The Chiesa del Santo Rosario or Church of the Rosary is a

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, Roman Catholic church located in Piazza del Popolo in the city of Comacchio, in the province of Ferrara, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

History

The church was built in 1618 by the ''Confraternity of the Santo Rosario''. The facade is in red brick, the portal in white Istrian stone. Four niches on the facade are empty. The interior houses a main altarpiece depicting a ''Madonna of the Rosary with Sts Dominic & Giustina'' (1640-1650) by

Cesare Mezzogori Cesare Mezzogori (Active 1660s-1689) was an Italian painter, active in a Baroque style. He was born in Comacchio, and likely trained as well as active in Ferrara. He often painted for the Theatine order. He painted a ''Virgin of the Rosary with ...

. In the lower background of the painting is a depiction of the Battle of Lepanto. The painting is a reworking of the design of

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 ...

's ''Pallione del Voto o della Peste'' (1630). Reni in his painting has seven saints pleading to a Virgin and child with angels. Mezzogori has only two saints who receive a rosary from the Virgin and Child (in same posture as the Reni painting); an angel in the lower corner, points to battle, and has a banner that states "Non armis sed rosis" or "not with arms but with roses (Rosary)", implying the prayer granted victory. The wooden crucifix (1641) at the main altar was carved by

Filippo de Porris Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "amante dei cavalli".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is Fil ...

. Two other altarpieces in the church are an ''Annunciation'' attributed to

Jacopo Bambini Jacopo Bambini (1582–1629) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Ferrara. He trained with Domenico Mona Domenico Mona (also called ''Moni'', ''Monna'', or ''Monio'') (1550–1602) was an Italian painter of the lat ...

and a ''Beheading of St John the Baptist'' by

Carlo Bononi Carlo Bononi (1569? - 1632) was an Italian painter. From an 1876 book: '' Giulio Cromer, Carlo Bononi a pupil of Bastaruolo, and Alfonso Rivarola or Chenda, were the last artists of any eminence in Ferrara.'' Page 175 Biography Born and act ...

. Much of the interior decoration was lost during the Second World War. The belltower had been reconstructed in 1752, after collapse of the prior one.

References

17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Baroque architecture in Emilia-Romagna Churches in the province of Ferrara Roman Catholic churches in Emilia-Romagna Roman Catholic churches completed in 1618 1618 establishments in Italy {{Italy-church-stub