DECORATIVE ARTS DEPARTMENT

Restoration of the “Sala degli Indirizzi” The Room of the Tributes

Being restored thanks to the generosity of Mr. Joseph Incaudo, California Chapter

The Room of the Tributes is located in the former Apostolic Library. Leaving the Sistine Chapel, this is the first of twelve rooms which form the spectacular corridor of the old Apostolic Library. This corridor is an essential connection between the most ancient part of the Vatican Palaces and the Belvedere area which houses the Sculpture Museums. In 1837, Pope Gregory XVI placed in this room the collection of Icons and so-called primitive paintings, which are now in the Pinacoteca. However, the name Sala degli Indirizzi was given to this room during the pontificate of Pio XI (1922-1939), who decided to display here the tributes of homage sent to Pope Leo XIII and Saint Pius X by the faithful dioceses throughout the world. Undoubtedly, the Room of the Tributes is very important for its location between the Chapel of Saint Pius V, decorated by Jacopo Zucchi with the scenes from the life of St. Peter, and its antechamber, the Room of the Nozze Aldobrandine” and the Room of the Papyri. Everyday thousands of tourists walk through the Sala degli Indirizzi as they leave the Sistine chapel, thus making its restoration highly visible and important. The room is set off by the stunning beauty of the ceiling frescoed by Andrea Giorgini (doc. 1817-1824) and Filippo Agricola (1795-1857) as well as the value of the precious liturgical objects on display. In 1818, during the pontificate of Pope Pius VII, Giorgini and Agricola decorated the vault and frieze, in accordance to the coat of arms of the Pope, who belonged to the Chiaramonti family, which is located in the centre of the ceiling. Figures of Doctors and Fathers of the Church are depicted in the lunettes with decorated neoclassical frames, and enriched with grotesque motifs. The frieze is decorated with acanthus volutes. In the centre of the Room there are two large granite tables which date back to the pontificate of Gregory XVI (1831-1846). On both sides of the walls there are preciousneoclassic cabinets designed by Raffaele Stern (1774-1820) for the library of Cardinal Zelada (1809-1814). These cabinets contain a rich collection of glass and ivory objects, Roman relics, early Christian relics, church furnishings and liturgical furniture from the treasury of the Sancta Sanctorum, the chapel of the Sanctuary of the Scala Santa at the Lateran, where the most venerated relics were kept in the Middle Ages.

Mr. Joseph Incaudo and his friends pose with Drs. Cornini, Forti, and restorers

Restorer explaining to Mr. Incaudo and his party the ongoing restoration

Two Globes by Sr. Blaeuw

Being restored thanks to the generosity of the California Chapter

The pair of papier-mâché globes are covered in painted paper.  The first one is the globe of the earth while the one on this page shows the 48 constellations as cited by Ptolemy.  The artist was a student of the famous Danish astronomer, Tycho Brache (1595-96).  When Sr. Blaeuw returned to his homeland in 1599, he founded a printing press dedicated to the manufacturing of globes, as well as nautical and scientific instruments. In 1625, he founded the Blaviana Office in Amsterdam , the official map maker for the Indian Company.  His most famous work is the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum sive Atlas Novus , published in two volumes in 1635 and reprinted many times until 1655.  Both globes were continually “updated” with copper as new discoveries occurred.

The Museo Profano of the Vatican Library

Being restored thanks to the generosity of the Ohio Chapter

The Museo Profano of the Vatican Library was created by Pope Clement XIII (Rezzonico, 1758-1769) in order to house the collections from antiquity found in the Museo Pio-Clementino. It contains various domestics instruments used in the Roman world. The head of the Library, Cardinal Alessandro Albani, asked the German archaeologist, Joseph Joachim Winckelmann, to take charge of the collection. Winckelmann had been in Rome since 1755 as the cardinal’s consultant and was made Prefect of Antiquities, Apostolic Antiquario and Commissioner of Antiquities of the Apostolic Camera, with the specific responsibility to take care of the Antichità del Museo Profano in the Vatican Library. Along with the collections of ivories, cameo’s and small bronzes collected by Library, there are also the medals for which a room was named, “Room of the Medals (Stanza delle Medaglie)”. An inscription written in Latin painted in a lunette of the Museum memorializes its institution in 1768 while in the same year the painter, Stefano Pozzi, painted on the vault an allegory alluding to the foundation of the Museum: Time, clothed as Saturn, attempts to snatch a statue from a cupid who, by the order of Minerva, is carrying the statue to safety. Later on, Pope Pius VI (Braschi, 1775-1799) added the elegant cabinets designed by Valadier (1781-97).

Series of 48 bookcases in engraved wood and paintings

Being restored thanks to the Florida Chapter

These bookshelves line the Gallery of Urban VIII in the rooms formerly linked to the Vatican Apostolic Library. They were built under Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) to hold the impressive papal collections of books and manuscripts acquired from the mid-1600’s until the mid-1800’s. The group contains 14 bookshelves, which line both sides of the gallery. They are richly decorated with geometric and floral patterns, while the central panel of each unit contains the coat of arms of Pope Pius IX. The lateral panels are painted with views of “modern” Rome alternating with “still life” subjects all surrounded by garlands of flowers. The most important aspect of these shelves are the views of the city, which remain today a historic testimony of 19th century Rome and its monuments.

Being restored thanks to the generosity of the Texas Chapter

This hexagonal display, in the much visited Room of the Addresses to Pius IX, is a unique piece of history. In fact, this was a gift offered by the king Ferdinand II de Bourbon to Pope Pius IX. On October 22, 1849, Pope Pius IX was visiting the famous site of Pompei, in Southern Italy. This village was dramatically and unexpectedly buried due to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. While the Pope was walking amidst the ancient ruins, some relics were found by the archaeologists with him. Thus, King Ferdinando II de Bourbon decided to present the Pope with the very same objects found in His presence on that occasion. The 26 items have been placed in this hexagonal display. A brass inscription, which celebrates and commemorates the event, is on the upper part of this beautiful display.

Series of Four Cabinets with windows located in the Profane Museum

Being restored thanks to the generosity of the California Chapter

The Profane Museum of the Vatican Library was created by Pope Clemens XIII (Rezzonico, 1758-1769) in 1767. The Pope wanted to display here the collection of ancient Etruscan statuettes, ivory objects, pagan relics and ancient medals of the Holy See. This was reason why after the completion of the beautiful XVIII century room, Pope Pius VI (Braschi, 1775-1799) asked the mobiliér Andrea Mimmi (1701-1783) to construct these elegant boiseries with wood originating from Brazil. The entire group was designed by the famous artist Luigi Valadier (1726-1785). The arrangement of the rooms was remodeled by Clement XIII who had the walls covered in marble, with the original ornaments in stucco and paintings on the allegorical fresco of the vault dating from 1768. These three cabinets are finely inlayed and richly decorated in gilt bronze and placed on four legs a cabriole , carved as heads and paws of lions. The cases contain a window, a boiserie, inside where the antique collections of the Museo Profano are displayed. Valadier's involvement is verified in a passage in his Diary of Rome from May 31, 1780, where it speaks of the "Museum of the Medals." that were to go inside the "four most noble cabinets in Brazilian wood in various colors surrounded by gilt metals and crystal at the doors, in which in good symmetry there will remain displayed to the public these ancient monuments." The work was under construction from 1781 until 1797. On October 20, 1781, the Pope visited Valadier's studio to admire the work in progress. In 1783 the cabinet-maker's portion was already finished. The restoration of this project is particularly complicated due to the fact that the cabinets have such material as wood and bronze while the artefacts inside are made of precious stones, glass, ivory and crystal. For this reason the conservation is being carried in diverse studios.