Andrea Pozzo’s Frescoes in the Church of St. Ignatius
On the one hand, we have what would be the base of the cone, and the bottom would be the final. Then, another cone that would lead us to another point, as we move from light to shade, from the glory of the world to the doomed end—the end of the world. The glory is open; there is an upward movement of this for all who are saved and a downward movement for all below who have been convicted. Figures are rising.
There is a figure that serves as a link; just below it, it seems we are going to fall over because we are in the world of the condemned. These figures will have fallen below the dome and have gotten into our space. Figures are well-drawn, with incredible stout strength, anatomies that have evolved from Michelangelo, with a more dramatic movement. The colors in Gaulli are decisive; he is attracted much to the sweet and warm color of Correggio and is driven by the whiteness of the expressions. These colors will be seen as the pastel colors of the eighteenth century, as opposed to the sour and metallic colors of Mannerism.
Peter Paul Rubens, The Fall of the Damned, 1518-1920. Compared with the vault of the Gesu, it is a real waterfall of figures. The types of Rubens—energetic types, almost sculptural anatomies—compared to those of Rubens, are fat and plump. It could be seen as a derivation of *Judgement* in the Sistine Chapel.
In the dome and the vault, we have the glory, again, where the Holy Trinity is represented: the Son, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Virgin. Here, the burst of glory is not ordered in rings; clouds move increasingly in a more free manner. These rings are disappearing, and cumulus clouds are created around the figures. The contrasts of light and shadow become more marked. The figures appear to have been detached from the architecture as if they were flying—the more wax-like to the viewer, but drawn. In the apse is a representation of Christ, the risen Lamb. Around him is all the glory: angels, saints, etc., a figure who is again the center of the conical perspective.
Interior of the Church and Altar of St. Ignatius
Inside the church is also the altar of St. Ignatius. Designed by Father Andrea Pozzo, a great artist, designer, and essayist, he is responsible for many of the altars of the 17th and 18th centuries. St. Ignatius is buried here; he was beatified in 1622. The altar is made of marble, bronze, silver, and lapis lazuli. In this altar, a picture is commonly seen, but at times, this box disappears and reappears a huge statue of St. Ignatius made of silver and precious stones, more than two meters high.
At the sides of the altar, two figures are seen: religion versus faith against heresy and paganism.
Church of St. Ignatius, Rome. Orazio Grassi, 1527-1654.
Andrea Pozzo’s Fresco Technique
Andrea Pozzo’s frescoes, which at first, only in 1684-1685, were charged, and the dome in 1686, to see what they like, he is also responsible for the rest of the decoration, which was completed in 1694. (Text of Slide). It began decorating the dome, and still, the architecture was not finished. We present a model that is kept inside, and let us see what was intended as competition to St. Peter’s. A painter of altarpieces, he makes a proposal to only paint the dome and simply place a painted canvas, as in the Camerino Farnese. Knowing exactly what the perspective is, we are not aware that this is a flat canvas. Achieved over the web, a wonderful visual effect for the person who follows the axis of the nave. As it moves toward the top, we will see a dome perfectly in depth, depending on the angle of our distance. If we see the dome with the torch in the center, this point is marked on the floor. It really has a mobile vanishing point because it moves as you move the viewer. Play with nerves, coffers to give the illusion of mobility. Here, painted coffers and decoration create a much more real depth effect. In the scallops, using a very clear light, are four strong characters of the Bible that at some point bring to Israel: Judith, Jael, David, and Samson.
Trompe l’oeil
This vault has its antecedent, which is in Santa Maria Presso Bramante, San Satiro, half of the late fifteenth century. They are architects, mathematicians, artists, and theorists. He painted the apse so that the impression given is that there is truly an apse with its own roof and pediment in the background. Great trompe l’oeil.