Giovanni da Nola (1478–1559), also known as Giovanni Merliano, was an Italian sculptor and architect of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

, active in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. He was born the son of a leather merchant, in

Nola Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. ...

near

. Da Nola moved to Naples where he trained under Aniello del Fiore and

Benedetto da Maiano Benedetto da Maiano (1442 – May 24, 1497) was an Italian Early Renaissance sculptor. Biography Born in the village of Maiano (now part of Fiesole), he started his career as companion of his brother, the architect Giuliano da Maiano. When he ...

. In his youth, he traveled to Rome where he was influenced by

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...

, and then returned to Naples where he spent the rest of his career as sculptor and architect. As an architect he built a number of palaces in Naples, including the Palazzo Giusso, now the home of the

Naples Eastern University Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. Many of the statues he created in Naples were removed to Spain by the

viceroys A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...

then in charge of the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

on behalf of the Spanish crown. When the viceroy

Ramón de Cardona Ramon Folc de Cardona i Anglesola (Italian: ''Raimondo di Cardona'') (1467 – 10 March 1522) was a Catalan general and politician, who served as the viceroy of Naples during the Italian Wars and commanded the Spanish forces in Italy during the W ...

died in Naples in 1522, da Nola built his tomb in Naples, but it was then transported piece by piece to

Bellpuig Bellpuig () is a town in the ''comarca'' (county) of l'Urgell in Catalonia, Spain. Nowadays Bellpuig is the third most important town in the area of Urgell. The town, located between the three little hills appearing in the flag, is served by Be ...

where da Cardona was buried. It remains one of the main examples of Italian renaissance art in Catalonia. Most of his works that remain in Naples are in the churches of the city. They include: *the tomb of Francesco Carafa in

San Domenico Maggiore San Domenico Maggiore is a Gothic, Roman Catholic church and monastery, founded by the friars of the Dominican Order, and located in the square of the same name in the historic center of Naples. History The square is bordered by a street/alle ...

*an altar in

San Lorenzo Maggiore San Lorenzo Maggiore is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Benevento, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is a member of the Titerno Local Action Group. Geography San Lorenzo Maggiore covers 16.17 square kilometers of hilly land ...

*statues of saints in

San Giovanni a Carbonara San Giovanni a Carbonara is a Gothic church in Naples, Southern Italy. It is located at the northern end of via Carbonara, just outside what used to be the eastern wall of the old city. The name ''carbonara'' (meaning "coal-carrier") was given to ...

*tombs of three youths of the Severino family in the church of

Santi Severino e Sossio The church of Santi Severino e Sossio and the annexed monastery are located on via Bartolommeo Capasso in Naples, Italy. The church is attached to one of the oldest monasteries in the city, and from 1835 it has housed the State Archives of Naple ...

*an altar in

Sant'Anna dei Lombardi Sant'Anna dei Lombardi, ( it, St. Anne of the Lombards), and also known as Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, is an ancient church and convent located in ''piazza Monteoliveto'' in central Naples, Italy. Across Monteoliveto street from the Fountain in ...

Decorations da Nola made for the royal entry of

Emperor Charles V Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) ...

in Naples (1535) are still to be seen on the

Porta Capuana The Porta Capuana is an ancient city gate in Naples, Italy. The gate also gives name to the zone, which is one of the ten boroughs of Naples. This zone being part of the Fourth Municipality. In spite of the name, the portal is not the ancien ...

. His pupils included a Nicola of Naples,

Ferdinando Manlio Ferdinando Manlio (died in 1570) was an Italian sculptor, architect and urban planner of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He trained under the sculptor Giovanni da Nola. From 1540, he led the rebuilding of the Basilica of the Santissima Annu ...

, and

Cola dell'Amatrice Nicola Filotesio (9 September 1480 iffering sources give 1489��31 August 1547 ources also give 1559 was an Italian painter, architect and sculptor of the Renaissance period, active primarily in or near the town of Ascoli Piceno (modern capita ...

References

*''A Handbook for travellers in Southern Italy,'' Part I, 9th edition; George Dennis ; John Murray, Abermarle St. London 1890. * * {{DEFAULTSORT:da Nola, Giovanni 1478 births 1559 deaths People from Nola 16th-century Italian architects Italian sculptors Italian male sculptors Renaissance sculptors 16th-century Neapolitan people 16th-century Italian artists