A certain reputation makes many overlook Naples as a holiday destination but if you have found a vacation rental in Campania and are spending time exploring the area then it is worth remembering that by writing off the city entirely, there is a rich wealth of history and culture that you will be missing out on. Naples is full of architectural gems, stunning churches, and incredible museums thanks to its long and diverse history and the influence of so many different countries and civilisations on the city throughout the centuries. One such example of a truly phenomenal cultural gem is the Cappella Sansevero, a church that boasts one of the most extraordinary sculptural collections in Italy and in the world. There are few other places in the globe where you could hope to stumble upon an outwardly innocuous church that is so full of masterpieces as this.
Located on Via Francesco de Sanctis 19, in the historic centre of Naples, the Cappella Sansevero (also known as the Cappella Sansevero de' Sangri or Pietatella and properly named the Cappella di Santa Maria della Pietà or Church of Santa Maria della Pietà) is a 16th century chapel that is home to incredible examples of Rococo sculpture by many of the leading artists of 18th century Italy.
Located on Via Francesco de Sanctis 19, in the historic centre of Naples, the Cappella Sansevero (also known as the Cappella Sansevero de' Sangri or Pietatella and properly named the Cappella di Santa Maria della Pietà or Church of Santa Maria della Pietà) is a 16th century chapel that is home to incredible examples of Rococo sculpture by many of the leading artists of 18th century Italy.
The origins of the building date back to 1590 when it was built as a private chapel for John Francesco di Sangro, the Duke of Torremaggiore, upon his recovering from a serious illness, in what were the gardens of the nearby Sansevero family home at the time, the Palazzo Sansevero. In fact, until the 19th century, the chapel was directly connected to the Palazzo Sansevero by a passageway. It is also this connection to the Palazzo Sansevero and Sansevero family that have given the chapel the name by which it is most commonly called to this day. Then, in 1613 Alessandro di Sangro converted the building into a family burial chamber and was reconstructed (with the addition of rich iconography and Masonic symbols) by Raimondo di Sangro, Prince of Sansevero.
Raimondo di Sangro, was an original exponent of the first European Enlightenment and was a great inventor and patron of the arts. He spent lots of time in the underground laboratories of his palace, working on experiments. However, he was secretive about his work and so the chapel remains as the most public and clear example of his education and inventive spirit. He designed the impressive iconographic design of the chapel and commissioned many of the great works that are housed within.
Raimondo di Sangro, was an original exponent of the first European Enlightenment and was a great inventor and patron of the arts. He spent lots of time in the underground laboratories of his palace, working on experiments. However, he was secretive about his work and so the chapel remains as the most public and clear example of his education and inventive spirit. He designed the impressive iconographic design of the chapel and commissioned many of the great works that are housed within.
In total, there are around thirty works of art, lush and swaggering decorative Rococo pieces that are a true feast for the eyes. However, much as the whole effect of the chapel and all of the pieces inside is staggering and despite all of the works being intriguing in their own right, there are three particularly famous works among them. These are: the, “Veiled Truth,” (the allegorical figure of Pudicizia who can also be called Modesty or Chastity) by Antonio Corradini, which was finished in 1752 and commissioned as a monument for the tomb of Cecilia Gaetani dell'Aquila d'Aragona, Raimondo’s mother; the most renowned work, “Christ Veiled under a Shroud,” (or, simply, the Veiled Christ) by Giuseppe Sanmartino from 1753; and the, “Release from Deception,” which was completed in 1753-54 by Francesco Queirolo of Genoa and was commissioned as a monument to Raimondo's father. In addition to the sculptural works there are also several painted works including the lovely frescoed ceiling that was painted by Francesco Maria Russo in 1749 and there are some fascinating early anatomical models on display in the basement, below the chapel.
Naples is full of such exceptional gems as this and is a definite must-see destination for any art-lovers who have found a vacation rental in Campania and are spending time in this part of Italy.
Naples is full of such exceptional gems as this and is a definite must-see destination for any art-lovers who have found a vacation rental in Campania and are spending time in this part of Italy.