Spada Chapel in San Girolama
Spada, Virgilio

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Date
1654-1657Description
Side view of the chapel, depicting the altar-rail and right angel; Virgilio Spada guided the renovation of his family's chapel in S Girolamo della Carità, Rome, which he undertook with his brother Bernardino in 1654-1657. The chapel in Rome is novel in several respects. Its altar-rail by Antonio Giorgetti (d 1670) comprises a pair of angels holding segments of illusionistically carved jasper that together resemble a shroud. The wooden wings of the right-hand angel are hinged to allow access to the chapel. The elaborate marble decoration includes brown and yellow inlay reminiscent of Neapolitan taste, although more subdued. At the right of the chapel is Cosimo Fancelli's tomb of Bernardino Spada and at the left that of Giovanni Spada by Ercole Ferrata. The portrait medallions of earlier generations of the Spada family are by Paolo Naldini (1615-1691). Spada's chief sculptor was Giovanni Somazzi, called il Moretto. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/13/2008)
Type of Work
sepulchral chapelSubject
death or burial, rulers and leaders, Baroque
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only