Mural paintings from the Herrera Chapel

Mural paintings from the Herrera Chapel
Fresco painting showing religious figures in a classical composition
ArtistAnnibale Carracci
Year1604–1606
TypeFresco transferred to canvas
LocationMuseu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya & Museo del Prado, Barcelona & Madrid

The mural paintings from the Herrera Chapel are a group of mural paintings by Annibale Carracci and collaborators, of around 1602, now divided between the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona,[1] and the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

They are frescoes that were painted for a chapel in Rome around 1604, but later transferred to canvas and moved to Spain by 1851.

History

In 1602, the Spanish nobleman Juan Enriquez de Herrera dedicated a chapel to the Spanish Franciscan Saint (Didacus or) Diego de Alcala in what is now Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore in Rome, but was then "Saint James of the Spanish", the Spanish national church in Rome. He commissioned Saint Didacus of Alcalá Presenting Juan de Herrera's Son to Christ and frescoes from Carracci. The mural decoration, with scenes from the saint's life, was done by the Bolognese painter Annibale Carracci. In 1604, this master began designing all the preparatory cartoons, but he became ill while personally directing the work "in situ". So, the work was finished by his collaborators, who included Giovanni Lanfranco, Sisto Badalocchio and Francesco Albani.

The Spanish national church in Rome later became the new Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, and the old church was cleared of its artworks. The frescoes in the Herrera chapel were transferred to canvas at the request of the sculptor Antonio Solá, at the expense of Ferdinand VII (d. 1833), and arrived in Spain in 1851. They are now distributed between MNAC and Museo del Prado.

Description

The group consists of 16 items, 9 of which are kept at the MNAC[2] and the other 7 at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. From the former church of San Giacomo degli Spagnuoli in Rome.[3]

# Image Title Authors Museum Reference
1 Fresco depicting apostles gathered around an empty tomb Apostles around the Empty Sepulchre Carracci and Francesco Albani MNAC [4]
2 Fresco showing the miracle of roses scene Miracle of the Roses Carracci, Francesco Albani and Domenico Zampieri MNAC [5]
3 Fresco depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Assumption of the Virgin Carracci and Albani MNAC [6]
4 Circular fresco of God the Father Everlasting Father Carracci and Albani MNAC [7]
5 Fresco showing Christ healing a blind man Healing the Man Born Blind Carracci and Albani MNAC [8]
6 Vertical fresco depicting Saint Paul Saint Paul Carracci and Albani MNAC [9]
7 Vertical fresco depicting Saint Peter Saint Peter Carracci and Albani MNAC [10]
8 Fresco showing Saint Didacus preaching Saint Didacus Preaching Carracci and Sisto Badalocchio MNAC [11]
9 Fresco showing the apparition of Saint Didacus above his tomb Apparition of Saint Didacus above his sepulchre Carracci and Sisto Badalocchio MNAC [12]
10 Circular fresco showing the apotheosis of Saint Francis Apotheosis of Saint Francis Carracci and workshop Museo del Prado [13]
11 Circular fresco showing the apotheosis of Saint James the Greater Apotheosis of Saint James the Greater Carracci and workshop Museo del Prado [14]
12 Circular fresco showing the apotheosis of Saint Lawrence Apotheosis of Saint Lawrence Carracci and workshop Museo del Prado [15]
13 Fresco showing Saint Didacus receiving alms Saint Didacus Receiving Alms Carracci and Albani Museo del Prado [16]
14 Fresco showing Saint Didacus receiving the Franciscan habit Saint Didacus Receiving the Franciscan Habit Carracci and Albani Museo del Prado [17]
15 Fresco depicting the miraculous refection The Miraculous Refection Carracci and Albani Museo del Prado [18]
16 Fresco showing Saint Didacus saving a boy sleeping in an oven Saint Didacus Saves the Boy Sleeping in the Oven Carracci and Albani Museo del Prado [19]

References

  1. ^ Guide of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. MNAC, 2004. ISBN 84-8043-136-9
  2. ^ The artwork at MNAC's Website
  3. ^ Museo del Prado
  4. ^ Apòstols al voltant del Sepulcre buit
  5. ^ Miracle de les roses al web del MNAC
  6. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  7. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  8. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  9. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  10. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  11. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  12. ^ Obra al web del MNAC
  13. ^ Museo del Prado P-76
  14. ^ Museo del Prado P-77
  15. ^ Museo del Prado P-78
  16. ^ Museo del Prado P-2798
  17. ^ Museo del Prado P-2908
  18. ^ Museo del Prado P-2909
  19. ^ Museo del Prado P-2910