|
Oratory of the Passion
|
|
|
Show an other treasure of art and history in Milan:
|
 Mostly represented styles: Renaissance
The Oratory of the Passion is a small religious building in direct contact with the left side (looking at the basilica facade) of the Quadriportico of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio ("Atrium of Anaspertus").
The oratory (which has internal proportions identical to that of the coeval Church of San Bernardino alle Monache) is itself preceded by a small cloister, of irregular shape (the two long sides are not parallel) and with only one side provided with a colonnade.
The oratory was erected in the second half of the fifteenth century, by the Confraternity of the Passion (which had nothing to do with the canons of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, with which, in fact, they were for a long time in contrast). Completed in 1490, the famous architect Guiniforte Solari was also involved in its construction, although it is unclear in which way.
The planimetry is very simple: a nave and a relatively large rectangular apse.
More interesting is the cover: two cross vaults in the nave (not separated, however, by a transversal arc) and with lunettes in the apse.
The facade is an absolutely simple recent work of the Arch. Adolfo Zacchi, at that time architect of the Venerable Factory of the Duomo (the 30s of the twentieth century), and it is characterized by a semicircular window at the top divided into three parts.
Unfortunately, much of the interior decorations were lost, ruined or detached.
Better preserved is the decoration of the ceiling (reminiscent, in the nave, that of the Church of St. Vittore in Meda), in particular that of the vault of the apse, with a Father God in the center surrounded by grotesques ordered in triangular panels. There are also remains of frescos of the Luini school, particularly in the apse.
Again the similarities with the Church of San Vittore in Meda and the Church of San Maurizio are obvious.
The small cloister columns has have many similarities to those found in one of the two cloisters of the Church of Santa Maria della Pace and in the libraries of the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie and of the Church of Santa Maria Incoronata.
Currently the oratory is used for cultural events, especially art exhibitions. The photos on this page were taken during the exposition "Into The White" by Valentinaki.
If you are interested in a guided tour of this monument send an email!
Categories: Churches / Religious buildings
Piazza Sant'Ambrogio
20123 Milano MI |
Further pictures of the Oratory of the Passion in the section Photography |