On the 8th of December 1656 (feast day of the Immaculate conception), the Conservators and the Senators of Rome made a vow: they would rebuild the Church of Santa Maria in Portico in order to give a more decorous location to the image of the Virgin and Childe that had protected the city of Rome from Plague. Yet, pope Alexander VII decided to translate the miraculous image to the Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli that, likewise Santa Maria in Portico, was officiated by the Regular Clerics of the Mother of God. The pope was using this painted image of the Virgin Mary in order to promote the cult of the Immaculate Conception. As a matter of fact, Ippolito Marracci (1604-1675), perhaps the strongest supporter of the Immaculist party in Rome in the middle of the XVIIth century, was active as theologian in Santa Maria in Campitelli. Trait d'union between Marracci and Alessandro VII was the Sienese painter Raffaello Vanni, whom had already deep personal ties with both of them. Early on, in 1644, Vanni had already painted, under Marracci’s request, an Immaculate Conception for the church of Santa Maria in Portico.
L’8 dicembre 1656 (festa dell’Immacolata Concezione) i conservatori e i senatori di Roma fecero voto di ricostruire la chiesa di Santa Maria in Portico per dare più degna sistemazione alla miracolosa immagine della Vergine col Bambino che aveva protetto Roma dalla peste. Il pontefice Alessandro VII decise però di traslare l’immagine alla chiesa di Santa Maria in Campitelli, anch’essa officiata dai chierici regolari della Madre di Dio. L’Ordine non accolse di buon grado la decisione, e l'8 dicembre del 1657, Alessandro VII istituì una Congregazione affinché venisse presa la decisione finale: ed il desiderio del pontefice venne esaudito. Il pontefice, attraverso quella venerata Vergine col Bambino, voleva promuovere il culto dell'Immacolata Concezione: proprio a Santa Maria in Campitelli svolgeva la sua attività di studio e ricerca Ippolito Marracci (1604-1675), forse il più acceso sostenitore del partito immacolista della Roma di metà Seicento. A fare da trait d'union tra Marracci e Alessandro VII doveva essere stato il pittore senese Raffaello Vanni, legatissimo ad entrambi, che già intorno al 1644 aveva dipinto, su commissione del teologo mariano, un'Immacolata Concezione per la chiesa poi ricostruita.
Alessandro VII, Raffaello Vanni, Ippolito Marracci: la ricostruzione di Santa Maria in Campitelli / Pierguidi, Stefano. - In: STUDI DI STORIA DELL'ARTE. - ISSN 1123-5683. - STAMPA. - XXV:(2014), pp. 161-166.
Alessandro VII, Raffaello Vanni, Ippolito Marracci: la ricostruzione di Santa Maria in Campitelli
PIERGUIDI, Stefano
2014
Abstract
On the 8th of December 1656 (feast day of the Immaculate conception), the Conservators and the Senators of Rome made a vow: they would rebuild the Church of Santa Maria in Portico in order to give a more decorous location to the image of the Virgin and Childe that had protected the city of Rome from Plague. Yet, pope Alexander VII decided to translate the miraculous image to the Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli that, likewise Santa Maria in Portico, was officiated by the Regular Clerics of the Mother of God. The pope was using this painted image of the Virgin Mary in order to promote the cult of the Immaculate Conception. As a matter of fact, Ippolito Marracci (1604-1675), perhaps the strongest supporter of the Immaculist party in Rome in the middle of the XVIIth century, was active as theologian in Santa Maria in Campitelli. Trait d'union between Marracci and Alessandro VII was the Sienese painter Raffaello Vanni, whom had already deep personal ties with both of them. Early on, in 1644, Vanni had already painted, under Marracci’s request, an Immaculate Conception for the church of Santa Maria in Portico.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.