Works of art in the sacristy, choir and gallery of Gesù e Maria: a new study of iconography, attribution and dating
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2025-06-27
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en
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Amidst the busy Via del Corso in Rome, the church of Gesù e Maria has been a place of tranquility and faith for centuries. Its origins go back all the way to the Counter Reformation, when the newly-founded Order of Discalced Augustinians bought the property to construct their own convent, church and school in 1615.1 Today, Gesù e Maria still belongs to this very order and the church continues to serve as residence for the religious community, and a formation house for international students from their provinces.
The church, known for its imposing Baroque interior, also houses many impressive works of art. Yet while the artworks in the nave are visible to churchgoers, and therefore described on information signs and in literature, the paintings in the sacristy, choir and gallery are not. The artworks located here are notably under-discussed in the secondary literature, and some have not been mentioned by authors at all. Information has to be cobbled together from small descriptions in books, and is not always as accurate or up-to-date. Sources are often contradictory, and there are clear gaps in the literature that leave much room for new interpretations.
Yet these artworks are no less worthy of being studied. It is with thanks to the hospitality of the community of Gesù e Maria, that this study could be conducted. The opportunity to view and discuss the works in situ has been instrumental, and truly made the artistic significance of these paintings clear to me. While skillfully and thoughtfully produced, they also tell a lot about the art history, building history and religious history of the Discalced Augustinians at the church. This study is, therefore, an attempt to shed light on these artworks. It is intended to be the first comprehensive source to consult with regard to these artworks, finally lifting them from their obscurity. The thesis thus centers around the following question: ‘What artworks are located in the sacristy, choir and gallery of Gesù e Maria, what is known about these artworks in literature, and what more can be said about these artworks based on new findings?’
Each chapter focuses on a separate space, and all the artworks located here are analyzed sequentially. The emphasis lies on iconographic interpretation, attribution and dating, though style is discussed too. The thoroughness of formal descriptions depends on the relevance to the rest of the research, and titles for the artworks have been given based on other authors’ appellations and own interpretation. The study mainly relies on written sources that describe the church and its works of art, such as guide books and inventory lists, and examines them carefully. Therefore, visits to the library of the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence and the State Archives of Rome have been essential. Foundational to this research moreover has been the booklet ‘La chiesa di Gesù e Maria, storia e arte’ by Ignazio Barbagallo (1914 – 1982), Discalced Augustinian and historian of the church, which was generously gifted to me by the community. It has been last reissued in 2002, and serves as an excellent stepping stone for more thorough research. The most significant findings are then presented in the conclusion of the thesis.
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Faculteit der Letteren