Gesù Nuovo
Encyclopedia
Gesù Nuovo is the name of a church and a square in Naples
, Italy
. They are located just outside the western boundary of the historic center of the city. The existence of the square is a consequence of the expansion of the city to the west beginning in the early 16th century under the rule of Spanish viceroy Pedro Alvarez de Toledo. The square is marked by three prominent landmarks:
, Prince of Salerno. The Jesuits had already built a church in Naples, now called Gesú Vecchio. Political intrigues caused the property to be confiscated, and eventually sold in the 1580s to the Jesuits for 45,000 ducats to construct a church (1584–1601) under architect Giuseppe Valeriano. When the Jesuits were expelled from Naples in 1767, the church passed to the Franciscan
order. The Jesuits returned in 1821. The unusual facade, unusually plain for a Baroque style
church, is of rusticated ashlar
and is the original façade of the palace.
s representing Biblical and Saintly narratives that exalt the name of Jesus were carried out by Belisario Corenzio
and Paolo de Matteis
. Also, the church displays behind the facade The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple (1725), a baroque
masterpiece by Francesco Solimena
. The four pillars are frescoed the four Evangelists, a work by Giovanni Lanfranco
. The frescos of the life of the Virgin
, placed on the second part of the vault up to the apse by Massimo Stanzione
.
Three bronze bas-reliefs arise on a black marble base: on the left, Supper of Emmaus (made by Salvatore Irdi), on the right, The Promise of Eucharist to Cafarnao, and in the middle the reproduction of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
. These last two bas-relieves are works by Gennaro Calì.
Above the altar, with didactic and historical symbols concerning the Eucharistic mystery, are eight busts of Saints, who glorified the Eucharist, overhang from shell-shaped medallions. From the left to the right are medallions of Saints Juliana of Liège
, Stanislaus Kostka
, Thomas Aquinas
, Francis Borgia
, Gaetano Thiene, and the blessed Lanfranc of Canterbury. Gennaro Calì carried out four medallions; the third and the fourth bust are by Costantino Labarbera.
The chapel of the visitation and St. Giuseppe Moscati
on the right has an altar-piece is by Massimo Stanzione
. Under the altar, there is the bronze urn containing the mortal remains of St. Joseph Moscati (1880–1927), a biochemistry teacher at the University of Naples and head physician of the Hospital of the Incurables, canonized on 25 October 1997 by Pope John Paul II
. His triple avocations are shown in the triptych sculptured on the urn by Amedeo Garufi.
The left panel represents Professor with his students, the middle the Saint enlightened by the Eucharist, the right one the Doctor, giving comfort to suffering and sick people at the Hospital. In 1990, a bronze statue of the Saint, whose author is Pier Luigi Sopelsa, was placed on the left.
The altar-piece represents Saint Xavier receiving a vision of Virgin Mary, attributed to Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino. On the upper part, three paintings on the wall by Luca Giordano
and the vault frescoes by Corenzio and De Matteis represent episodes from the Saint’s life.
The canvas placed in the chapel of St. Francis Borgia (1510–1572) is attributed to Sebastiano Conca
.
At the end of the right aisle, there is the Sacred Heart chapel, once dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The frescos on the side walls were carried out by Belisario Corenzio
. The picture representing the holy Trinity with Groups of Saints, whose author is Guercino, is now placed on one side of the chapel of St. Ignatius.
The altar-piece represents the Virgin with Child Jesus and 3 Saint Martyrs on the left is attributed to Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (1560–1610). The second, Nativity chapel, has an altarpiece by Girolamo Imparato
.
The chapel dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, Among statues are two of David and Jeremiah by Cosimo Fanzago. On the upper part, two paintings by Ribera portray the story of the Saint. The vault frescos, with episodes from St. Ignatius’s life by De Matteis. The famous composer Carlo Gesualdo
, prince of Venosa is buried in front of the St. Ignatius Chapel.
The Crucifix Chapel. The wooden Christ Crucified, with the Blessed Virgin and St. John, was sculpted by Francesco Mollica.
The two imposing side Reliquaries, with 70 busts of saint martyrs in golden wood, were made in the most part in 1617 by the Neapolitan woodcarver Giovan Battista Gallone.
The Sacristy contains frescos by Aniello Falcone
. The Lavabo, at the back, is a work in polychrome marbles made by Dionisio Lazzari
.
church—convent built between 1310 and 1328 for the wife of King Robert of Anjou. It is marked by a belfry that stands within the grounds at the northeast corner. The complex retains the citadel-like walls setting it apart from the outside world, walls that contained a vast religious community—and today contain a more modest one—made up of the Convent of the Poor Clares and an order Grey Friars. The complex was expanded along Baroque architecture
lines in the 18th century. It was almost entirely destroyed by bombing in WW II and was restored to its original Gothic form in 1953. The noteworthy monastic courtyard
in the rear of the church is the result of a renovation done by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro
in the 1730s, for Maria Amalia of Saxony
, wife of Charles III
of Bourbon, King of Naples. The majolica
tilework is characteristic of the school of Neapolitan ceramic from that period and was crafted by Donato Massa and his son, Giuseppe.
that stands at the center of the town square
. It is the tallest and most ornamental of three such "plague columns
" in Naples—that is, built to invoke the Lord's protection from the plague. This one was completed in 1750 after many decades of construction. Some of the finest sculptors of the 18th century worked on the spire, including Francesco Pagani and Matteo Bottiglieri
. Depicted on the spire, among other scenes, are the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple; The Birth of the Virgin Mary; and The Annunciation. Its rich ornamentation is considered the epitome of Neapolitan Baroque sculpture.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They are located just outside the western boundary of the historic center of the city. The existence of the square is a consequence of the expansion of the city to the west beginning in the early 16th century under the rule of Spanish viceroy Pedro Alvarez de Toledo. The square is marked by three prominent landmarks:
- The Church of Gesù Nuovo
- The Church of Santa Chiara
- The Spire of the Immaculate Virgin
Church of Gesù Nuovo
Architecture
The Church of Gesù Nuovo (New Jesus) was originally a palace built in 1470 for Roberto SanseverinoRoberto Sanseverino
Roberto Sanseverino was an Italian nobleman and admiral of the Kingdom of Naples. He was the first prince of Salerno from 1463, as well as the count of Marsica and Sanseverino, baron of Cilento and lord of Agropoli and Castellabate....
, Prince of Salerno. The Jesuits had already built a church in Naples, now called Gesú Vecchio. Political intrigues caused the property to be confiscated, and eventually sold in the 1580s to the Jesuits for 45,000 ducats to construct a church (1584–1601) under architect Giuseppe Valeriano. When the Jesuits were expelled from Naples in 1767, the church passed to the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
order. The Jesuits returned in 1821. The unusual facade, unusually plain for a Baroque style
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
church, is of rusticated ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
and is the original façade of the palace.
Art
The vault frescoFresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s representing Biblical and Saintly narratives that exalt the name of Jesus were carried out by Belisario Corenzio
Belisario Corenzio
Belisario Corenzio was an Italian Mannerist painter, a Greek by birth. He is reputed, with little documentation, to have studied under Tintoretto, in part because his drawings often resemble those of the Venetian painter...
and Paolo de Matteis
Paolo de Matteis
Paolo de Matteis was an Italian painter.He was born in Cilento near Salerno, and died in Naples. He trained with Francesco di Maria in Naples, then with Luca Giordano. He came to the employ of the Spanish Viceroy of Naples. From 1702 to 1705, de' Matteis worked in Paris, Calabria, and Genoa...
. Also, the church displays behind the facade The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple (1725), a baroque
Baroque art
Baroque painting is the painting associated with the Baroque cultural movement. The movement is often identified with Absolutism, the Counter Reformation and Catholic Revival, but the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states throughout Western...
masterpiece by Francesco Solimena
Francesco Solimena
Francesco Solimena was a prolific Italian painter of the Baroque era, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen.-Biography:Francesco Solimena was born in Canale di Serino, near Avellino....
. The four pillars are frescoed the four Evangelists, a work by Giovanni Lanfranco
Giovanni Lanfranco
Giovanni Lanfranco was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.-Biography:Giovanni Gaspare Lanfranco was born in Parma, the third son of Stefano and Cornelia Lanfranchi, and was placed as a page in the household of Count Orazio Scotti...
. The frescos of the life of the Virgin
Life of the Virgin
The Life of the Virgin, showing narrative scenes from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a common subject for pictorial cycles in Christian art, often complementing, or forming part of, a cycle on the Life of Christ. In both cases the number of scenes shown varies greatly with the space...
, placed on the second part of the vault up to the apse by Massimo Stanzione
Massimo Stanzione
Massimo Stanzione was an Italian Baroque painter, mainly active in Naples.Massimo Stanzione was an Italian Baroque painter. Born in Naples in 1586, Massimo was greatly influenced by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, but what earned him the nickname of The Neapolitan Guido Reni was his...
.
Three bronze bas-reliefs arise on a black marble base: on the left, Supper of Emmaus (made by Salvatore Irdi), on the right, The Promise of Eucharist to Cafarnao, and in the middle the reproduction of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
. These last two bas-relieves are works by Gennaro Calì.
Above the altar, with didactic and historical symbols concerning the Eucharistic mystery, are eight busts of Saints, who glorified the Eucharist, overhang from shell-shaped medallions. From the left to the right are medallions of Saints Juliana of Liège
Juliana of Liège
Saint Juliana of Liège was a religious woman and visionary from Retinnes in the Bishopric of Liège, now in Belgium. She was known in her community for her "capacious memory," her gift of prophecy, and religious devotion...
, Stanislaus Kostka
Stanislaus Kostka
Stanisław Kostka S.J. was a Polish novice of the Society of Jesus. In the Catholic Church as Saint Stanislaus Kostka....
, Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
, Francis Borgia
Francis Borgia
Saint Francis Borgia, 4th duke of Gandía, 3rd Father General of the Jesuit Order, Grandee of Spain, was a Spanish Jesuit and third Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was canonized on 20 June 1670.-Early life:He was born Francesco Borgia de Candia d'Aragon within the Duchy of Gandía,...
, Gaetano Thiene, and the blessed Lanfranc of Canterbury. Gennaro Calì carried out four medallions; the third and the fourth bust are by Costantino Labarbera.
The chapel of the visitation and St. Giuseppe Moscati
Giuseppe Moscati
Saint Giuseppe Moscati was an Italian doctor, scientific researcher, and university professor noted both for his pioneering work in biochemistry and for his piety...
on the right has an altar-piece is by Massimo Stanzione
Massimo Stanzione
Massimo Stanzione was an Italian Baroque painter, mainly active in Naples.Massimo Stanzione was an Italian Baroque painter. Born in Naples in 1586, Massimo was greatly influenced by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, but what earned him the nickname of The Neapolitan Guido Reni was his...
. Under the altar, there is the bronze urn containing the mortal remains of St. Joseph Moscati (1880–1927), a biochemistry teacher at the University of Naples and head physician of the Hospital of the Incurables, canonized on 25 October 1997 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. His triple avocations are shown in the triptych sculptured on the urn by Amedeo Garufi.
The left panel represents Professor with his students, the middle the Saint enlightened by the Eucharist, the right one the Doctor, giving comfort to suffering and sick people at the Hospital. In 1990, a bronze statue of the Saint, whose author is Pier Luigi Sopelsa, was placed on the left.
The altar-piece represents Saint Xavier receiving a vision of Virgin Mary, attributed to Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino. On the upper part, three paintings on the wall by Luca Giordano
Luca Giordano
Luca Giordano was an Italian late Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples and Rome, Florence and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain....
and the vault frescoes by Corenzio and De Matteis represent episodes from the Saint’s life.
The canvas placed in the chapel of St. Francis Borgia (1510–1572) is attributed to Sebastiano Conca
Sebastiano Conca
Sebastiano Conca was an Italian painter.He was born at Gaeta, then part of the Kingdom of Naples, and apprenticed in Naples under Francesco Solimena. In 1706, along with his brother Giovanni, who acted as his assistant, he settled at Rome, where for several years he worked in chalk only, to...
.
At the end of the right aisle, there is the Sacred Heart chapel, once dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The frescos on the side walls were carried out by Belisario Corenzio
Belisario Corenzio
Belisario Corenzio was an Italian Mannerist painter, a Greek by birth. He is reputed, with little documentation, to have studied under Tintoretto, in part because his drawings often resemble those of the Venetian painter...
. The picture representing the holy Trinity with Groups of Saints, whose author is Guercino, is now placed on one side of the chapel of St. Ignatius.
The altar-piece represents the Virgin with Child Jesus and 3 Saint Martyrs on the left is attributed to Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (1560–1610). The second, Nativity chapel, has an altarpiece by Girolamo Imparato
Girolamo Imparato
Girolamo Imparato was an Italian painter working in a late-Renaissance or Mannerist style, active mainly in Naples. His father, the painter Francesco Imparato, was a colleague of Francesco Santafede.-References:...
.
The chapel dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, Among statues are two of David and Jeremiah by Cosimo Fanzago. On the upper part, two paintings by Ribera portray the story of the Saint. The vault frescos, with episodes from St. Ignatius’s life by De Matteis. The famous composer Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo, known as Gesualdo di Venosa or Gesualdo da Venosa , Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian nobleman, lutenist, composer, and murderer....
, prince of Venosa is buried in front of the St. Ignatius Chapel.
The Crucifix Chapel. The wooden Christ Crucified, with the Blessed Virgin and St. John, was sculpted by Francesco Mollica.
The two imposing side Reliquaries, with 70 busts of saint martyrs in golden wood, were made in the most part in 1617 by the Neapolitan woodcarver Giovan Battista Gallone.
The Sacristy contains frescos by Aniello Falcone
Aniello Falcone
Aniello Falcone was an Italian Baroque painter, active in Naples and noted for his painted depictions of battle scenes.-Biography:...
. The Lavabo, at the back, is a work in polychrome marbles made by Dionisio Lazzari
Dionisio Lazzari
Dionisio Lazzari was an Italian sculptor and architect.He was born in Naples in 1617, the son of Jacopo Lazzari and Caterina Papini. Jacopo was born in Florence, and his and Dionisio's work shows Tuscan influences...
.
The Church of Santa Chiara
The Church of Santa Chiara is a Gothic styleGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church—convent built between 1310 and 1328 for the wife of King Robert of Anjou. It is marked by a belfry that stands within the grounds at the northeast corner. The complex retains the citadel-like walls setting it apart from the outside world, walls that contained a vast religious community—and today contain a more modest one—made up of the Convent of the Poor Clares and an order Grey Friars. The complex was expanded along Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
lines in the 18th century. It was almost entirely destroyed by bombing in WW II and was restored to its original Gothic form in 1953. The noteworthy monastic courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
in the rear of the church is the result of a renovation done by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro
Domenico Antonio Vaccaro
Domenico Antonio Vaccaro was an Italian painter, sculptor and architect, the son and pupil of Lorenzo Vaccaro. Lorenzo was in turn a pupil of Cosimo Fanzago and was part of a large family of artists including Andrea Vaccaro, a pupil of Girolamo Imparato.Domenico Antonio was born in Naples and his...
in the 1730s, for Maria Amalia of Saxony
Maria Amalia of Saxony
Maria Amalia of Saxony was a German princess from the House of Wettin and was the wife of Charles III of Spain; she was the Queen consort of Naples and Sicily from 1738 till 1759 and then Queen consort of Spain from 1759 until her death in 1760...
, wife of Charles III
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
of Bourbon, King of Naples. The majolica
Maiolica
Maiolica is Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colours on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.-Name:...
tilework is characteristic of the school of Neapolitan ceramic from that period and was crafted by Donato Massa and his son, Giuseppe.
The Spire of the Immaculate Virgin
The Spire of the Immaculate Virgin is a tall monumentMonument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
that stands at the center of the town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
. It is the tallest and most ornamental of three such "plague columns
Marian and Holy Trinity columns
Marian columns are religious monuments built in honour of the Virgin Mary, often in thanksgiving for the ending of a plague or for some other help. The purpose of the Holy Trinity columns was usually simply to celebrate the church and the faith. However, the plague motif could sometimes play its...
" in Naples—that is, built to invoke the Lord's protection from the plague. This one was completed in 1750 after many decades of construction. Some of the finest sculptors of the 18th century worked on the spire, including Francesco Pagani and Matteo Bottiglieri
Matteo Bottiglieri
Matteo Bottiglieri was an Italian sculptor and painter from Naples.One of his first works is a marble "Dead Christ" , in the crypt of the Capua Cathedral, perhaps executed after drawings by Francesco Solimena...
. Depicted on the spire, among other scenes, are the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple; The Birth of the Virgin Mary; and The Annunciation. Its rich ornamentation is considered the epitome of Neapolitan Baroque sculpture.