Rome's famed 'cradle of Caravaggio,
San Luigi de' Francesi, has got a new lighting system for the
iconic Cycle of St Matthew painted by the Italian pre-Baroque
master in the French church in the late 16th century-early 17th
century.
"It's a true, full-blown resurrection," said Brother Renaud
Escande, administrator of the Pious Establishments of France in
Rome and Loreto, who acts under the aegis of the French embassy.
The illumination will be inaugurated Tueday night by the organ
concert Harmonies Romaines with music by Vivaldi, Bach and
Handel, among others, and the voice of the artist
Jean-Christophe Clair, the organist Gabriele Agrimonti and a
sperch by Marco Frascarolo, lighting designer, engineer and
university professor, who with his studio Fabertechnica has
signed, among others, the project for the new lighting of the
Sistine Chapel, the Basilica of San Francis in Assisi and some
of the installations of the recent Trame di Luce Festival at the
Botanical Gardens of Rome.
"Following the fire at Notre Dame in Paris," Fra Renaud
explained to ANSA, "we completely redid the church's fire safety
system, an ideal opportunity to rethink its lighting.
"For this ambitious project, we turned to the talented artist
Marco Frascarolo, whose vision has allowed us to rediscover the
church of San Luigi dei Francesi in all its magnificence, beyond
the famous paintings of Caravaggio.
"Thanks to this new staging, the church reveals details that
were once hidden, enhancing every corner of its architecture and
its artistic wonders.
"The sculptures, previously in the shadows, now emerge with
surprising clarity, highlighting their expressiveness and the
finesse of their execution. "The vaults and columns, perfectly
lit, underline the majesty of the building, while the play of
light accentuates the subtleties of the architectural forms.
"The result is a true resurrection. This project embodies an
exceptional collaboration between France and Italy, enhancing
the richness of a common heritage".
Of the three works that are a high point of Western art and
Caravaggio's trademark chiaroscuro technique, perhaps the most
celebrated is The Calling of Saint Matthew depicting the moment
Jesus Christ calls on the tax collector Matthew to follow him.
It was completed in 1599-1600 for the Contarelli Chapel in the
church of the French congregation, San Luigi dei Francesi.
It hangs alongside the two other paintings of Matthew by
Caravaggio: The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew (painted around the
same time as the Calling) and The Inspiration of Saint Matthew
(1602).
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
