| In 1582, Federico Barocci painted a masterpiece that you can admire in Senigallia: the Entombment in the Church of the Cross, designed by his pupil Muzio degli Oddi
No images? Click here TRASPORTO DI CRISTO A SENIGALLIA
The historical origins of the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament trace back to the 13th century. This was after the Miracle of Bolsena in 1263 A.D. (During Holy Mass, blood started to seep from the consecrated Host), when Pope Urban IV extended the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Domini to the entire Church. At that time, numerous confraternities dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament emerged, thanks to the assistance of St. Thomas Aquinas, who composed the Office. The spirit of the Confraternity was one of communion and participation in both spiritual and social realms. The members of the time were notable for aiding the population during numerous natural calamities such as plagues and leprosy. They went to great lengths to assist the sick and bury the dead left abandoned on the roads. From these experiences arose the necessity to protect against contagions, leading them to wear burlap sacks covered with lime. A significant increase in these Confraternities and their solemn processions was prompted by one of the sessions of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), when it became mandatory for every bishop to establish them in every parish of his diocese. The Senigallia confraternity, which already existed in 1520, decided to relocate and build their chapel on the side of the Duomo (Cathedral). They aimed to acquire a beautiful painting from a great artist from the Duchy’s capital, Urbino. The negotiation took three years and to amass the sum of 300 scudi, fifty brothers sold wine, grain, and cloths. The canvas was painted in Urbino’s studio and transported to Senigallia.
On May 20, 1582, the painting was finally placed in the chapel, and it was suggested to compensate the men who had transported it from Urbino to Senigallia on their shoulders. This curious mode of transport and the unusual form of compensation are detailed in the original minutes of the congregation: “Monsignor Silvestro Rosa, who accompanied sixteen men to bring the Canvas from Urbino here, outlined the significant effort these men exerted in carrying the said Canvas on their spars. Acknowledging that every effort deserves reward, the Brothers directed Monsignor Battista Mazzoleni, the Camerlengo, to give one scudo to each of the sixteen men who had transported the canvas.”
Federico Fiori, known as Barocci, was born in Urbino, Duchy of Urbino. He initially trained under his father, Ambrogio Barocci, a sculptor of some local renown. Barocci followed his uncle, Bartolommeo Genga, to Pesaro and then, in 1548, to Rome. There, he worked in the leading studio of Mannerist painters, Taddeo and Federico Zuccari. After spending four years in Rome, Barocci returned to his hometown, where he completed his first significant artwork, a depiction of St. Margaret for the local Confraternity of the Holy Sacrament. He was later invited back to Rome by Pope Pius IV to contribute to the decoration of the Vatican’s Belvedere Palace. During this second period in Rome, Barocci fell ill with intestinal complaints, suspecting that a salad he had consumed might have been poisoned by envious competitors. Concerned for his life, he departed Rome in 1563; four years later, he reportedly experienced a partial recovery following prayers to the Virgin. For the subsequent years, his studio was based in Urbino. At the time of the creation of the Senigallia masterpiece, he had a young apprentice, Muzio degli Oddi.
The artwork quickly gained fame for its beauty and was continuously copied. Between 1585 and 1590, Philippe Thomassin created the first of many popular engravings of it, followed by that of Aegidius Sadeler.
The painting and its frame soon faced a new and grave threat: rats. This issue is documented in numerous records; extensive measures were taken, including eventually protecting the canvas with a tin armor. However, this solution proved inadequate, as the rats continued to damage the canvas with their urine, even if they could not chew through the metal. In a 1599 meeting, it was urgently noted, “our canvas is so damaged by the urine of the rats that if we do not soon take action, we will suffer great harm.” This situation was used as an argument to insist on the requisition of the neighboring house of the Canons Regular and the expansion of the church, to eliminate the risk to the painting.
“In the early months of 1601, the Duke’s architects, Muzio degli Oddi and Canon Arduino, were consulted about the church’s enlargement. The Fratelli were particularly concerned that the painting should retain its “proportionate light” as the church expanded, following the teachings of the Master. On April 20, 1608, the painting underwent restoration. The Books of Congregation from that date mention, “dealing that the Painting already sent to Urbino be accommodated…. for his effort made in accommodating said painting should send him scudi one hundred and fifty,” with Barocci himself having noted, “… and that is exactly half of the same sum that had cost the complete workmanship of the painting.” This restoration likely involved significant reworking of the colors, even though the distribution and movement of the figures remained unchanged. Therefore, the painting should be studied not just as a work from 1582, but also from the perspective of its 1608 restoration.” (Pio Emilio Vecchioni, La Chiesa della Croce e Sagramento e la Deposizione del Barocci, Senigallia, 1949)
Muzio degli Oddi was a remarkable figure from Urbino, immersed in the duchy’s cultured milieu. Initially educated in eloquence and philosophy, he later trained with the painter Federico Barocci around 1582. The discovery of a visual impairment, a form of color blindness, led him to pursue studies in perspective and mathematics under Guidubaldo del Monte in Pesaro, a prominent disciple of Federico Commandino. However, Muzio was known for his independent streak. His troubles with the Urbino court began to surface on July 30, 1599, when he was found guilty of fishing in protected areas and bathing naked in the Metauro River. Though he was pardoned, conflicts persisted. Two years later, he was involved in a physical altercation with Giuseppe Azzolino, the duke’s custodian, stemming from a disagreement over work Muzio was overseeing in Casteldurante. Subsequently, items from the ducal wardrobe were discovered in his room, leading to accusations of theft against him. In response, Muzio fled the Duchy of Urbino for Venice, then traveled by sea to the Papal States. There, in Loreto, on May 22, 1602, he was appointed architect of the Santa Casa, the Holy House, where he managed the construction of the Treasury chapel.
On May 16, 1605, with the birth of the anticipated heir, Francesco Maria issued a general amnesty and reconciled with Oddi, allowing him to return to Urbino in June 1605. This period of rehabilitation was brief, as Oddi was arrested on August 18, 1606, under the charge—possibly unjust—of plotting against the duke. He was confined to the fortress of Pesaro for over 40 months. During his incarceration, Oddi managed to obtain a copy of Euclid’s treatise by Commandino and made ink from the ashes of the chimney. He began composing his own works on sundials and an agrimensory treatise on squaring. Despite his circumstances, he continued to design. His “Gheribizzi,” design notes accompanied by drawings for expanding the urban structures of Urbino and Senigallia, date from 1609. Oddi’s architectural skills contributed to the new construction that housed our painting, the Chiesa della Santa Croce in Senigallia. The building’s absolute simplicity, a parallelepiped with harmonious dimensions, surprises visitors. Two windows were added to the structure, which has withstood various earthquakes and the revolutionary fires of the feared Red Week in June 1914.
“Monsignor Silvestro Rosa, who accompanied sixteen men to bring the Canvas from Urbino here, outlined the significant effort these men exerted in carrying the said Canvas on their spars…“ Happy Easter and Buona Pasqua ! May this year be filled with the subtle enchantments of photography ! La Fotografia è la più bella delle collezioni Senigallia, città della fotografia, ospita un nuovo spazio dedicato alla collezione di fotografie. In preparazione la IV Biennale di Senigallia, estate 2025, conferenza, fiera 13-15 Giugno 2025. Senigallia diventerà la Città delle collezioni.
|
Share 
Tweet 
Share 
Forward