Saint Cecilia

Abstract

Beneath the ciborium in the Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, lies the sculpted effigy of Saint Cecilia, carved in 1600 by Stefano Maderno (1576–1636). The statue presents the saint in a lifeless, almost fetal position, draped in a finely carved gown with a veil partially covering her face. A deep gash on her neck marks the wound of her martyrdom by beheading. The sculpture is made of Parian marble and was commissioned in 1599 by Cardinal Paolo Emilio Sfondrati (1560–1618), titular cardinal of the basilica. That same year, during renovations under his direction, what was believed to be the incorrupt body of Saint Cecilia was discovered in a sarcophagus beneath the main altar. According to contemporary accounts, including one by Sfondrati himself, the saint’s body was found in the same position later depicted in the sculpture. Maderno is said to have based the statue on a drawing he made at the moment of the exhumation. The effigy is framed by bronze relief panels created by Maderno and Tommaso della Porta (d.1606). Bronze relief panels set in polychrome marble and lapis lazuli depict scenes of other early Christian martyrs associated with Cecilia, including Saints Valerian, Tiburtius, and Maximus. The ensemble also honours Popes Urban I and Lucius I, whose relics were also recovered during the excavations and who were central figures in the development of Saint Cecilia’s cult. Bronze angels hover above the reclining saint. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.