The Ospedale degli Incurabili (''Hospital for the Incurables'') or Complesso degli Incurabili is an ancient and prominent hospital complex located on Via Maria Longo in central

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 ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Part of the complex, including the remarkable pharmacy, are now the ''Museo delle arti sanitarie'' of Naples.

History

Originally built in

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 ...

style, the complex incorporated in the structures of the churches of

Santa Maria del Popolo it, Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo , image = 20140803 Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo Rome 0191.jpg , caption = The church from Piazza del Popolo , coordinates = , image_size ...

and Santa Maria Succurre Miseris dei Bianchi, as well as the ospedale (hospital) of Santa Maria del Popolo degli Incurabili. In time, it also incorporated the adjacent S. Maria delle Grazie Maggiore a Caponapoli and its cloister, the monastery of Santa Maria della Consolazione, the church of Santa Maria di Gerusalemme and the cloister of the Trentatré. The hospital was founded in 1521 by Maria Lorenza Longo after she became paralyzed by a malady. Among the main donors of the next century was the merchant

Gaspar Roomer Gaspar Roomer ( Antwerp, between 1596 and 1606 - Naples, 3 April 1674) was a prominent Flemish merchant, banker, art patron and art collector who was active in Naples in the 17th century. Biography Born in Antwerp, he lived for at least four dec ...

. In the 19th century, donors included Professor Cotugno and Signore Marchetti of Messina.A New Guide of Naples, Its Environs, Procida, Ischia and Capri
by Giovanni Battista de Ferrari, (Naples, 1826) page 309

Pharmacy

Napoli (NA), 2012, Complesso degli Incurabili la farmacia

In the mid 18th century, Antonio Maggiocca was the patron for the building of the pharmacy. The structure was designed by Bartolomeo Vecchione. Maggiocca’s marble bust inside was sculpted by

Matteo Bottiglieri Matteo Bottiglieri (1684–1757) was an Italian sculptor and painter from Naples. One of his first works is a marble "Dead Christ" (1724), in the crypt of the Capua Cathedral, perhaps executed after drawings by Francesco Solimena. In 1733 he exe ...

in 1750. The pharmacy remains, generally intact with cabinets and nearly 400

maiolica Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. Italian maiolica dating from the Renaissance period is the most renowned. When depicting historical and mythical scenes, these works were known as ''istoriato'' wares ( ...

vases ( albarelli) for compounds, made by Lorenzo Salandra and Donato Massa. The tiled floors were made by Giuseppe Massa. The ceiling was frescoed by

Pietro Bardellino Pietro Bardellino (1728–1806) was an Italian painter. He lived his life aiming to be the ‘perfect man’. Biography Bardellino was born in Naples, and was initially trained by Francesco de Mura. In 1773 he became director of the ''Accademia Na ...

. The Pharmacy consists of a grand salon, an entrance room, and a small laboratory. The latter is decorated in stucco and has an elaborate table by the woodworker Agostino Fucito.

Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

The renaissance style funereal monument by the main altar was completed by

Giovanni da Nola Giovanni da Nola (1478–1559), also known as Giovanni Merliano, was an Italian sculptor and architect of the Renaissance, active in Naples. He was born the son of a leather merchant, in Nola near Naples. Da Nola moved to Naples where he trained ...

. The Frescoes in the church were completed by

Giuliano Bugiardini Giuliano di Piero di Simone Bugiardini (29 January 1475 – 17 February 1555) was an Italian Renaissance painter. He was born and was mainly active in Florence."Bugiardini, Giuliano." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. ...

Marco Cardisco Marco Cardisco, also known as Marco Calabrese, (Born in Tiriolo c.1486 – c.1542) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Naples during 1508–1542. Biography He was a pupil of the painter and decorator Polidoro da C ...

Francesco De Mura Francesco de Mura (21 April 1696 – 19 August 1782) was an Italian painter of the late- Baroque period, active mainly in Naples and Turin. His late work reflects the style of neoclassicism. Life Francesco de Mura, also referred to as ''Fran ...

, Marco Pino,

Giovanni Battista Rossi Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * '' Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend ...

, and

Carlo Sellitto Carlo Sellitto (1581 – 2 October 1614 in Naples) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. One of the most gifted followers of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610), Sellitto played an important role in the spread of Caravaggism ...

. In the Cappella Montalto is an altarpiece by

Girolamo D'Auria Girolamo D'Auria (1577–1620) was an Italian sculptor, active mainly in Naples, Italy. His first name is variously used as Hieronymus, Ieronimo, Hieronimo, Jeronimo, Geronimo or Gerolamo. Girolamo's father, Giovanni Domenico D'Auria, and An ...

. The sacristy was frescoed by Giovanni Battista Rossi.

Church of Santa Maria dei Bianchi

The church of Santa Maria dei Bianchi (or ''Congregation of the Bianchi della Giustizia'') was a church build by a white-robed confraternity attached to the complex, and whose role was the assistance to those condemned to death. The church was founded in 1473. In 1673, it was restored in

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 t ...

style by

Dionisio Lazzari Dionisio Lazzari (17 October 1617 – 9 August 1689) was an Italian sculptor and architect. He was born in Naples in 1617, the son of Jacopo Lazzari and Caterina Papini. Jacopo was born in Florence, and his and Dionisio's work shows Tuscan i ...

. Much of the church as well as the pharmacy now is in poor state. The main altar has a statue of the Virgin by

, while the ceiling was frescoed by

Giovanni Battista Beinaschi image:Benaschi-llanto por abel.JPG, ''The Deploration of Abel'', Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (Madrid). Giovanni Battista Benaschi, or Beinaschi, (1636–1688) was an list of Italian painters, Italian painter and engraver active i ...

. The sacristy has frescoes by

Paolo De Matteis Paolo de Matteis (also known as ''Paolo de' Matteis''; 9 February 1662 – 26 January 1728) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born in Piano Vetrale, a hamlet of Orria, in the current Province of Salerno, and died in Naples. He trained wit ...

depicting members of the confraternity.

References

Bibliography

*Antonio Terraciano, Andrea Russo, ''Le chiese di Napoli. Censimento e brevi recensioni delle 448 chiese storiche della città di Napoli'', Lorenzo Giunta Editore, 1999. *Vincenzo Regina, ''Le chiese di Napoli. Viaggio indimenticabile attraverso la storia artistica, architettonica, letteraria, civile e spirituale della Napoli sacra'', Newton e Compton editore, Napoli 2004 * * Gennaro Aspreno Galante, ''Le chiese di Napoli''. Guida sacra alla città, la storia, le opere d'arte e i monumenti. Solemar Edizioni, Mugano di Napoli 2007.

External links

Museo delle Arti Sanitarie - Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Incurabili Churches in Naples Hospitals in Naples Museums in Naples Libraries in Naples