Saints and Singers: The crisis of Oratorian style during their patronage of Borromini

The European Visual Culture Seminar presents:

Caitlin Breare

Saints and Singers: The crisis of Oratorian style during their patronage of Borromini

Despite now being renowned as a Baroque genius, architect Francesco Borromini suffered an exasperating and tumultuous career involving numerous personal conflicts and the subsequent loss of several commissions. One of these losses also happened to be his longest project as architect of the Oratory of the Filippini, an appointment that ended after some 15 years of partnership.

Founded in 1575, the Congregation of the Oratory was one of several religious groups that emerged in sixteenth-century Italy. Characterised by their eccentric yet charismatic founder, Filippo Neri, and novel in many ways, their values initially seemed well suited to the idiosyncratic architect. This paper attempts to unravel the complex mechanisms of patronage at work, focusing on the problematic development of the Oratorians during this period that led to such an unsatisfactory end to a long and initially very promising artist-patron relationship.

Poster (pdf) - EVCS_Breare

All Welcome

Date: 6:30pm,  Monday 9th August, 2010

Venue: Rm 150, Elisabeth Murdoch Building (University of Melbourne, Parkville Campus)

Drinks and Nibbles provided, gold coin donation appreciated for snacks. Wine generously donated by Eugene Barilo von Reisberg. The seminar will be followed by dinner in Lygon St.

Further Enquiries: Mark Shepheard shepm@unimelb.edu.au

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