San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane: Baroque Masterpiece

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane: Key Information

• Location: Rome, Italy
• Architect: Francesco Borromini
• Style: Baroque
• Construction Dates: 1638-1667
• Materials: Brick and stucco
• Distinctive Feature: Dynamic use of architectural elements, including a 'flipped' architrave.

The Baroque Period: Context and Characteristics

Historical Context

The 17th century was a period marked by a complex interplay between crisis and progress. Europe faced numerous challenges, including social conflict, economic stagnation in agriculture and industry, widespread pestilence, and devastating wars. Simultaneously, this era saw the emergence of colonial empires, which sought to alleviate these domestic crises through expansion and resource acquisition.

Cultural and Artistic Developments

Rome served as the epicenter of art during the 17th century. This period witnessed significant advancements in various art forms, including a notable evolution in opera.

Religious Reaffirmation

In the realm of religion, the principles of the Catholic Church were strongly reaffirmed. The papacy gained renewed strength, and the Jesuit order was established to curb the Protestant Reformation. The primary role of Baroque art was to evoke faith and stir emotions in the senses, serving as a powerful tool for religious expression and persuasion.

Characteristics of Baroque Art and Architecture

The Church emerged as the foremost patron of artists during the Baroque era, seeking to promote religious fervor among the masses. Baroque art often embraced theatricality to capture attention and inspire devotion.

Religious Architecture

Italian churches of the Baroque period were constructed with a variety of floor plans. The most common design featured a single nave, side chapels, a simple apse, and a dome over the transept crossing.

Civil Architecture

Baroque palaces typically adopted a square, enclosed layout, resembling a fortress in their imposing presence.

Notable Baroque Architects

• Carlo Maderno: Known for completing St. Peter's Basilica and designing the facade of Santa Susanna.
• Francesco Borromini: His style is characterized by fantasy, drama, and expression. His major works include San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane and Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza.
• Baldassare Longhena: Renowned for the Church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice.

Architectural Features of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Support System

Giant columns are integral to the building's support structure, carrying the entablature.

Elevation

The elevation features an entablature with a curved cornice, which supports the scalloped dome.

Facade

The facade is divided into two independent levels. It incorporates colossal columns alongside a minor order of columns, featuring uniquely shaped openings and niches.

Cornice

The cornice imitates the form of a pediment, adding to the building's dynamic appearance.

Details and Capitals

The arrangement and proximity of the columns create a striking visual sensation. Borromini's unique approach is evident in the fantastic design of the Corinthian capitals, where the volutes tend to project outwards, adding to the dramatic effect.

Interior

The interior plan is an oval, where all elements converge to create a sense of drama. Sixteen columns of the Composite order support the entablature. The unique shaping of these columns defines the wall and establishes a rhythmic play, utilizing disproportion to create an effect of narrow spacing.

Dome

The dome is oval-shaped, formed by coffers and crowned by geometric patterns and a lantern. The coffers diminish in size, following the laws of perspective, with the objective of creating an upward illusion and enhancing the sense of height.

Lighting

The lantern provides abundant natural illumination, directing light onto the dome and highlighting gilded elements. Windows strategically placed above the entablature contribute to the illusion that the dome is suspended above the church, creating a breathtaking visual effect.

Francesco Borromini (1599-1667)

A highly influential Baroque architect of his time, Borromini's distinctive style is rooted in fantasy, drama, and movement.

Major Works

• San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
• Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza

Significance of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane was Francesco Borromini's first exclusive project. The Trinitarian Fathers commissioned a complex comprising a convent, a church, and a cloister. Borromini's facade for San Carlo is widely regarded as the culmination of his unique architectural style. He became the favored architect of religious orders for their buildings of worship, thanks to his innovative and expressive designs.