Dome

View of three wall frescoes in the apse which depict the Crucifixion and Burial of St Andrew (by Mattia Preti); In 1650 Preti won from Cardinal Francesco Peretti-Montalto the prestigious commission to fresco three scenes from the Martyrdom of St Andrew in the apse of S Andrea della Valle, Rome (completed 1651; in situ), a church already celebrated for Lanfranco's Baroque fresco in the dome (1625-1628) and Domenichino's pendentives and scenes from the Life of St Andrew on the vault of the choir (1624-1648). Preti's Theatine patrons expressed complete satisfaction with his work, but his compromise between classicist and realist Baroque styles was generally considered to be inferior to the renowned masterpieces of Lanfranco and Domenichino. [Stucco decoration is by Allessandro Algardi]. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/20/2008)