Education of Mary in the Temple

Abstract

The sculptures in this chapel were made by Pietro Giuseppe Auregio (1667 - 1740), and the frescoes were painted by Giovanni Galliari the Elder (c. 1672 - 1722). They began work on these internal decorations around 1711, but work on the building itself began much earlier, in 1662. The structure is believed to have been designed by Giovanni Battista Negro (birth unknown, death 1714), who led the building projects at the Sacro Monte for most of the second half of the seventeenth century. Construction was finished by 1673 and funded by the nearby community of Pralungo. This chapel's shape is unusual for the Sacri Monti. It is cylindrical with four square apses, one of which is like a small porch that sheltered pilgrims as they viewed the scene inside. Auregio sculpted no less than forty-four figures, forty-seven angels, and sixteen cherubs for this group. The figure of Mary is distinguished by her long-sleeved tunic and the heavy veil that cover her head and shoulders. The other women present wear more contemporary-looking dresses, with fitted bodices and fanciful hairstyles. The well-dressed women smile and converse as they sew, read, and exchange books. Their lively gestures create a salon-like atmosphere. Galliari's frescos emphasize his skill at creating architectural and perspectival illusions in paint. According to an inscription on the side of the porch, he finished his work on this chapel in 1718 and Auregio put the final touches on his sculptures in 1719, just before the second centenary of the Crowning of the Virgin at the Sanctuary (1720). The chapel has recently undergone another restoration campaign in anticipation of the upcoming fifth coronation of the Madonna Nera (August 30, 2020). These photographs were taken during the most recent restoration of the chapel (2018), so the figures have been moved from their usual places and some modern elements, such as newspapers and plastic sheeting, are visible. / The Sacro Monte at Oropa is part of a larger devotional complex dedicated to an image of the Black Madonna that has been venerated on this site since 1295. This sculpture is believed to be one of three dark-skinned and miraculous images of the Virgin Mary that Saint Eusebius brought back from the Holy Land in the Fourth Century. The other two figures are located in the Sanctuary at Crea, another Sacro Monte, and the Cathedral of Cagliari in Sardinia, where Eusebius was born. Black Madonnas were common throughout western Europe during the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. Modern Art Historians generally agree that the images darkened over time due to the soot released by nearby candles. Many of the sculptures have been repainted with light skin in recent years, including the examples at Crea and Varese. Unlike any of the other Sacri Monti Oropa was cared for by secular clergy throughout its entire history. The plans for a Sacro Monte to accompany the sanctuary date to 1620, the year that the new church building was finished, the statue of the Virgin was ceremonially crowned for the first time, and Duke Charles Emanuel I of Savoy declared himself the official protector of Oropa. The house of Savoy continued to fund and visit the elaborate sanctuary complex until the early twentieth century, even as they served as the Kings of Italy. The Sacro Monte, however, was built by local citizens, initiatives, and parishes. Only twelve of the twenty-eight chapels that were planned to illustrate the life of the Virgin Mary were ever completed. Primary documents detailing the Sacro Monte's construction are somewhat scarce compared to the records available at the other sites.