Matris Domini Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Matris Domini Monastery is an enclosed female monastery
which hosts the museum
of the same name, situated in the lower part of the Italian
city of Bergamo
. It houses a museum featuring several medieval frescoes with religious themes.
The monastery was founded during the second half of the 13th century by the Dominican
order to house a nun community. There is no certain date for the foundation, probably during the bishop
ry of Algiso da Rosate or Erbordo Ungano. Its church was consecrated on March 25, 1273 by the Bishop Guiscardo Suardi.
Since its beginning the monastery witnessed continuous development and an enlargement of its community. It was rebuilt in 1359 and was enlarged in the 16th and 17th century but, during modern times it was suppressed during the French Napoleonic occupation of Italy
. In contemporary times, it was converted into a Nazi prison during the German occupation of Italy.
The monastery was eventually returned to its own original function and to the nuns.
, thus constituting the Matris Domini Museum.
The frescoes, originating from the same monastery, where they were decorating different sites of the original structure, have been saved from degradation by detaching and transferring them on ad hoc substrates.
Dating from the 13th and the 14th century, they are among the earliest examples of the fresco painting art in Lombardy
, some of them are among the most ancient altogether.
Together with the Visitation, other frescoes are displayed, some of them well preserved. Scenes include the Just, the Blessed, two Angels with a trumpet, Saint Peter
on the throne, the Hell
, all attributed to the Master of the Life Tree.
Other frescoes depict Jesus
among the Doctors, The Baptism of Jesus, The Virgin with Child Enthroned, The Miracle of the Wheel by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Martin
with the Pauper, Jesus entering Jerusalem, and the Miracle of Napoleone Orsini's reanimation by Saint Dominic
. These works, together with the Visitation, have been attributed to the First Master of Chiaravalle.
The museum also houses five polychrome glass circles are displayed, originating from the 14th century stained glass window which decorated the apse
of the old church. They are the oldest vitreous work in Lombardy.
The largest displays the Virgin and Blessing Child and shares with the two circles depicting the angels the peculiarity of the face and the hands devoid of color. The other two circles show, respectively, Saint Dominic Blessing and Peter of Verona
, the first Dominican saint.
and two aisles, and by the external church.
The latter was radically transformed in the 17th century into a luminous Baroque
environment, decorated by stuccoes and frescoes, including some by Pietro Baschenis, as well as several altarpiece
s situated in the side chapels.
Above the main altar
is the 17th century altarpiece of the Annunciation
, executed by an unknown master; at its sides there are the altarpiece of the Adoration of the Shepherds (also by an unknown artist) and the Massacre of the Innocents
by Pietro Ricchi.
The chapels are decorated by altarpieces dating from the 18th and 19th century. The Tryptich of Saint Peter Martyr is missing from the church, since it was stolen during Napoleon's era.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
which hosts the museum
Museo Matris Domini
The Museo Matris Domini is housed in the oldest section of the Dominican convent of the same name, situated in the city centre of Bergamo, Italy...
of the same name, situated in the lower part of the Italian
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...
city of Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. It houses a museum featuring several medieval frescoes with religious themes.
History
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
order to house a nun community. There is no certain date for the foundation, probably during the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
ry of Algiso da Rosate or Erbordo Ungano. Its church was consecrated on March 25, 1273 by the Bishop Guiscardo Suardi.
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. In contemporary times, it was converted into a Nazi prison during the German occupation of Italy.
The monastery was eventually returned to its own original function and to the nuns.
The museum
The monastery displays in ad hoc premises Romanesque frescoesRomanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
, thus constituting the Matris Domini Museum.
The frescoes, originating from the same monastery, where they were decorating different sites of the original structure, have been saved from degradation by detaching and transferring them on ad hoc substrates.
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, some of them are among the most ancient altogether.
Together with the Visitation, other frescoes are displayed, some of them well preserved. Scenes include the Just, the Blessed, two Angels with a trumpet, Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
on the throne, the Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, all attributed to the Master of the Life Tree.
Other frescoes depict Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
among the Doctors, The Baptism of Jesus, The Virgin with Child Enthroned, The Miracle of the Wheel by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
with the Pauper, Jesus entering Jerusalem, and the Miracle of Napoleone Orsini's reanimation by Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
. These works, together with the Visitation, have been attributed to the First Master of Chiaravalle.
The museum also houses five polychrome glass circles are displayed, originating from the 14th century stained glass window which decorated the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
of the old church. They are the oldest vitreous work in Lombardy.
The largest displays the Virgin and Blessing Child and shares with the two circles depicting the angels the peculiarity of the face and the hands devoid of color. The other two circles show, respectively, Saint Dominic Blessing and Peter of Verona
Peter of Verona
Saint Peter of Verona O.P. , also known as Saint Peter Martyr, was a 13th century Italian Catholic priest. He was a Dominican friar and a celebrated preacher...
, the first Dominican saint.
The church
Next to the museum, also part of the convent complex, is the church, consecrated in 1273 and composed, following the female monasteries tradition, by an internal chapel constituted by a naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and two aisles, and by the external church.
The latter was radically transformed in the 17th century into a luminous Baroque
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...
environment, decorated by stuccoes and frescoes, including some by Pietro Baschenis, as well as several altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s situated in the side chapels.
Above the main altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
is the 17th century altarpiece of the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
, executed by an unknown master; at its sides there are the altarpiece of the Adoration of the Shepherds (also by an unknown artist) and the Massacre of the Innocents
Massacre of the Innocents
The Massacre of the Innocents is an episode of infanticide by the King of Judea, Herod the Great. According to the Gospel of Matthew Herod orders the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth...
by Pietro Ricchi.
The chapels are decorated by altarpieces dating from the 18th and 19th century. The Tryptich of Saint Peter Martyr is missing from the church, since it was stolen during Napoleon's era.
Sources
- Angelini G.B., Descrizione del venerabile Monastero di Santa Maria Mater Domini di Bergamo. Bergamo, 1750.
- Angelini L., Affreschi trecenteschi in Bergamo. Bergamo, 1953.
- Garin, EugenioEugenio GarinEugenio Garin was an Italian philosopher and Renaissance historian. He was recognised as an authority on the cultural history of the Renaissance...
, Medioevo e Rinascimento - Laterza 2005 Bari - ISBN 88-420-7669-4 - Garin Eugenio a cura, L'uomo del Rinascimento - Laterza 2000 Bari - ISBN 88-420-4794-5
- Huizinga Johan, L'autunno del Medioevo, Newton, 1997 Roma - ISBN 88-8183-898-2
- Perdichizzi M. Il Monastero di Santa Maria Matris Domini in Bergamo durante il secolo XVI - Tesi di Laurea, Università Cattolica di Milano.
- Piccinni G. - I mille anni del medioevo - Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 1999, ISBN 88-424-9355-4.
- Zanella V., Di quaranta e più monache capace in Il monastero Matris Domini in Bergamo. Monumenta Borgomensia, Bergamo 1980.
- Tardito R., Vicissitudini degli affreschi in Il monastero Matris Domini in Bergamo. Monumenta Borgomensia, Bergamo 1980.