Monument dedicated to Saints Philip and James

Abstract

The monument at the centre of the wall in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome is dedicated to Saints Philip and James, both Apostles. It was reinstalled in this location in the church around 1584 under the direction of Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps (1533–1595) by dismantling parts of Cardinal Philip of Alençon's (1339–1397) monument. The tomb and ciborium, described in 1581 as a “beautiful marble structure that is borne on four columns,” were separated, with the tomb moved to the left. The tomb and ciborium had been added to the monument after Cardinal Alençon’s death, as he had commissioned the original structure. From the original monument, the front gable of the ciborium and two columns were used to frame the current monument, and the marble relief of the Assumption was positioned under the gable in its intended location. In 1584, a new painting of the Crucifixion of Saint Peter was added, along with a carved inscription below the painting noting Cardinal Altemps’ re-arrangements, which were intended “not to take up the transverse nave of the church.” For symmetry, the tomb of Cardinal Pietro Stefaneschi was added to the right of the monument. Martino Longhi the Elder (1534–1591) was the architect in charge of this renovation. The current monument is decorated in the Gothic style. It is framed by two spirally ribbed Corinthian columns embellished with inlaid geometric, repetitive polychrome shapes, known as “Cosmatesque” decorations. The columns support the canopy, which features a pointed arch. Atop the column capitals are figures of Saints. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.