Ginnetti Chapel

1.- The Chapel. This chapel designed by Carlo Fontana (Canton Ticino 1634-1714) pupil of Bernini, can be founded between his first works, closer to his master, and his best works. Severe and rich, all encrusted with magnificent kinds of marble finished on 1670, it’s decorate with eight composite columns, to on each side and four in the center, of “ancient green” marble and golden capitals and bases, placed on top of plates of “African” and “Diaspro di Sicilia” Marble and other decorations in alabaster. On top of the pendiment, supported by the four Columns of the altar, you can see an angel among Clouds holding a crown and in each side two Virtues in white marble.

2.- The Altar. By Ercole Antonio Raggi, Lombard (1624-1686), on 1675, he sculpted the big scene (2.20 x  3.50m) in relief of marble of the altar, appearing on the left the group we may see the blessed Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus and Saint John the Baptist on her side , on the right side saint Joseph is looking the flying angel which is in the center of the scenery, announcing him the flee to Egypt, and on the top there is the eternal Father with the dove of the Holy Spirit between two cherubs. The Antependium of the altar is all made of “plasm of emerald” marble. By the sides of the altar two little angels held on the left corner the bust of  Gianpaolo Ginetti (work of Alessandro Rondone) and  the marquis Marzio Ginetti on the right corner.

3.- The monuments of the two Ginetti Cardinals. On the left side of the altar on top of one arch door and inside a niche there is the white statue of the cardinal Marzio Ginetti (1627-1671) kneeled on the cushion praying, work of E. A. Raggi in the end of 1600, it represents the founder of the chapel covered with a cloak which falls in elegant folds. The statue is about 1.60 x 1.75 m. On top of the two columns there are two Virtues: the Charity and hope and, in the Lunette an angel holding the cardinal’s Family emblem and announcing the resurrection of the dead playing the trumpet. The last one is the statue of the cardinal G. F. Ginetti (1681-1691) nephew of the previous. The two virtues above it: the Justice and the Strength and the bust of Giovanni Paolo Ginetti work of the mediocre Alessandro Rondonde o Randone, and should be made in the last decade of the XVII century.