Rome: Santa Pudenziana, Caetani Chapel, transversal section towards the altar, 1591

Artist/Maker

DatesSigned: Signed 1595

Material / Technique

Dimensionsh x w: 46 x 42 cm uppklistrat på bakgrundspapper

Inventory numberNMH CC 165

AcqusitionDonated 1941 by Eric Langenskiöld. Formerly in the Cronstedt collection, Fullerö

Other titlesTitle (sv): Förslag till dekorering av Cappella Caetani i S. Pudenziana, Rom. Sektion Title (en): Rome: Santa Pudenziana, Caetani Chapel, transversal section towards the altar, 1591 Previous: Proposal for Wall Decoration of the Caetani Chapel in S. Pudenziana, Rome. Section

DescriptionCatalogue raisonné: Bortolozzi, Italian Architectural Drawings from the Cronstedt Collection, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2020 (cat. no. 123) PAPER: at the centre of the altarpiece, remnants of red wax indicate that a paper sheet, possibly with a proposal for the decoration, was removed. Verso reinforced with two horizontal stripes of paper and subsequently laid on to a secondary support of fine writing paper WATERMARK: Letter 8 INSCRIPTIONS: CHI SI UMILIA ESATABITUR (at lower centre, in the altar); Misura della colona che va al detto disegniato altare e il colore dela colona è di pidiochioso, un colore che [h]a del brutino e grigio spes[s]o (on the verso, partially visible through the secondary support) MEASUREMENTS: Roman palmi, once; scale at the lower right edge of 20 units [once] = 17.8 cm PROVENANCE: Carl Johan Cronstedt and descendants; Eric Langenskiöld; gift to the Nationalmuseum of Stockholm 1941 BIBLIOGRAPHY: Langenskiöld, Moselius 1942, 72, Cat. no. 340; Langenskiöld 1946, 59–61 and fig. 41; Marcucci 1991, 180 and fig. 139; Marcucci 1997, fig. 20b EXHIBITED: Langenskiöld, Moselius 1942, 72, Cat. no. 340 Enrico Caetani, titular cardinal of the Early Christian Church of Santa Pudenziana, entrusted Francesco da Volterra with the restoration of the building, probably at the beginning of 1586. Volterra wrapped the ancient columns in brick pilasters, reinforced the arches of the nave and removed the choir screen. In its place he built a large new altarpiece surmounted by an oval transversal dome. Following the renovation of the church, the works for the construction of the Caetani chapel probably began in 1588 on the site of the ancient oratory of the Buon Pastore. The drawing shows the transversal section of the chapel towards the altar. Cardinal Caetani’s coat of arms is represented on the arch enclosing the niche of the altar. A distinct feature of the drawing is the attention given to the architectural decoration and the lavish use of wash to represent the colourful marble incrustation of the walls, the altar table and the aedicule. Another drawing in the Cronstedt Collection (NM H CC 166, Cat. no. 124), representing the longitudinal section of the chapel, provides information on the date of the project: 13 October 1591. The altar aedicule was finally built between 1594 and 1595 on two columns of grey marble, according to a design that was radically different from the present one. Documentary evidence suggests that the standing structure may be ascribed to the sculptor and architect Pietro Paolo Olivieri (1551–1599) who took over the direction of the works after Volterra's death (Gori 2012, 271). From 1599 onwards, it was the architect Carlo Maderno who oversaw the completion of the chapel. It is probably he who erected the four columns of giallo antico on either side of the entrance way and the two Caetani tombs. On the verso of the sheet is a sketch of a column shaft 14 and 5/6 palmi long, and 1 palmo and 5 once wide at the base. LITERATURE: Lotz 1955, 74–76; Hibbard 1971, 127; Cozzi Beccarini 1976; Marcucci 1991, 160–169; 180–186; Sénécal 1995; Gori 2012; Braconi 2015 OTHER DRAWINGS: Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, NM H CC 166, Cat. no. 124 [end]

Collection

Geographical origin

MaterialPaper

Keyword