The Oratorio del

Gonfalone The gonfalon, gonfanon, gonfalone (from the early Italian language, Italian ''confalone'') is a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar in an identical manner to t ...

or ''Oratory of the Banner'' is a building in Central Rome which once housed a Catholic fraternity. Since about 1960 it has served as a concert venue for the Roman Polyphonic Choir. Ponte - Oratorio del Gonfalone

History

The Confraternity of the Gonfalone was a group of white penitents (due to the colour of their robe). The association was first established in 1264 the church of

Santa Maria in Aracoeli Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...

, under the name of the ''Accomandati di Madonna Santa Maria''. It came to be called the Gonfalone Confraternity because of the banner carried in processions. Over the centuries the group dedicated itself to various activities, including the participation in religious processions as banner carriers (wearing white gowns with peaked blue hoods), and also of putting on a yearly passion play. They also were involved in charity towards the poor and needy, and during 1581–1765, of freeing Italians enslaved in Muslim and Slavic lands.

Pope Martin V Pope Martin V (; ; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Oddone Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. His election effectively ended the We ...

assigned to the confraternity, the old Church of Santa Lucia Vecchia, which had served as a hospice for pilgrims. A fair called "La Sposa", was held in the area annually on the Feast of St. Lucy. In 1486, Pope Innocent VIII, united a number of confraternities under the name " Confraternita del Gonfalone". As the church was close to the Tiber and subject to flooding, he transferred the confraternity to Santa Lucia ai Banchi Vecchi. The Oratorio was built between 1544 and 1547, by the Confraternity on the ruins of the Church of Santa Lucia Vecchia which can still be seen in the basement. In 1579

Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...

raised it to the rank of an

archconfraternity An archconfraternity () is a Catholic confraternity, empowered to aggregate or affiliate other confraternities of the same nature, and to impart to them its benefits and privileges. History In 1569, Charles Borromeo started archconfraternities i ...

. In 1890, the Archconfraternity was dissolved and its property devolved to the state. In October 1960 the Oratory, restored by the Superintendency of the Galleries and the works of art of Rome, was entrusted to the Roman Polyphonic Choir. It now serves as a concert venue.

Description

The building on Via del Gonfalone 32a (near corner of Via Giulia and Vicolo della Scimmia) has a modest façade, designed by Domenico Castelli, resembling a simple church. Inside, a team of prominent

Mannerist Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...

painters were recruited between 1569–1576 to complete elaborate wall fresco decoration of scenes of the passion. Artists included Giacomo Zanguidi (il Bertoia) (''Entry of Christ to Jerusalem'');

Livio Agresti Livio Agresti (1508–1580), also called Ritius or Ricciutello, was an Italy, Italian painter of the late Renaissance or Mannerism, Mannerist period, active both in his native city of Forlì and in Rome, where he died. He was one of the members of ...

(''Last Supper''); Marco Pino (''Crown of Thorns'');

Federico Zuccari Federico Zuccaro, also known as Federico Zuccari and Federigo Zucchero ( July/August 1609), was an Italian painter, draughtsman, architect and writer. He worked in various cities in Italy, as well as in other countries such as Spain, France, t ...

(''Flagellation of Christ''); Raffaellino Motta da Reggio (''Christ before Pontius Pilate'' and ''Prophet and Sibyls''); and

Cesare Nebbia Cesare Nebbia (c.1536–c.1614) was an Italian Mannerism, Mannerist painter from Orvieto. Biography Nebbia was born in Orvieto. He trained with Girolamo Muziano, with whom he helped complete a flurry of decoration that was added to the Cathe ...

(''Crown of Thorns'' and ''Ecce Homo''). The main altarpiece is painted by Roviale Spagnolo. The site has been called the ''Sistine chapel of Mannerism''. The Passion panels are flanked by quadratura spiral columns and surmounted by images of prophets and sybils. The Oratory bears the arms of Alessandro Farnese, Cardinal-protector. Cardinal Odoardo Farnese was also involved with the Oratorio.Witte, Arnold Alexander, ''The Artful Hermitage: The Palazzetto Farnese as a Counter-reformation Diaeta'', L'Erma di Bretschneider, 2008, p. 165
/ref> Note there are at least two other ''Oratorio del Gonfalone'' in Italy, also highly decorated in the interior, one at Fabriano and the other at

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; or , archaically ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, where it straddles the Bacchiglione, River Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and e ...

References

External links

Oratory website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oratorio Del Gonfalone Tourist attractions in Rome Mannerist architecture in Italy Deconsecrated Roman Catholic churches in Rome