Basilica of San Domenico (Siena)
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of San Domenico, also known as Basilica Cateriniana, is a basilica church in Siena
, Tuscany
, Italy
, one of the most important in the city.
appearance it has now. It is a large edifice built, like many contemporary edifice of the mendicant orders
, in bricks, with a lofty bell tower on the left (this was reduced in height after an earthquake in 1798). The interior is on the Egyptian cross plan with a huge nave
covered by truss
es and with a transept
featuring high chapels.
The church contains several relics of St. Catherine of Siena
, whose family house is nearby.
's life. It houses the Canonization of St. Catherine by Mattia Preti
, flanked by two 1602 paintings by Crescenzio Gambarelli. Other works by the latter are also present. The main wall has a portrait of St. Catherine.
, framed by an Eternal with Saint by Il Sodoma
and by a predella
with fifteen Stories of the New Testament by Antonio Magagna. Rutilio Manetti painted a St. Anthony Abbot's Exorcism, Sebastiano Folli a St. Catherine of Alexandria and Francesco Vanni
a St. Hyacinth Saving a Statue of the Madonna from a Fire.
They are followed by the St. Catherine Chapel, with, in the centre, an altar housing the saint's head and thumb. Il Sodoma
provided an Fainting and Ecstasy of St. Catherine and Death of Niccolò di Tuldo for the chapel, while by Francesco Vanni
is a St. Catherine's Exorcism (1593-1596). The 15th century marble pavement, featuring Orpheus and animals, is attributed to Francesco di Giorgio
.
The right wall has a fresco by Pietro Lorenzetti
and the Adoration of the Shepherds by Francesco di Giorgio
, completed by a lunette
by Matteo di Giovanni
and a predella by Bernardino Fungai
.
(1611-612).
Notable amongst the chapels are the second, entitled to the martyrs of the German Nation, and the third, which includes a Madonna with Child and the Saint Jerome and John the Baptist by Matteo di Giovanni
.
The fourth chapel has a Baroque canvas by Raffaello Vanni
(1649) and a St. Anthony the Abbot from 1426. The Majesty by Guido da Siena (dated to 1221, but probably from 1265-1270 ad with additions by a Duccio
's follower) is in the centre of the fifth chapel, where are also works by Matteo di Giovanni
, Benvenuto di Giovanni
and two frescoes by Giuseppe Nicola Nasini
. The left transept ends with the altar of St. Dominic.
with two angels by Benedetto da Maiano
(1475-1480), while in the apse is a Death of St. Peter Martyr by Arcangelo Salimbeni (1579) and St. Thomas and the Pope by Galgano Perpignani.
The crypt
, in Gothic style, can also be visited. It houses a crucifix by Sano di Pietro
and a Crucifixion signed by Ventura Salimbeni
(1600).
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, one of the most important in the city.
Overview
The church was begun in 1226-1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century to the GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
appearance it has now. It is a large edifice built, like many contemporary edifice of the mendicant orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
, in bricks, with a lofty bell tower on the left (this was reduced in height after an earthquake in 1798). The interior is on the Egyptian cross plan with a huge nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
covered by truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es and with a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
featuring high chapels.
The church contains several relics of St. Catherine of Siena
Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
, whose family house is nearby.
Cappella delle Volte
This is an old praying place of Dominican nuns, connected to numerous episode of sanctity of Catherine of SienaCatherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
's life. It houses the Canonization of St. Catherine by Mattia Preti
Mattia Preti
Mattia Preti was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta.- Biography :Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was sometimes called Il Cavalier Calabrese...
, flanked by two 1602 paintings by Crescenzio Gambarelli. Other works by the latter are also present. The main wall has a portrait of St. Catherine.
Left wall of the nave
the left wall of the nave has a Madonna with Child by Francesco di VannuccioFrancesco di Vannuccio
Francesco di Vannuccio was an Italian painter born in Siena. A small body of work has been ascribed to this painter, characterized by an attention to and love of pattern and decoration, a tradition dating back in Siena to Simone Martini...
, framed by an Eternal with Saint by Il Sodoma
Il Sodoma
Il Sodoma was the name given to the Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Antonio Bazzi. Il Sodoma painted in a manner that superimposed the High Renaissance style of early 16th-century Rome onto the traditions of the provincial Sienese school; he spent the bulk of his professional life in Siena,...
and by a predella
Predella
A predella is the platform or step on which an altar stands . In painting, the predella is the painting or sculpture along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece...
with fifteen Stories of the New Testament by Antonio Magagna. Rutilio Manetti painted a St. Anthony Abbot's Exorcism, Sebastiano Folli a St. Catherine of Alexandria and Francesco Vanni
Francesco Vanni
Francesco Vanni was an Italian painter of the Mannerist style, active in Rome and his native city of Siena.-Biography:He was half-brother of the painter Ventura Salimbeni, and the stepson of Arcangelo Salimbeni, another Sienese painter. His stepfather died when Francesco was young, and as a 16...
a St. Hyacinth Saving a Statue of the Madonna from a Fire.
Right wall of the nave
The altars on the right side are decorated by a Appearance of the Virgin by Stefano Volpi (1630), a Nativity of the Virgin by Alessandro Casolani (1585) and a reliquary of St. Catherine's relics.They are followed by the St. Catherine Chapel, with, in the centre, an altar housing the saint's head and thumb. Il Sodoma
Il Sodoma
Il Sodoma was the name given to the Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Antonio Bazzi. Il Sodoma painted in a manner that superimposed the High Renaissance style of early 16th-century Rome onto the traditions of the provincial Sienese school; he spent the bulk of his professional life in Siena,...
provided an Fainting and Ecstasy of St. Catherine and Death of Niccolò di Tuldo for the chapel, while by Francesco Vanni
Francesco Vanni
Francesco Vanni was an Italian painter of the Mannerist style, active in Rome and his native city of Siena.-Biography:He was half-brother of the painter Ventura Salimbeni, and the stepson of Arcangelo Salimbeni, another Sienese painter. His stepfather died when Francesco was young, and as a 16...
is a St. Catherine's Exorcism (1593-1596). The 15th century marble pavement, featuring Orpheus and animals, is attributed to Francesco di Giorgio
Francesco di Giorgio
Francesco di Giorgio Martini was an Italian painter of the Sienese School and a sculptor, as well as being, in Nikolaus Pevsner's terms, "one of the most interesting later Quattrocento architects'" and a visionary architectural theorist; as a military engineer he executed architectural designs and...
.
The right wall has a fresco by Pietro Lorenzetti
Pietro Lorenzetti
Pietro Lorenzetti was an Italian painter, active between approximately 1306 and 1345. His younger brother was the painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti....
and the Adoration of the Shepherds by Francesco di Giorgio
Francesco di Giorgio
Francesco di Giorgio Martini was an Italian painter of the Sienese School and a sculptor, as well as being, in Nikolaus Pevsner's terms, "one of the most interesting later Quattrocento architects'" and a visionary architectural theorist; as a military engineer he executed architectural designs and...
, completed by a lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
by Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni c. 1430 - 1495) was an Italian Renaissance artist from the Sienese school.-Biography:Matteo di Giovanni di Bartolo was born in Borgo Sansepolcro around 1430. His family relocated to Siena and he is firmly associated with the art of that city...
and a predella by Bernardino Fungai
Bernardino Fungai
Bernardino Fungai was an Italian painter.Fungai is thought to have studied under local painters in his native city of Siena, despite very little being known of his career. His paintings evince an influence from local Sienese painters and also Pietro Perugino. In 1482, he worked on frescoes for the...
.
Transept
On the right transept is altar dedicated to Blessed Ambrogio Sansedoni, also portrayed in a canvas by Francesco RusticiFrancesco Rustici
Francesco Rustici was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. He was initially a pupil of his father Cristoforo Rustici, then became a follower of the style of Caravaggio. Francesco painted an Annunciation for the church of the Madonna di Provenzano in Siena. He painted a Death of Mary Magdalen...
(1611-612).
Notable amongst the chapels are the second, entitled to the martyrs of the German Nation, and the third, which includes a Madonna with Child and the Saint Jerome and John the Baptist by Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni c. 1430 - 1495) was an Italian Renaissance artist from the Sienese school.-Biography:Matteo di Giovanni di Bartolo was born in Borgo Sansepolcro around 1430. His family relocated to Siena and he is firmly associated with the art of that city...
.
The fourth chapel has a Baroque canvas by Raffaello Vanni
Raffaello Vanni
Raffaello Vanni was an Italian painter of the Baroque.He was born at Siena. He first trained with his father, Francesco Vanni, who died in 1603. He was afterwards sent to Rome, and recommended to the care of Antonio Carracci. He became a follower of the style of Pietro da Cortona. He painted a ...
(1649) and a St. Anthony the Abbot from 1426. The Majesty by Guido da Siena (dated to 1221, but probably from 1265-1270 ad with additions by a Duccio
Duccio
Duccio di Buoninsegna was one of the most influential Italian artists of his time. Born in Siena, Tuscany, he worked mostly with pigment and egg tempera and like most of his contemporaries painted religious subjects...
's follower) is in the centre of the fifth chapel, where are also works by Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni c. 1430 - 1495) was an Italian Renaissance artist from the Sienese school.-Biography:Matteo di Giovanni di Bartolo was born in Borgo Sansepolcro around 1430. His family relocated to Siena and he is firmly associated with the art of that city...
, Benvenuto di Giovanni
Benvenuto di Giovanni
Benvenuto di Giovanni, also known as Benvenuto di Giovanni di Meo del Guasta was an Italian painter and artist.Benvenuto was born in Siena and lived and worked there nearly his entire life. Over the course of 43 years he produced numerous panel paintings, frescoes, and manuscripts. He was married...
and two frescoes by Giuseppe Nicola Nasini
Giuseppe Nicola Nasini
Giuseppe Nicola Nasini was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.Born in Siena, he was one of the Tuscan pupils in the Medici-patronized Grand-Ducal Academy for the Arts located in Rome and directed from 1673-86, by Ciro Ferri. Nasini returned to Florence by 1685...
. The left transept ends with the altar of St. Dominic.
Other
The altar has a ciboriumCiborium (architecture)
In ecclesiastical architecture, a ciborium is a canopy or covering supported by columns, freestanding in the sanctuary, that stands over and covers the altar in a basilica or other church. It may also be known by the more general term of baldachin, though ciborium is often considered more correct...
with two angels by Benedetto da Maiano
Benedetto da Maiano
Benedetto da Maiano was an Italian sculptor of the early Renaissance.Born in the village of Maiano , he started his career as companion of his brother, the architect Giuliano da Maiano. When he reached the age of thirty he started training under the sculptor Antonio Rossellino...
(1475-1480), while in the apse is a Death of St. Peter Martyr by Arcangelo Salimbeni (1579) and St. Thomas and the Pope by Galgano Perpignani.
The crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, in Gothic style, can also be visited. It houses a crucifix by Sano di Pietro
Sano di Pietro
Sano di Pietro was an early Italian Renaissance painter and miniaturist from Siena.No works by Sano are known before 1443; he apprenticed under Sassetta and Giovanni di Paolo...
and a Crucifixion signed by Ventura Salimbeni
Ventura Salimbeni
Ventura di Archangelo Salimbeni was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker and among the last representatives of a style influenced by the earlier Sienese School of Quattrocento-Renaissance....
(1600).