A survey of the painted frieze in Rome from the pre-Christian era to the 1630s shows that it had been a significant ornamentation for the interiors of buildings in Rome, in the sixteenth century becoming the major decoration for palaces of Roman nobility, an important conduit for narrative and heraldic information necessary to a family's prestige and social role. After 1560 the requirements of Catholic Reform and theoretical texts such as G.B. Armenini's treatise On the True Precepts of Painting influenced developments in both style and subject. Moralising messages simultaneously contained meanings specific to the patron. In addition, the genre of landscape became a popular subject capable of expressing spiritual ideals. The thesis then focuses on the Palazzo Pamphilj in Piazza Navona, Rome, where Giambattista Pamphilj commissioned ten narrative fresco friezes in two phases, originally to mark his promotion to cardinal (1629-1644), then to celebrate his ascendancy to the papal throne as Innocent X (1644-1655). Little has been written on the decorative programme and the thesis seeks to explain why Rome's leading patron adopted the 'old-fashioned' frieze when a more 'modern' form of decoration, the illusionistically painted barrel-vaulted ceiling, had been chosen by Innocent's predecessor, Urban VIII Barberini (1623-1644), whose family residence appeared likely to set new trends. Art historical problems of style, iconography, dating, attribution and patronage are addressed throughout.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/245706 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Russell, Susan |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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