San Andrea al Quirinale, Rome

 I am ashamed to say that  I missed out on this Church on 5 visits to Rome and only got in there last time in 2006.   I cannot wait to return. I realise now its key importance in so much of what I have been posting about for years. I can see where the Asam brothers came from.. 

The entrance                 CC BY-SA 4.0 Architas

San Andrea al Quirinale was commissioned by Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj for novices of the Jesuit Order. It was built 1658-70. Space was limited and Bernini used an oval design with the longer axis parallel to the street. As you enter from the street the entrance is framed by two large Corinthian pilasters supporting a triangular pediment, and in front of these a  semicircular portico raised on two Ionic columns surmounted by the Pamphilj coat-of-arms. 

 
Upon entry attention is drawn straight upon the  highaltar : St Andrew is being drawn up to Heaven. The architecture, the painting, the sculptures, the light, everything serves Bernini's aim - the effect is theatrical yet devotional also. The picture of the martyrdom of St Andrew behind the high altar  by Giuglielmo Cortese receives strong light from an invisible dome. A life size stucco statue of the saint by Antonio Raggi hovers over the broken pediment in front of the high altar. He is looking up toward the gilt stucco heavenly host who are awaiting him at the top of the dome round the edge of the lantern. Further above the dove of the Holy Spirit sheds  gilt rays.

St Andrew rises to Heaven   CC BY-SA 4.0 Rickcarmickle

The attention has been drawn to the altar because in this oval design there are pilasters at the ends of the transverse axis : had there been chapels the onlooker would have not felt compelled to focus on the high altar. Colour is used with great subtlety and skill. Below we have the multi-coloured dark marble ; white .and gold in the heavenly sphere in the dome. 

Floor plan (Creative Commons Afernand74) 

(1) Main entrance, (2) Chapel of Saint Francis Xavier, (3) Chapel of the Passion, (4) Chapel Saint Stanislas Kostka, (5) Chapel of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, (6) Main altar , (7) Entrance to novitiate and access to the rooms of Saint Stanislas Kostka.s 

St Andrew by Raggi  CC BY-SA4.0 Alvesgaspar

Finally I strongly recommend the page cited below and the little video, which gives an excellent intodution.

Cite this page as: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris, "Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, Rome," in Smarthistory, July 19, 2015, accessed October 30, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/bernini-santandrea-al-quirinale/.