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Carlo Rainaldi (4 May 1611 – 8 February 1691) was an Italian architect of the

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

period.

Biography

Born in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Rainaldi was one of the leading architects of 17th century Rome, known for a certain grandeur in his designs. He worked at first with his father,

Girolamo Rainaldi Girolamo Rainaldi (4 May 1570 – 15 July 1655) was an Italian architect who worked mainly in a conservative Mannerist style, often with collaborating architects. He was a successful competitor of Bernini. His son, Carlo Rainaldi, became an even ...

, a late

Mannerist Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...

architect in Rome. After his father's death, he fully embraced the monumental Baroque style. He gained ascendancy in Rome when the Barberini pontificate of

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...

was replaced by that of the more austere Pamphilj papacy of Innocent X. His works include the façade of

Sant'Andrea della Valle Sant'Andrea della Valle is a minor basilica in the rione of Sant'Eustachio of the city of Rome, Italy. The basilica is the general seat for the religious order of the Theatines. It is located at Piazza Vidoni, at the intersection of Corso Vit ...

(1661–1665), the façade of

San Girolamo della Carità San Girolamo della Carità is a church in Rome, Italy, located near the Palazzo Farnese and Campo de' Fiori. History According to tradition, this is the site of the domus of the matron Saint Paola who hosted Saint Jerome when he served as s ...

(1657},"Via di Monserrato", RomaSegreta
/ref> the twin churches of

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two churches in Rome. They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square. The churches are often ...

, and Santa Maria in Campitelli (1663–1667). He was unable to complete the facade of

Sant'Agnese in Agone Sant'Agnese in Agone (also called Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona) is a 17th-century Baroque church in Rome, Italy. It faces onto the Piazza Navona, one of the main urban spaces in the historic centre of the city and the site where the Early Christi ...

during work in 1653–1657. The high altar of

Santa Maria della Scala Santa Maria della Scala (English: Mary of the Staircase) is a titular church in Rome, Italy, located in the Trastevere rione. Cardinal Ernest Simoni took possession of the titular church on 11 February 2017. Santa Maria della Scala is a titular ...

is by Rainaldi."Church of Santa Maria della Scala", Turismo Roma, Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Department
/ref> Beyond his work as an architect in stone, Rainaldi also designed stage sets for religious rituals and events. In 1650, he designed the sets for the Quarant'ore, or Forty Hours Devotion, held in the church of Il Gesù. In 1665, he designed a

catafalque A catafalque is a raised bier, box, or similar platform, often movable, that is used to support the casket, coffin, or body of a dead person during a Christian funeral or memorial service. Following a Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, a catafalqu ...

commemorating the death of

Philip IV of Spain Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered ...

. He also was a composer. Rainaldi died in

References

Sources

* 1611 births 1691 deaths Artists from Rome Italian Baroque architects {{Italy-architect-stub