Ceiling Frescoes of La Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio
Andrea Pozzo - Painter
A.D. 1891
Fresco on Ceiling
La Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio
Rome, Italy
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| Photo Credits: http://photos.foodrepublik.com/st-ignatius-church-ceiling/ |
The church in Rome dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, built in the Baroque style, features ceiling frescoes by Andrea Pozzo. The church was built between 1626 and 1650, during the time of the Counter-Reformation. The Counter-Reformation was an era of shaming the Protestant movement and outdoing any religious competition with the Catholic Church. If one looks to the ceiling of Sant'Ignazio Church, he can see a group of humans being shoved down into the corners as snakes coil viciously around the victims. The people depicted are Protestants, and the image is symbolizing the fact they were evil heretics who will be damned to Hell.
The artist, Andrea Pozzo, was an Italian Jesuit Brother. He was also one of the most skilled painters of the Baroque period, specializing in quadrata and di sutto in su - techniques used in art that is meant to be viewed from below. This ceiling, which is arguably Pozzo’s most famous commission, features frescoes which create a three-dimensional illusion on the flat space so high above the ground. This ceiling has become a prime example of art from the Baroque period because of its breath taking architecture so intricately combined with painting.
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If one examines the entire fresco on the ceiling of Sant’Ignazio, one sees that there is a lot that was meant to be conveyed by Pozzo. Mary and Saint Ignatius are the main focus of the piece, as Mary welcomes Saint Ignatius into heaven in celebration of his works and the works of the Society of Jesus. They are surrounded by representations of the four continents, which were all destinations the Jesuits pursued in their hopes to spread Catholicism. Angels, clouds, and gold are used to present the heavenly atmosphere. Rich colors are also featured which was prominent in art during the Baroque time period. In each of the corners of the ceiling there are men being pushed down out of the heavenly realm. These are the Protestants who newly arose out of the Reformation. In response to the growing Protestant movement, a new and more determined focus to spread Catholicism took place. The Jesuits were among the most educated Roman Catholics and were extremely convicted to stop the heresy of the Protestant.
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