Chiesa Santa Madonna del Soccorso, Livorno

Santa Maria del Soccorso (''Our Lady of the Rescue'') is a Neoclassical style,

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, Marian votive church in central

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

. The tall brick church facade is located scenically at the end of Via Magenta, and has a park surrounding it. In front is a Monument to Fallen Soldiers (''Caduti'') in the first World War.

History

The church was built and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in gratitude for the ebbing of a plague of

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

in 1835. The design was by Gaetano Gherardi and construction began in 1836. The sober stone facade has flanking pilasters, and sports a clock in the tympanum (architecture) originating from the Cathedral. The interior has a Latin cross layout with seven arches flanking the nave, and bears a resemblance to the interior of the church of Santo Spirito in Florence. The earthquake of 1846 caused some damage. The church was consecrated as a parish church in 1855-1856. The church served as the main church of Livorno while the bomb-damaged duomo was rebuilt after World War II. 270px, Interior Madonna del Soccorso The second altar on the right has a painting by

Enrico Pollastrini Enrico Pollastrini (15 June 1817, Livorno – 19 January 1876, Florence) was an Italian history painter and art school director. Life and work He began his training as an assistant in the workshop of a local artist named Vincenzo De Bonis. In 1 ...

, depicting the protomartyr ''St Lawrence in a catacomb dispensing Charity with the martyr St Espedito''. Count Francesco De Larderei commissioned the next altarpiece depicting ''St Francis of Assisi resurrecting a child in the hands of her mother'', painted by Ferdinando Falchi. The next altarpiece depicts ''St Peter Apostle'' by Giuseppe Baldini, commissioned by Alessandro Malenchini. Another chapel to the right of the nave houses a ''Jesus resurrects the son of the widow of Naim'', an early work of Pollastrini. On the altar of the crossing is a tabernacle by Ferdinando Magagnini, with an image of the ''Madonna del Soccorso''. In the sacristy is a canvas by

Giovanni Bartolena Giovanni Bartolena (24 June 1866 - 16 February 1942) was an Italian painter, mainly of landscapes, but also of landscapes with animals. Biography He was born near Livorno. As a young man, at his family's villa, he indulged in his love of riding ho ...

, depicting the foundation of the church. The chapel also housed a small image of the ''Addolorata'', and the ''Resurrection'', painted on wood, from a follower of Giotto, donated by Silvestro Silvestri. The church had an chiaroscuro altarpiece depicting a ''The Rescuing Madonna sends an angelic ambassador of health to the poor afflicted with cholera'' by Niccola Ulacacci. On the right of the altar is a canvas by Giovanni Costa, depicting the ''Translation of the body of St Catherine of Alexandria by Angels to Mount Sinai'' and by a follower of Cigoli is a ''St Francis of Assisi''. The altar of St Louis Gonzaga, has canvas by Angiolo Visconti, a pupil of Mussini. The guild of Fishmongers of Livorno in 1867 erected the altar of St Raphael Archangel with a canvas by

. Cavaliere Niccola Niccolai Gamba funded the next chapel's altar, and commissioned a ''Madonna of the Consolation'' also by Bartolena. The last altar, commissioned by the Gazzarrini family holds a depiction of ''St Vincent of Paul'' by Guardassoni.Guida storica ed artistica della città e dei dintorni di Livorno
by Giuseppe Piombanti Forni Editore, Bologna 1903, pages 214-217.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maria del Soccorso Livorno Roman Catholic churches in Livorno Neoclassical architecture in Tuscany 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Neoclassical church buildings in Italy