The Oratory of the Madonna of San Colombano, also called the ''Chiese di San Colombano e Santa Maria dell'Orazione'' is a religious site in central

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

, found on Via Parigi #5, near the

Bologna Cathedral Bologna Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, ''Cattedrale di Bologna''), dedicated to Saint Peter, is the cathedral of Bologna in Italy, and the seat and the Metropolitan bishop, metropolitan cathedral of the Archbishop of Bolog ...

History

The oratory was built in 1591, atop the site of a chapel or small church that sheltered the painting of the ''Madonna dell’Orazione'' by

Lippo di Dalmasio Filippo Scannabecchi (1352 – c. 1410), known as Lippo di Dalmasio, was an Italian painter from Bologna, a son of Dalmasio Scannabecchi. Biography His father was Dalmasio Scannabecchi (sometimes referred to as ''pseudo-Dalmasio''), a Bologne ...

. The church, called San Colombano, at the site had been founded in the 7th century by Peter I, the bishop of Bologna and pupil of the Irish monk

Columbanus Columbanus ( ga, Columbán; 543 – 21 November 615) was an Irish missionary notable for founding a number of monasteries after 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil Abbey in present-day France and Bobbio Abbey in pr ...

. Columbanus had died in nearby

Bobbio Bobbio ( Bobbiese: ; lij, Bêubbi; la, Bobium) is a small town and commune in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There is also an abbey and a dioc ...

. The annexed oratory contained a revered

icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...

of the Virgin by Lippo Dalmasio as a main

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

. Starting about the year 1600, it was decorated by an impressive series of pupils of

Ludovico Carracci Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci (21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna. His works are characterized by a strong mood invoked by broad gestures and flickering light th ...

, among them some of the titans of early

Italian Baroque Italian Baroque (or ''Barocco'') is a stylistic period in Italian history and art that spanned from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. History The early 17th century marked a time of change for those of the Roman Catholic religion ...

painting:

Francesco Albani Francesco Albani or Albano (17 March or 17 August 1578 – 4 October 1660) was an Italian Baroque painter who was active in Bologna (1591–1600), Rome (1600–1609), Bologna (1609), Viterbo (1609–1610), Bologna (1610), Rome (1610–1617), ...

Francesco Brizio Francesco Brizio (1574–1623) was an Italian painter and engraver of the Bolognese School, active in the early-Baroque. It appears Cesare Malvasia confused him with ''il Nosadella'' or Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, who lived and was active only i ...

Domenichino Domenico Zampieri (, ; October 21, 1581 – April 6, 1641), known by the diminutive Domenichino (, ) after his shortness, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School of painters. Life Domenichino was born in Bologna, son of a shoem ...

Lorenzo Garbieri Lorenzo Garbieri (1580 – 5 April 1654) was an Italian painter of the early-Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna. He was one of the painters in the studio of Ludovico Carracci and is sometimes called ''il nipote dei Carracci''. He was said t ...

Lucio Massari Lucio Massari (22 January 1569 – 3 November 1633) was an Italian painter of the School of Bologna. He can be described as painting during both Mannerist and early-Baroque periods. Life and work He was born in Bologna, where he initially a ...

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious ...

, and

Baldassare Aloisi Baldassare Aloisi, or Baldassare Galanino (12 October 1578 – 1638), was an Italian history and portrait painter and engraver. He was also known as Il Galanino. Aloisi was born at Bologna, the relative and pupil of Ludovico Carracci. As his ...

(il Balanino). The frescoes include scenes from the ''Passion'' and ''Resurrection of Christ''. Among the paintings listed by Malvasia in the Oratory are: *''Last Judgement'' (outside portico) by Pietro Pancotto *''St Francis with angels above and demons below'' (right wall) by Antonio Caracci *''Virgin and Child with Joseph gathering dates'' by

Leonello Spada Leonello Spada (also called ''Lionello Spada'') (1576 – 17 May 1622) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Rome and his native city of Bologna, where he became known as one of the followers of Caravaggio. Biography He ...

*''Sibyl'' (above side door) by Garbieri *''Coronation of St Catherine'' also by Garbieri *''St Marta conversing with the Savior before whom the Magdalen is kneeling'' (vault) by

Massari Sari Abboud ( ar, ساري عبّود; born December 10, 1980), better known by his stage name Massari ( ), is a Lebanese Canadian R&B pop recording artist. His music combines Middle Eastern culture with western culture. He started his musical c ...

*''Sibyl'' (over door) and ''Angel bearing the palm of martyrdom to St Ursula'' also by Massari *''Infant Jesus playing with St. John in the presence of little angels'' by Paolo Caracci In the upper oratory, the frescoes include a ''St Peter going out weeping from Pilate’s house'' by

. The property now belongs to the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, and is being restored. Restorations have uncovered earlier 13th-century frescoes. The attached complex of buildings, since 2010, houses the collection of musical instruments donated by

Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini (7 October 1929 in Bologna – 11 July 2017 in Bologna), was an Italian organist, harpsichordist, musicologist and composer. Biography Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini studied organ, piano and composition with Riccardo N ...

, consisting of nearly ninety pieces including

harpsichords A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...

spinets A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. Harpsichords When the term ''spinet'' is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the ''bentside spinet'', described in this se ...

pianofortes The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a musica ...

clavichords The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...

and others. It also houses the musical library of

Oscar Mischiati Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

.Genus Bononiane

References

{{authority control Roman Catholic churches in Bologna Baroque architecture in Bologna Museums in Bologna Musical instrument museums in Italy Music museums in Italy

History

See also

References