Here’s the profile of this movement.
When: 19th century. We’re in the 1810s.
Where: Rome
Who: A group of German painters converted to Catholicism and moved to Rome from Northern Europe
Home: Convent of Sant’Isidoro al Pincio where they created an artistic brotherhood
Ideal: Bringing the Christian message and values alive through painting; they were inspired by the great artists of the past such as Giotto, Raphael and Michelangelo.
Painting technique: Italian fresco art typical of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance which, having fallen out of use in the 19th century, was taken back up by the Nazarenes movement.
Leaders: Among the leaders of the group are Johann Friedrich Overbach, Philipp Veit and Joseph von Führich
Important works in Rome:
– Palazzo Zuccheri, residence of the Prussian consul Jacob Salomon Bartholdy
– Casino Massimo Lancellotti, where in the three rooms on the ground floor, there is a cycle of frescoes dedicated to Dante, Ludovico Ariosto and Torquato Tasso.
Scenes are from the Divine Comedy, Orlando Furioso and Jerusalem Delivered and were commissioned by Carlo Massimo in 1800.
I visited the Casino Massimo Lancellotti and will share some photos in this article.
In Dante’s Room, several scenes from the Divine Comedy are depicted, on which several artists worked; the drawings are attributed to Peter von Cornelius and the ceiling is attributed to Philipp Veit.
Franz Horny painted the floral decorations and Joseph Anton Koch depicted some episodes of Hell in which Dante and Virgil feature. One scene is particularly affecting: Count Ugolino biting Archbishop Ruggieri.
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld worked in the Ariosto room, representing the many characters of Orlando Furioso.
The Christian knights and paladins fighting against Muslims verge on hyperrealistic. Orlando’s pain and anger are particularly moving, when he sees his beloved Angelica exchanging tender affections with Medoro.
In Tasso’s room with his Jerusalem Delivered, there are frescoes that tell love stories: first, that of Olindo and Sofronia, condemned to be burned at the stake, saved by Clorinda.
Then there is that of Tancredi and Clorinda, and their tragic, spectacular duel painted by Johann Friedrich Overbeck.
The story is familiar: Clorinda, Ethiopian princess and able leader, finds death at the hands of her beloved. Their sad fate had it that Clorinda was stabbed to death by her beloved Tancred, who does not recognize her. In one of literature’s most poignant episodes, he baptizes her as she is on the verge of death.
This interesting, informative exhibition leaves a nice impression.