Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

The Basilica of San Petronio is the main church of Bologna. Building began in 1390. It is the tenth-largest church in the world by volume, 132 metres long and 66 metres wide, while the vault reaches 45 metres inside and 51 metres in the facade. The facing of the main façade remains unfinished: many architects were commissioned to propose solutions for it, but a definitive one was never found. Jacopo della Quercia of Siena in 1425-1438 enriched the main doorway with sculptures, the two new small flanking were sculpted between 1524 and 1530. The lower frieze shows eight reliefs of saints on the lower frieze.

Porta Magna by Jacopo della Quercia, c. 1425-1440 Madonna col Bambino e i santi Ambrogio e Petronio Virgin and Child, Saint Petronius and Saint Ambrose St. Petronius holds a model of Bologna in his right hand; St. Ambrose is carved by Domenico Aimo in 1510. Michelangelo called the Madonna "the most beautiful Madonna of the fifteenth century". San Petronio / St. Petronius of Bologna (died ca. 450 AD), bishop of Bologna, patron saint of the city (Wikipedia). San Ambrogio / St. Ambrose (c. 340-397), bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century (Wikipedia).

The two side portals were designed between 1524 and 1530 by Ercole Seccadenari and are decorated by various sculptors.

Resurrezione / The Resurrection Sculpted by Alfonso Lombardi

Cristo deposto, Vergine e San Giovanni evangelista / Deposition from the Cross, Virgin St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist Sculpted by Amico Aspertini (Nicodemus and Christ), Il Tribolo (Virgin) and Ercole Seccadenari (St. John)

Frieze

San Floriano / St. Florian (d. c. 304), commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum, responsible for organizing firefighting brigades. Martyred because is did not want to sacrifice to Roman gods. He is usually depicted as a Roman officer pouring water from a pitcher over a fire (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Paolo di Bonaiuto	San Paolo / St. Paul the Apostle, (c. 5 - c. 67 ), persecuted the early followers of Jesus before switching sides and seeking to join them. He was instrumental in creating the Christian Church. He is the protector of tent-makers, theologians and the ecclesiastical press and is depicted with a sword. (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Giovanni Ferrabech	San Domenico / St. Dominic (Spanish: Domingo), often called Dominic de Guzmán (1170 - 1221), founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers (OP) (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Paolo di Bonaiuto	San Augustino / St. Augustine (354 - 430), Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria), philosopher and theologian; his writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Giacomo da Ferrara
San Pietro / St. Peter (possibly died AD 67), apostle, first pope; patron saint of locksmiths and confessors. Usually holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven in his hand (Wikipedia) Sculpted by Giovanni di Riguzzo	San Francesco / St. Francis born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone (1181/82 - 1226), an Italian friar and preacher. He founded among others the Franciscan Order. Saint Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Paolo di Bonaiuto	San Ambrogio / St. Ambrose (c. 340-397), bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Giovanni di Riguzzo	San Petronio / St. Petronius (died ca. 450 AD), bishop of Bologna, patron saint of the city (Wikipedia). Sculpted by Giovanni di Riguzzo

Sculptors

• Amico Aspertini (Bologna c. 1474 - Bologna 1552), Italian sculptor and painter (Wikipedia).
  
• Paolo di Bonaiuto (d. Venezia/Venice 1402), Italian sculptor (Wikipedia).
  
• Giovanni Ferrabech di Alemagna (Hans von Fernach), German-Italian sculptor of the late 14th century.
  
• Giacomo da Ferrara, Italian sculptor of the 16th century.
  
• Alfonso Lombardi (Ferrara c. 1497 - Bologna 1537), Italian sculptor (Wikipedia).
  
• Jacopo della Quercia (Quercegrossa c. 1374 - Siena 1438), Italian sculptor (Wikipedia).
  
• Giovanni di Riguzzo da Varignana, Italian sculptor of the late 14th century.
  
• Ercole Seccadenari, Italian sculptor of the early 16th century.
  
• Niccolò di Raffaello di Niccolò dei Pericoli, called 'Il Tribolo' (Firenze/Florence c. 1500 - 1550), Italian sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

• Basilica di San Petronio, Non tutti sanno che….
• Wikipedia, Basilica di San Petronio.
• Wikipedia, Porta Magna.
• Guido Barbi, La "nuova" facciata della Basilica di San Petronio a Bologna.
• Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy: Including the Papal States, Rome, and the cities of Etruria (London: 1843), p. 39 (Google Books)

Tags

Locatie (N 44°29'35" - E 11°20'35") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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