via Wikipedia
St. Philip Neri’s image, on the saint’s corpse, at his tomb in Santa Maria in Valicella (Rome) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The altar has a mosaic copy of Guido Reni‘s painting of “St.Philip Neri in Ecstasy”. The altar was designed by Onorio Longhi in 1600.
Guido Reni – St Filippo Neri in Ecstasy – WGA19295 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Facade of Chiesa Nuova in Rome Italy
The facade was designed by Faustolo Rughesi and completed in 1605. The inscription over the main door bears the dedication: “To the Virgin Mother of God and St. Gregory the Great“.
There are two statues in niches above the main door: Saint Gregory the Great on the left and Saint Jerome on the right. The inscription on the architrave names the facade’s donor: “Angelo Cesi, Bishop of Todi, erected this in the year of our Lord 1605.
Ancient Roman saints Domitilla with Nereus and Achilleus, by Peter Paul Rubens, at Santa Maria in Vallicella (Rome) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The brick palazzo on the left of the church is called Casa dei Filippini and was built in 1650 using a design by Francesco Borromini as a residence for the Oratorians an order founded by St. Philip Neri in 1561.
Santa Maria in Vallicella (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
St. Philip Romolo Neri (Filippo Neri; known as Apostle of Rome), (July 21, 1515 – May 27, 1595), was an Italian churchman, noted for founding a society of secular priests called the “Congregation of the Oratory”. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Virgin and Child Adored by Angels, 1608, oil on slate and copper. This is the central panel depicting The Virgin and Child Adored by Angels above the High Altar, Santa Maria in Vallicella, Rome. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This church has a beautiful painting by Peter Paul Rubens of “Saint Domitilla with St. Nereus and St. Achilleus.”
There is a magnificent painting over the main altar “Virgin and Child” by Peter Paul Rubens (1607). The removable oval painting of the Virgin covers an earlier fresco.The columns that flank the painting are giallo antico.
Rubens also painted St. Gregory the Great with Saint Maurus and Papius located in the presbytery. The relics of these Roman martyrs were brought to this church in about 1590 and placed beneath the main altar.
Nederlands: Interieur van de Chiesa Nuova te Rome (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Another interesting aspect of the art in this church is the copy of the Caravaggio. One of my favorite Carravaggio paintings is ”Deposition from the Cross“ or The Entombment of Christ (1604). Unfortunately, this church has a 19th century copy of the original painting that was taken to Paris in 1797 and then the original was transferred to the Vatican Pinacoteca.
Italiano: La Deposizione di Cristo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Allesandro Vittrice was the nephew of a friend of Saint Phillip. Vittrice is also known to have been the owner of Caravaggio’s The Fortune Teller.
The Fortune Teller (1594) by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio Oil on canvas, 115 x 150 cm, Musei Capitolini, Rome (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Alessandro Vittrice commissioned Caravaggio in 1601 to paint The Entombment of Christ as an altarpiece for the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella.
Caravaggio’s “Deposition from the Cross” in Rome Italy
Chiesa Nuova in Rome Italy
Copy of Caravaggio’s “Deposition” in Rome Italy
In the Cappella Dell’Ascensione there is a beautiful painting of the “Ascension” by Gerlamo Muziano (1532-1592) flanked by columns of giallo antico.
The Ascension by Ferlamo Muziano in Rome Italy
In the Cappella della Presentazione in the left transept, admire the Presentation of Mary in the Temple by Federico Barocci ((1528-1612).
Presentation of Mary by Federico Barocci at Chiesa Nuova in Rome
In the Cappella dello Spirito Santo, admire Giovanni Maria Morandi‘s (1622-1717) ”Discesa dello Spirito Santo.”
Discesa dello Spirito Santo by G. Maria Morandi
I love the Assumption altarpiece ”Assunzione” by G. Domenico Cerrini (1609-1681).
Assumption by G. Domenico Cerrini in Rome Italy
Saint Philip’s body was sent to this church seven years after his death.
Rom, Santa Maria in Vallicella (Chiesa Nuova), linke Orgel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Italiano: Roma, madonna all’arco della Chiesa Nuova (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The church was called “Vallicella” because it was originally built in the “little valley” of Rome by Pope Gregory I and is located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
Santa Maria in Vallicella (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fontana della chiesa nuova (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Statue of Metastasio in Rome, Piazza della Chiesa Nuova (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides. Learn more about Rome at www.vino-con-vista.com.
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Filed under: Caravaggio, Chiesa Nuova in Rome Italy, ebooks, Italian Architecture, Italian art, Italy Travel Guides, Peter Paul Rubens, Saint Philip Neri's Church in Rome, Santa Maria in Vallicella Tagged: Alessandro Vittrice, Caravaggio, Caravaggio paintings in Rome Italy, Caravaggio's Deposition from the Cross was removed from the church and relocated to The Vatican Museum, Chiesa Nuova, Chiesa Nuova in Rome Italy, Entombment of Christ, Federico Barocci, Francesco Borromini, Giovanni Maria Morandi in Rome, Guido Reni, Guido Reni paintings in Rome Italy, Italy, Onorio Longhi, Peter Paul Rubens, Peter Paul Rubens paintings in Rome Italy, Philip Neri, Rome, Saint Gregory the Great in Rome Italy, Saint Philip Neri in Rome, Santa Maria in Vallicella, Santa Maria in Vallicella is also called Chiesa Nuova, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican CIty, Vatican Museum
