Torlonia Chapel, in the Basilica of St. John Lateran
January 6, 2012 in Cathedral Interior
The chapel, which is dedicated to St John Nepocumenus, was ordered by Prince Alessandro Torlonia, and designed on a Greek cross plan by Quintilliano Raimondi in 1838.
The relief of “The Deposition” of the body of Christ by Pietro Tenerani was made in 1844. There are monuments to Giovanni Torlonia and his wife Anna. This is one of the last chapels built for a noble family in Rome.
The altar has a front of Russian malachite and lapis lazuli, and sides of Oriental alabaster.
The chapel is domed, and on top of the corbels are statues of the Evangelists by Pietro Galli. The same artist made the four statues of virtues in the niches: Strength, Temperance, Justice and Prudence.
A statue of St James by the school of Andrea Bregno supposedly stood outside the chapel, but it has been removed at some time during the last 50 years.
My picture has been cropped, and straightened a little something I am having difficulty resolving when taking photos. It has been sharpened and had shadows brightened to emphasise the gate in the foreground.
