The Council of Trent

Dated 1633 and assigned to Elia Naurizio by Michelangelo Mariani (1673), the large canvas was part of the funeral monument of the spouses Hans Hörmann and Felicitas Rottenbuch, in the choir of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it remained until the restoration of 1963 that made it readable in German in the folder on the right, and then land at the museum, within the exhibition. The picture depicts a general congregation, that is a daily meeting of work, informative and deliberative. From 1562, in the third Conciliar period, the presence of bishops increased considerably until reaching two hundred units. For these meetings it was necessary to find a suitable place to contain all the participants: the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, shown here, was chosen. The building had a single hall, not divided into naves: a semi-circular wooden grandstand was mounted, faithfully reproduced in the painting. In front of it sat the legates of the Pope, their coadjutors and the ecclesiastical orators. On the bottom you can see a pulpit reserved for speakers; below sat the lay oratories. At the center appears Angelo Massarelli, secretary of the Council. An inscription, placed at the bottom of two scrolls, indicates the names of the most important characters depicted in the painting.