The Church of St. Augustine is considered one of the first Roman churches of the Renaissance. It was erected at the end of the 15th century, and marble blocks broken out of the Coliseum were used for construction. In those days, the destruction of the monuments of paganism was common practice.
Initially, the church was consecrated in honor of St. Tryphon, but a century later it became the property of the cardinal title of St. Augustine and was renamed. Of the shrines in the temple, the relics of St. Augustine's mother, St. Monica, are especially distinguished.
However, the church became famous not at all. This was the only educational institution for courtesans living in the quarter. Girls were allowed to attend masses, and in order not to distract the worshipers, they were allocated the first rows in front of the altar.
Church of St. Augustine is considered one of the first churches of the Renaissance
The most famous courtesans of Fiametta Mikaelis, Julia Kompana, Tullia of Aragon and her sister Penelope found their last peace here. However, their graves were lost as a result of another church reformation of the XVI century.
What to look for
Pay attention to the canvas "Madonna di Loreto" Caravaggio’s brush, located in the first chapel to the left of the entrance. At one time, the picture made a lot of noise.
Church servants were not happy that the master portrayed worshipers clinging to the Mother of God with dirty heels. However, most of all I was indignant at the fact that the artist wrote off the image of Madonna from his mistress, the same "honest courtesan" Lena. This is reminiscent of an overly open neckline.
Another famous work "The Prophet Isaiah" Raphael’s brush is depicted on the third pilaster on the left in the central nave. The striking resemblance of Isaiah and Ezikiel from the Sistine Chapel generated a bunch of rumors and tales.
It is believed that Raphael saw the chapel with the assistance of their mutual friend Bramante without the knowledge of Michelangelo. After which he simply “wrote off” his prophet, adding a few characteristic features. Michelangelo accused Raphael of plagiarism, which led to a long conflict between the masters.
Photo by gaspa
