Alcune note sulle cappelle nei palazzi romani di età moderna. Quesiti irrisolti e un tentativo di prima catalogazione

Notes on Chapels in Roman Palaces in Early Modern period. Unresolved questions and an attempt of a catalogue. Given the small number of surviving examples, the site and form of private chapels in the Renaissance and Baroque palaces in Rome remains virtually unknown. The paper offers a first attempt to catalogue and describe these small private religious spaces, often brilliantly resolved by leading architects. The design of the chapel had to address the rules of the canon law: the location on the first floor of the building with the altar oriented preferably to the east. This location indicates its use both by guests and by family members during functions that are more private. Moreover, the chapel had to have an opening towards the main hall, large enough to allow those present in the hall to observe and possibly participate in religious rites. Other indications suggest the positioning of the chapel inside an ideal ceremonial route and appropriate sizes for windows and doors. Moving from these reliable data, the article highlights a number of issues yet to be explored. The open questions include: did Masses took place inside the chapels or goers only gathered to pray? Was the bell always present? Was there any wooden furniture? Was there the holy water? Was the chapel part of a prescribed sequence of rooms? Was the portal leading to the chapel usually simplified or was it more articulate? Was it possible to stand outside the front door? The chapels were lit by natural or artificial light? Could servants also access the chapel? The walls of the chapel were painted or covered with precious wallpaper? These are just some of the many questions risen by the article in an attempt to provide a first schematic sketch of an Early Modern palace chapel through a comparative analysis of chapels in the Roman noble residences.