Coffered Ceiling

Abstract

The polychrome transept ceiling in San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome was commissioned by Pope Clement VIII (reigned 1592–1605) as part of a broader renovation announced on June 8, 1592. The project, supervised by Cardinal Alessandro de’ Medici (1535–1605, later Pope Leo XI), was completed between the autumn of 1592 and the summer of 1596. A contract signed on September 6, 1592, engaged a group of carpenters to begin construction based on designs by Taddeo Landini (1550–1596), Pope Clement VIII’s preferred architect. An initial payment of 300 scudi followed on October 7, 1592. Funding for the ceiling included the use of rings belonging to deceased cardinals, with the aim of ensuring that the ceiling’s grandeur matched the dignity of the nave: “Navis Ecc.siae transversae laqueari permagnifice nobilitetur, auroque decorator ut operis excellentia, et dignitate mediae navis laqueari omnino respondeat.” At Pope Clement VIII’s request, the transept ceiling was modelled on the nave ceiling commissioned by Pope Pius IV (reigned 1559–1565), which celebrated the “special dignities of the basilica.” The ceiling combines sculptural and architectural elements, featuring five large, gilt polychrome wood figural reliefs emerging from the richly decorated coffers. These include a frontal bust-length portrait of Christ, heads of Peter and Paul, and full-length figures of the two Saint Johns. Additionally, Pope Clement VIII’s coats of arms are positioned at both ends of the coffered ceiling. The sculpted figures align with significant objects in the basilica. These include the bust-length image of Christ in the semidome of the apse and the heads of Peter and Paul in the high altar. On June 28, 1594, a contract was issued for the painting and gilding of the ceiling, with instructions for completion by February 1595. Payments continued until 1596, with records showing that the gilding, supervised by Giacomo della Porta (1532–1602), was executed between 1595 and 1596. The transept ceiling has undergone several modifications since the start of its construction in 1592. A 1595 document indicates changes made after its completion, likely to accommodate the central field, where the bust of Christ was installed. Additional alterations occurred in the seventeenth century when Giovanni Volpetta constructed the organ, necessitating some rebuilding. The ceiling was later restored in 1727 under Pope Benedict XIII (reigned 1724–1730) and underwent a comprehensive renovation in the 1880s under Pope Leo XIII (reigned 1878–1903). Despite these interventions, the original design has been largely preserved. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.