Rome 1600
"Rome in 1600 was the centre of the artistic world. This book examines the art and architecture of the city around that date, at a time when major innovations especially in painting, were being made, largely due to the presence of Annibale Carracci and Caravaggio. 1600 was a Jubilee year, which offered numerous opportunities for artistic patronage, whether in major projects such as St Peter's, or in lesser schemes such as the restoration of older churches, as part of an growing interest in the early church. New religious orders, such as the Jesuits and Oratorians, also required new forms of decoration for their recently built churches. The book considers the patronage of the pope and his nephew, Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, as well as major families including the Giustiniani, Mattei and Farnese. Rome was a magnet for artists and architects from all over Europe, who came to study the remains of antiquity and the works of Michelangelo, Raphael and Bramante. The sheer variety of artists working in the city, who came from other parts of Italy, as well as northern Europe, ensured a wide variety of styles, and at times innovative cross-influences. The numerous patrons of the city were spoiled for choice. The book draws on a wide range of contemporary sources and images to reconstruct a snapshot of Rome at this significant time"--
