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The Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi al Pantheon is one of the
Pontifical Academies under the direction of the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
. The complete Italian name of the academy, Pontificia Insigne Accademia di Belle Arti e Letteratura dei Virtuosi al Pantheon, includes the adjective ''insigne'' (illustrious), often omitted in official English translations.
The term ''Virtuosi al Pantheon'' (virtuosos of the Pantheon) is also usually left untranslated, but, in any event, should not be taken in the English musical sense of “virtuoso” but rather “artists of great merit”. The Pantheon in Rome was the historical home of the academy. The term “academy” is meant in the Renaissance definition of the term as an association of learned persons and not an institution of instruction.
History
The academy was founded as the “Congregation of Saint Joseph of the Holy Land” in 1542 under the auspices of the
Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
monk, Desiderio d’Adiutorio and was recognized by Pope
Paul III
Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549.
He came to ...
on October 15, 1542. From its inception, the academy has counted among its members many important artists who have left their mark in Rome. Since the 17th century, exhibits have often taken place beneath the portico of the Pantheon, the historical home of the organization.
In 1837, a new statute in the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope fro ...
provided funds for annual art competitions. The title “Pontifical” was conferred by
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
in 1861 and “Academy” was added by
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
in 1928. A new statute in 1995 defines the goal of the academy as one of “favoring the study and practice of letters and fine arts with particular regard to sacred art and Christian literature…in collaboration with the
Pontifical Council for Culture
The Pontifical Council for Culture ( la, Pontificium Consilium de Cultura) was a dicastery of the Roman Curia charged with fostering the relationship of the Catholic Church with different cultures. It was erected by Pope John Paul II on 20 May ...
”.
With Pope Francis' reorganization of the
Roman Curia as of 5 June 2022 as provided for in the apostolic constitution ''
Praedicate evangelium
''Praedicate evangelium'' (''Preach the gospel'') is an apostolic constitution reforming the Roman Curia and was published and promulgated on 19 March 2022 by Pope Francis; the document took effect on 5 June 2022.
It has fully abrogated a ...
'', the new
Dicastery for Culture and Education
The Dicastery for Culture and Education is an administrative unit of the Roman Curia. It began operations on 5 June 2022 as established by the apostolic constitution ''Praedicate evangelium'' promulgated on 19 March 2022. It was formed through t ...
became responsible for coordinating the work of this Academy with its own work and that of a number of other bodies.
Organisation
The “entry level” members of the ''Virtuosi'' are called “academics”; from that group, the Pope nominates candidates for the “ordinary” group, who then are termed “emeritus” upon reaching 80 years of age. There are 50 “ordinary” ''virtuosi'' divided into five disciplines: architects, painters and film-makers, sculptors, academics dedicated to art and music, and poets and authors. The president of the academy is appointed by the Pontiff for a term of five years and may be reappointed. The president is also a member of the coordinating council for Pontifical Academies.
The academy typically sponsors art exhibits, presentation of poetry and literature, discussions, and visits to historic sites in Rome. Since 2016, the president of the academy is Pio Baldi.
The current secretary is
Ernesto Lamagna
Ernesto Lamagna ( born 1945) is a contemporary Italian sculptor. He was born in Naples and lives and works in Rome. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples and has presented in Italy and abroad. His works include:
:the baptistery and the ...
. The current premises of the academy are at Piazza della Cancelleria 1 in
Vatican City
Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—'
* german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ')
* pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—'
* pt, Cidade do Vati ...
in Rome.
See also
*
Global organisation of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the ...
*
Index of Vatican City-related articles
Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index''
* The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pontifical Academy Of Fine Arts And Letters Of The Virtuosi Al Pantheon
Education in Rome
1542 establishments in the Papal States
Dicastery for Culture and Education