Palazzo Altieri is a palace in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, which was the home of the

Altieri family The House of Altieri was an ancient noble family of Rome, present in the history of the city since the Middle Ages, yet now extinct. In addition to the title of Prince granted by the Pontiffs, branches of the Altieri were also part of the aristoc ...

in the city. The palace faces the square in front of the

Church of the Gesù , image = Church of the Gesù, Rome.jpg , imagesize = , caption = Giacomo della Porta's façade, precursor of Baroque , mapframe = yes , mapframe-caption = Click on the map for a full ...

The Altieri

The Altieri were one of the prominent families in Rome claiming descendancy from Roman nobility, and included

Pope Clement X Pope Clement X ( la, Clemens X; it, Clemente X; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death in July 1676. Elected pope at ag ...

(reigned 1670-1676). When

Giambattista Altieri Giambattista Altieri or Giovanni Battista Altieri (20 June 1589 – 26 November 1654) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. Early life Giambattista Altieri was born 20 June 1589 in Rome, the son of Lorenzo Altieri and Victoria Delphini, a Ven ...

was elevated to Cardinal by

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...

, he decided his existing house was not impressive enough; not befitting his new title so in 1650 he commissioned Giovan Antonio de' Rossi to begin renovations at the site. When Pope Clement ascended to the papal throne in 1670, further renovations were overseen by the pope's

Cardinal-Nephew A cardinal-nephew ( la, cardinalis nepos; it, cardinale nipote; es, valido de su tío; pt, cardeal-sobrinho; french: prince de fortune)Signorotto and Visceglia, 2002, p. 114. Modern French scholarly literature uses the term "cardinal-neveu'". ...

, Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni. By 1673, the grand salon was complete. Cardinal

Camillo Massimo Camillo Massimo (20 July 1620 – 12 September 1677) was an Italian cardinal in 17th century Rome, best remembered as a major patron of Baroque artists such as Poussin, Lorrain, Velázquez, Duquesnoy, Algardi, Francesco Fontana and Cosimo ...

recommended

Carlo Maratta Carlo Maratta or Maratti (13 May 162515 December 1713) was an Italian painter, active mostly in Rome, and known principally for his classicizing paintings executed in a Late Baroque Classical manner. Although he is part of the classical tradition ...

as the artist, and

Giovanni Bellori Giovanni Pietro Bellori (15 January 1613 – 19 February 1696), also known as Giovan Pietro Bellori or Gian Pietro Bellori, was an Italian painter and antiquarian, but, more famously, a prominent biographer of artists of the 17th century, equiva ...

helped with the iconography. ''Clemency'' (punning with pope's name) is surrounded by ''Public Happiness'' and other cardinal virtues.

Modern use

The building is now occupied by a bank, though the interiors still possess major works of art and decoration, including paintings by

Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples and Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Earl ...

Bernardo Strozzi Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...

, Pieter Mulier the younger,

Domenico Maria Canuti Domenico Maria Canuti (5 April 1625– 6 April 1684) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna and Rome. He was a major painter of fresco decorations. His ceiling decorations showed a mix of Bolognese and Roman influ ...

Lionello Spada Leonello Spada (also called ''Lionello Spada'') (1576 – 17 May 1622) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Rome and his native city of Bologna, where he became known as one of the followers of Caravaggio. Biography He f ...

Fabrizio Chiari Fabrizio Chiari (c.1615–1695) was an Italian painter and engraver who spent his entire life in Rome. Chiari's early etchings from Nicolas Poussin paintings are described by Michael Bryan as "executed in a scratchy but masterly style"; amo ...

Felice Giani Felice Giani (17 December 1758 – 10 January 1823) was an Italian painter of the Neoclassic style. His grand manner subjects often included Greco-Roman allusions or themes. Biography Born in San Sebastiano Curone near Alessandria, he moved ...

, Vincenzo Camuccini,

Francesco Zuccarelli Giacomo Francesco Zuccarelli (commonly known as Francesco Zuccarelli, ; 15 August 1702 – 30 December 1788) RA, was an Italian artist of the late Baroque or Rococo period. He is considered to be the most important landscape painter to hav ...

Francesco Manno Francesco Manno (20 December 1754 - 18 June 1831) was an Italian painter and architect of the Neoclassical style. Biography Born at Palermo, where he was originally a goldsmith, but later devoted himself to painting, working along his older b ...

and Giuseppe Bonito.

References

External links

History of the Palazzo Altieri
{{Authority control Houses completed in 1673

Altieri Altieri is an Italian surname. It may refer to: *Altieri family, a noble Italian family from Rome, whose most notable exponent was Pope Clement X (r. 1670-1676); Persons Notable people with the surname include: * Angelo Altieri (died 1472), Itali ...

Baroque architecture in Rome Rome R. IX Pigna 1673 establishments in Italy