10 May 2022

prophets

In the chapel, there are four marble statues of Old Testament prophets, represented while pointing to the Crucifix. They hold parchment scrolls in their left hand, while two point to the Crucifix on the altar with their right hand and the two closest ones turn to face it. They represent Daniel, Ezek...
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10 May 2022

inscriptions

On the upper cornice of the pilasters, there is an inscription in small letters that runs through the chapel from right to left. It reads: Joannes Ruano Archiepiscopus Montis Regalis Sacellum Hoc A Fundamentis Erexit. The last part, presumably with the dating, is missing. ...
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10 May 2022

Gaetano Signorello

Based on a design by Angelo da Itala, the Palermitan artist Gaetano Signorello constructed the machined brass door that separates the chapel from the Cathedral, while still allowing a glimpse of its rich interior. The door is decorated with symmetrical leaves in the two doors. ...
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10 May 2022

Angelo Itala

Sicilian architect and town planner, Angelo Italia was born in Licata in 1628. He began working as a bricklayer and contractor with his father Francesco and then learned the basics of architecture at specialised construction sites. Among his work, the Church of San Angelo, where his artistic debut t...
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10 May 2022

altar

The chapel's altar room is modest in size but is the figurative and architectural centrepiece of the entire environment. It is accessed via a red marble step that leads to the Crucifix positioned just above the altar. The mixed marble antependium, decorated with three arches above four spiral column...
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10 May 2022

altar

The chapel's altar room is modest in size but is the figurative and architectural centrepiece of the entire environment. It is accessed via a red marble step that leads to the Crucifix positioned just above the altar. The mixed marble antependium, decorated with three arches above four spiral column...
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10 May 2022

lantern

The lantern, circular and polygonal in shape, is usually placed on top of a dome as a decorative crowning. Thanks to the openings and windows, the lantern filters the light, illuminating much of the building below. Used more in Renaissance art, it originated in the circular openings that the ancient...
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10 May 2022

pilasters

The pilaster, like the column, is a load-bearing architectural element that can therefore have a reinforcing or decorative function. Often repeated rhythmically, the pilaster is placed against a wall and consists of a rectangular shaft, the capital and the base. The capital is usually decorated acco...
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10 May 2022

lunette

Named after its half-moon shape, the lunette is a typical feature of vaulted rooms. In vertical walls, it is the semi-circular space between the intersecting arch of the wall and the surface of the vault. It can be rounded, pointed, etc., as its profile is determined by the curvature of the intrados...
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10 May 2022

Christ Pantocrator

Hieratic and solemn, the half-length Christ Pantocrator appears and emerges from a precious golden background, like a casket of divine light. The Pantocrator, from the Greek word for ruler of all things, blesses the faithful with his right hand: the two arched fingers symbolise Christ's dual nature,...
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