Daily Rome Shot 100

Photo by Bree Dail.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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2 Comments

  1. ThePapalCount says:

    This is the Crucifixion of Jesus by the 16th/17th century artist Guido Reni. It’s found above the main altar in the Basilica of San Lorenzo or St Lawrence in an obscure piazza north of the Italian parliament buildings. Best to locate it on a map. The painting is by the well known and prolific Roman artist Guido Reni whose works appear in several notable places throughout the city. I was once on a “Reni Tour” and our group visited several of his works. This was one. Reni also did work in St Mary Major – he worked with frescoes and in oils. He was around when Caravaggio was still living and working.
    Another of his famous altar pieces is found in the Church of S. Trinita dei Pelligrini which depicts the Holy Trinity. (that church is also dedicated exclusively to the TLM and the liturgical books of 1962).
    This church of S Lorenzo is built on the foundations of a church first constructed in the 400s. So, Mass has been offered here for over 1,600 years. Sacred ground. Its beautifully decorated and very quiet.
    This Basilica of S Lorenzo is NOT to be mistaken for the Basilica of S. Lorenzo “outside the walls” in which one can venerate the relics of Sts Lawrence and Stephen, two early church deacons and martyrs and also visit the tomb of blessed Pio Nono – Pope Pius IX of the 19th century.
    Reni also painted a famous depiction of St Michael crushing the head of Satan. Talk was/is that Reni had a fierce argument with a cardinal who refused to pay him for a commission. Consequently, the head of Satan being crushed in the painting bears a striking resemblance to the cardinal. It was then and remains to our day to be murmured about quietly in Rome. The painting can be seen in the Franciscan church of S. Maria on the via Veneto near the American Embassy.
    This being the Year of St Joseph I should add that one of his last works was a painting of St Joseph. That piece found its way to a Russian museum.

  2. Pumpkin Eater says:

    Thank you, Count! We can always count on you to fill in the most interesting details.

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