Bologna Sant’ Antonio Abate
Sant’ Antonio Abate Photos
About Sant’ Antonio Abate
This façade of St Anthony Abate faces east but it used to face west until 1615 when reconstruction by Floriano Ambrosini changed it around. The Church belonged to the Augustinian Order of the Canonici Regolari di Vienna (relating to Vienne in France and not Austria). The convent attached to it is no longer in existence.
Access is gained via the college next door although it is opened to the public for one hour in the mornings for daily mass services. Due to the usual problems with not having enough resources to keep it open and a lack of priests it has to be kept closed.
Walking towards the entrance now is this first altar with a huge canvas of the Immaculate Virgin. It was completed either late 1500s or early 1600s by Denis Calvaert. It was restored in 1995 by the Superintendent of Bologna under the auspices of art and history.
This small chapel right next to the main door is dedicated again to the Virgin. The order was also known as the Ospitalieri di San Antonio del Tau di Vienna and was initially established in 1095 for those suffering from fuoco sacro – ‘St Anthony’s fire’ that in modern terms is referred to as Ergotism. The order was suppressed in 1586 and shortly afterwards the complex was transferred to Collegio Montalto presently Collegio San Luigi.
Walking back up towards the presbytery is this altar dedicated to the Crucifixion. The large painting here is attributed to Prospero Fontana around the late 1500s and depicts the scene at Calvary and also shows the Mother of Jesus at the foot of the cross in sorrow. It’s also believed that Lavinia Fontana assisted with this work of art. In 1995 it too was restored by the Superintendent of Bologna.
This small canvas probably depicts the beheading of St Peter.
The main altar here boats the largest work of art. It’s attributed to Fabio Fabbi as can be clearly seen at the bottom where he has signed and dated it in 1902. The main door of course used to be here as originally designed by Bonifacio Socchi before 1615.
This tabernacle here is beautifully sculpted but there’s no details as to its exact history or by whom.
This work of art is directly opposite the one of St Peter and shows John the Baptist and Jesus with the heavenly Father blessing them from above. It’s possible this or the other painting was completed by Ramenghi otherwise known as Il Bagnacavallo.
References
Marcello Fini, Bologna sacra. Tutte le chiesa in due millenni di storia, Bologna 2007.