Monumenti Sepolcrale di Gherardo Maffei. Brigida Milizia, Stefano Capodiferro e Benedetto Ponto nella Chiesa dell'Ara-coeli

Dublin Core

Title

Monumenti Sepolcrale di Gherardo Maffei. Brigida Milizia, Stefano Capodiferro e Benedetto Ponto nella Chiesa dell'Ara-coeli

Subject

TABLE CIV
SEPULCHRAL MONUMENTS OF GHERARDO MAFFEI, BRIGIDA MILIZIA, STEFANO CAPODIFERRO, E BENEDETTO PONTO
In the Church of Araroeli

Description

TABLE CIV
In this most gracious Church of St. Maria of Ara-Coeli, made over the temple of Giove Feretrio, raised by Romoto to vote in a battle against the Cecinensi peoples, and it contains many precious moments of every art style and every age, that there is an abundance for individuals to observe. Aleuni, as understood by four others, understood that this table marked 104 is the one we will speak about. But before you can look at the two words above this art from ancient times, what was finished in Etrusci by the architects of the sixteenth century and their particular tastes and styles. I want to say that this art shows a history in the kind of marble that was used and the way it was adorned with the facades of houses. After the painter Duccio had hollowed the figures in the marble cathedral of Siena, this art was thought to be perfected by Domenico Beccafuni, who led so many subjects of Genesi, and who still has among the most beautiful artistic monuments. And the way of doing so pleased him, and outraged the best craftsmen, who wanted to pursue it even on the facades of the houses. Today, they seem to have going into disuse and have almost been lost, and we see particular evidence for this in the distinguished sculptor Mr. Vincenzo Gaissi, who designed the marble in a forceful and original way, and has been able to replace the fragile asphalt, when previously its grooves were unfilled, and made it much more durable and lasting. These are very beautiful works for the committee of the lovely Prince Alexander of Torlonio, who displayed the freshly made monument to adverse viewers. But it is time to go back to the discussion of our illustration of the monument.
The first of them, and the others that follow, make up a quadrilateral in the center enclosed by a circle of leaves and flowers, as well as the figure of a deer, which represents the generosity of the Lord, to whom this coat of arms belongs. At the of the sepulchral plaque, it is known to hold and preserve the remains of the deceased Gerardo Maffei of Velletri, who was known for his costumes, pious ways, and knowledge which got him much praise as an apostolic writer, who was in charge of the register of the apostolic chamber, and the secretary of many Roman Popes.
In the second monument, which is more ornate than the first, but otherwise created in a similar way, there is an outline around the effigy of Brigid, posthumous daughter of Francis Militia, wife of the Evangelist Risoca, who is deposited in this tomb. This figure carved in marble is a wonderful and sad work for the sad resignation that shines from his face, and for the east of the clothes and the blankets surrounded by delicate pleats. On the sides of the head, you can see the names, with a picture of a rampant greyhound dog, which teaches that fidelity should be the warrior to God and to the prince. The ornaments, which are the frieze of this monument, are sunken in and made of marble, and filled with metals: this is the only example of this style we have seen in Rome, and we could not omit it from the collection because it is something so unique.
In the third picture, you can see a man wearing a long dress, and over his shoulders is a peninsula. This is the portrait of Stefano Capodiffero, who was a unique man, who was fairly lucky, yet impassive in reactions. His sepulchral monument was paid for by Diana Tebaldi, who was unhappy over conditions of common mortals, and the bitter task of seeing the composing bones of his son for whom he hoped his eyes were closed. As in the previous ones, the head us surrounded by two coats of arms (of Tebaldi of Capodiferro from left to right), which expresses the love to the hardships of life, and in another is a half prancing horse that represents generosity and love. The epigraph on these monuments reads much more, and we were able to find it after a great deal of care. So, again, we know that the marble epigraph was disturbed by the enemies of the deceased with the intent of affronting his memory. It is here where we read about the accurate description of the church and convent of Ara-Coeli, which left to us by P. Casimiro. On page 102 of his work, which discusses the monument, he says “two plaques are seen on the floor, however, graphite composes the inscriptions at the foot of Stefano and Tiberius, which have been destroyed and levelled by envy, and they were found in the library of Emo Albrani Alexander, the other place mentioned in the register”. As for how much care we put in throughout the book and in other works by the same author, we have come to find that the epigraph is of swine and vesicular disease, rather than the words he promises us. That which we were able to find more of in the memorial of the Sepulchral Cardinal Francis Gualdi, is in the process of being printed by Mr. Benedetto and Mr. Constantine Mellini Gigli.3
Finally, the fourth is far more ornate than any of those aforementioned, and has stayed in the midst of the family, consisting of a rampant lion traveling through three mountains, signifying the great and generous actions, and his invincible and virile mind. This monument is in memory of Benedetto Podio, a young teenager removed from the world by dead, to signify hope to his relative and much of the country.

Creator

Drawn by Francesco M. Tosi

Publisher

Presso l'Editore Proprietario

Date

15th and 16th Sculpture

Contributor

Unknown Donor

Rights

Geneseo Foundation

Relation

Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 5

Format

20 x 16

Language

Italian

Type

Print

Identifier

Italian Monuments in Rome created during the 15th and 16th Century

Coverage

Prints were made circa 1835 to 1860

Files

IMG_6031_edited.jpg

Citation

Drawn by Francesco M. Tosi , “Monumenti Sepolcrale di Gherardo Maffei. Brigida Milizia, Stefano Capodiferro e Benedetto Ponto nella Chiesa dell'Ara-coeli,” LLB Galleries, accessed March 28, 2024, https://artgalleries.milne-library.org/items/show/329.