The essay compares the works carried out under Sixtus IV in the Roman churches of Sant’Agostino and Santa Maria del Popolo, an expression of innovative architectural solutions, such as the covering of the interiors with cross vaults taken from Antiquity and the façades inspired by the model of Alberti’s church of Santa Maria Novella. As in most Roman architecture of the time, there is also a remarkable link with the medieval tradition. Particularly in interiors, the antique connotation given by the vaults is blended with solutions of medieval derivation. The association of heterogeneous languages is developed in the two churches in very different ways, due to their different building history. On the one hand, the interior of Santa Maria del Popolo, probably realised in a single phase, revives, with coherent results, the architectural quality of ancient spaces, applied to a layout of medieval tradition. On the other hand, the long and complex building process of Sant’Agostino can be related to anomalies and discontinuities among parts dating back to different periods.
Il saggio mette a confronto le opere condotte sotto Sisto IV nelle chiese romane di Sant’Agostino e Santa Maria del Popolo, espressione di innovativi motivi architettonici, quali l’integrale copertura con volte a crociera all’antica e le facciate ispirate al modello del prospetto albertiano di Santa Maria Novella. Come nella maggior parte dell’architettura romana del tempo, è pure presente un notevole legame con la tradizione medievale. In modo particolare negli interni la connotazione all’antica data dall’uso delle volte si contamina con soluzioni di chiara ascendenza medievale. L’associazione tra linguaggi eterogenei si sviluppa nelle due chiese con modalità tra loro molto diverse, in ragione della diversa storia costruttiva dei due edifici. Da una parte, l’interno di Santa Maria del Popolo riprende, con risultati coerenti, la qualità architettonica degli spazi dell’antichità, applicata a un impianto di ascendenza medievale. Dall’altra, il lungo e complesso processo costruttivo di Sant’Agostino può essere messo in relazione con anomalie e discontinuità tra parti databili in differenti periodi storici.
Eredità medievali e linguaggio all'antica negli interni delle chiese romane di Sant'Agostino e Santa Maria del Popolo
Renata Samperi
2024
Abstract
The essay compares the works carried out under Sixtus IV in the Roman churches of Sant’Agostino and Santa Maria del Popolo, an expression of innovative architectural solutions, such as the covering of the interiors with cross vaults taken from Antiquity and the façades inspired by the model of Alberti’s church of Santa Maria Novella. As in most Roman architecture of the time, there is also a remarkable link with the medieval tradition. Particularly in interiors, the antique connotation given by the vaults is blended with solutions of medieval derivation. The association of heterogeneous languages is developed in the two churches in very different ways, due to their different building history. On the one hand, the interior of Santa Maria del Popolo, probably realised in a single phase, revives, with coherent results, the architectural quality of ancient spaces, applied to a layout of medieval tradition. On the other hand, the long and complex building process of Sant’Agostino can be related to anomalies and discontinuities among parts dating back to different periods.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
