Bologna Santissimo Salvatore part 1
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Santissimo Salvatore part 1 Photos
About Santissimo Salvatore part 1
This façade of this church of The Most Holy Salvatore displays four evangelist statues attributed to Giovanni Tedeschi while high above the main portal damaged in 1849 by an Austrian bomb are three more statues of copper created by Orazio Provaglia, the central one of course depicting Saint Salvatore.
The church is presently closed to the public and only opened to groups of prearranged visitors. Guided tours are led by a very friendly and enthusiastic guide called Giulia Gandolfi.
Work got underway for the grand basilica present today in 1605 under the direction of Giovanni Ambrogio Mazenta, assisted by Tommaso Martelli. It was eventually concluded in 1623 and included an ample nave with eight chapels, four on each side. The only original feature to remain was the bell tower from the previous century.
This first chapel on the right shows this canvas of Ercole Graziani with the beatified Archangel Canetoli who refuses the role of archbishop of Florence from Giuliano de’Medici. The two statues of St Agostino and St Girolamo on either side are by Tedeschi.
The next chapel along displays four sculptures by Tedeschi and Clemente Molli. The beautiful chandeliers were restored quite recently and are considered very valuable. The painting, by Andrea Donducci or il Mastellata as he was referred to, depicts the Resurrection. The confessional box also here under the painting dates to the 1700s.
The third chapel depicts the celebrated painting from the XIV century of the Madonna della Vittoria or Madonna del Monte. It’s attributed to Lippo di Dalmasio or perhaps even Simone de’Crocifissi while the frescoes on the vault were by Guardassoni and del Samoggia.
The fourth chapel along the transept here holds the most precious works of art in the church. This huge canvas is called The Miracle of the Beirut Crucifix and dates to 1579 by Jacopo Coppi also known as Jacopo Del Meglio. Another special mention must go to this one called The Virgin at the Temple of St Thomas Becket of Canterbury. Girolamo da Treviso created this work mid 1500s for the original church. Incidentally, Beckett was studying here in Bologna just before 1173 when many visitors to the church were English students. As a consequence one of the chapels was dedicated in his honour.
One of the main highlights of art work here is this ancient and rare polyptcyh by Vitale da Bologna from 1353. Protected by glass it shows the Virgin being crowned in between two saints. Back at the main door again and now going along the left hand side is this first chapel with a vibrant work by Benvenuto Tisi also nicknamed Il Garofalo. It shows St John the Baptist before various saints and dates to 1532.
The next one shows this canvas by Carlo Bononi from the 1600s of The Ascension and which was restored by Camillo Tarozzi.
Just before the third chapel is this skilfully carved pulpit made from walnut from 1926 by Carlo Bordoni and Ferdinando Rossi. It provides a very striking view over the nave.
This chapel displays Innocenzo da Imola depicting The Crucifixion and Saints from 1539. On the lateral sides are sculptures by Andrea Guerra and Giovanni Tedeschi.
The last chapel on the transept presents Alessandro Tiarini’s Nativity scene which sources indicate may have been destined for the main altar.
It’s not so widely known or even reported but right in the center of the nave is this marble tablet marking the tomb of the celebrated painter Guercino, born Giovan Francesco Barbieri and buried here in 1666.
This beautiful altar is the work of Camillo Ambrosi. High above and behind it are four paintings of prophets while the main one here showing Jesus the Saviour in Gloria was a joint work between Giovanni Francesco Gessi and Guido Reni.
Lower down are four paintings telling the story of The Crucifix of Beirut, again another collaboration work between Giacomo Cavedoni and Francesco Brizzi. It recounts how a crucifix which was hidden for some time was suddenly revealed by a Jew in a house in Beirut and began to bleed. The subsequent events which are quite fanciful in themselves led to the Jews converting to Christianity. Although the story may lend itself to the imagination the art work is nevertheless quite astonishing and compliments an equally historic building.
References
Massimo Fornasari – Marco Poli – Adelfo Zaccanti, La Chiesa e La Biblioteca del SS. Salvatore in Bologna, Florence 1995.
Marcello Fini, Bologna sacra. Tutte le chiesa in due millenni di storia, Bologna 2007.