Welcome to "Art & the Jesuits in Early Modern Rome"



The Eternal City, caput mundi....Rome has captivated and perplexed inhabitants and visitors alike for the last 3,000 years. With an eye to history, culture, art, and religion, students of Loyola University New Orleans' Italy Study Abroad program offer their take on the "live-and-learn" experience in one of the world's most fascinating cities.

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What's Up? The Jesuits and Ceiling Painting in Early Modern Rome- Teresa Berner

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In the High Renaissance and Baroque Italy, decoration was everything. Most of the decorations were frescos or mosaics. The most important frescos and mosaics were commissioned by Catholic churches. During the High Renaissance, the decoration was about evoking classical antiquity, balance, and harmony. The Baroque period was more about the grandiose and dramatic. The aspects of both of these time periods can be found in churches all across Rome. The most impressive decorations are found on the ceilings of the churches. One of the most famous High Renaissance ceiling painting is in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. An example of Baroque ceiling painting is in the church of St. Ignatius by Andrea Pozzo, SJ. Both of these ceiling paintings show the Catholic church’s appreciation of art in the High Renaissance and Baroque periods.  Sistine Chapel ceiling Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel is one of the best examples of High Renaissance painting. The ceiling is made ...
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Spectacle, Patronage, and the Jesuits in Baroque Rome-Teresa Berner

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Here we are, the last blogpost of this four week series. The time I spent here in Rome was one the most educational experiences of my life.  Actually being in the presence of these works of art that I have learned about over the course of my life has been surreal. This week was no different. This week was all about the spectacle, patronage, and the Jesuits in Baroque Rome. The most evident spot of Jesuit patronage and spectacle that we went to this week was the church of S. Vitale. It is an ancient church that was renovated by the Jesuits during the Catholic Reformation. The Jesuits knew that they had to educate people about the reforms of the Catholic Church. They thought that by reminding the public about Catholic martyrs who showed the ultimate sign of faith by dying for their beliefs, people would be inspired to come back to the church. Along the walls of the nave are paintings of different martyrs. There are paintings of the martyrdom of St. Vitale in the apse of t...
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What's Up? Comparing ceiling paintings in Rome

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Jimmy Guardiola    In the month we spent in Rome, we saw countless amazing pieces of art. The oldest and most spectacular sculptures, the most intricate sarcophagi, the most colorful paintings, and the most breathtaking architectural achievements. All in all, however, the greatest things I saw consistently were the ceiling paintings. Whether fresco or canvas, it seemed that everyone one we saw was better than the last. It is impossible to register and memorize all the art contained in one single church. Most churches of ceiling works in the main naive, in each chapel, the cupola, the transepts, and the apse. Though I can spend hours talking about each, for this, I will focus on the ones located in the main naive. The very first thing you seem with great detail as you look up when entering a church. I'm going to be comparing my two favorite pieces. one actually is from a church, however, the second in located in a famous palazzo. The first is "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus...
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