Italian Sculptor Created A Marble Masterpiece In 7 Years And People Can’t Believe It’s All Marble
The Cappella Sansevero, a chapel in the historic center of Naples, Italy, is one of the most awe-inspiring spaces on Earth. Everywhere you look, you are confronted by marble statues of astonishing beauty, a bevy of masterpieces from 18th century Italian artists that have left visitors scratching their heads in wonder for hundreds of years. How can such intricate works possibly have been carved from marble slabs?
Image credits: SomaSantutxu
Il Disinganno (Disillusion or Release from Deception), the classical art masterpiece of Genoese artist Francesco Queirolo, is one piece in particular that leaves patrons puzzled. It portrays a man breaking free from a delicate, elaborately carved net, helpfully assisted by the presence of a winged angel. According to the museum’s website, the sculpture is steeped in symbolism.
Image credits: SomaSantutxu
Image credits: SomaSantutxu
“The group of white marble sculptures describes a man who has been set free of sin, represented by the net into which the Genoese artist put all his extraordinary skill,” they write. “A little-winged spirit, with a small flame on his forehead, a symbol of the human intellect, helps the man to free himself from the intricate netting while pointing to the globe at his feet, symbol of worldly passions. An open book rests on the globe; it is the Bible, a sacred text, but also one of the three “great lights” of Masonry. The bas-relief on the pedestal, with the story of Jesus restoring sight to the blind, accompanies, and strengthens the meaning of the allegory.”
Image credits: museosansevero
Image credits: museosansevero
“In his book Istoria dello Studio di Napoli (1753-54), Giangiuseppe Origlia rightly defines this marble stone statue as ‘the last and most trying test to which sculpture can aspire.’ The reference is naturally to the virtuoso work on the net, which amazed famous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century travelers, and continues to astound tourists today.”
Image credits: iamalsout
Image credits: ancienteurope
“In this regard, the story goes that – as had already happened to the famous sculptor years before, when he was working on another statue – the sculptor had to burnish the sculpture with pumice personally. The craftsmen of the period, though specialized in the burnishing phase, refused to touch the delicate net in case it broke into pieces in their hands.”
Image credits: iamalsout
Image credits: museosansevero
Other notable masterpieces among the 28-piece Italian art collection include The Veiled Truth (Pudicizia, also called Modesty or Chastity) which was completed by Antonio Corradini in 1750 as a tomb monument. and the 1753 Christ Veiled under a Shroud (also called Veiled Christ), by Giuseppe Sanmartino, which shows the influence of the veiled Modesty.
Modesty
Image credits: museosansevero
Image credits: museosansevero
Education
Image credits: museosansevero
The Statue
Image credits: museosansevero
Image credits: museosansevero
Image credits: museocappellasansevero
So if you’re in the region and are considering visiting the fascinating city of Naples (also known for the nearby ruins of ancient Pompeii, a brilliant football team and the best pizza in the world), you must certainly have this amazing place at the top of your list!
Here’s what people had to say about the breathtaking sculptures
I was born in Naples and for 44 years I used to live at about 15 mins walking from Sansevero Chapel. Since I was 13, I started to visit the chapel not less than 2 times per year. It's an absolutely magic place, and if you are lucky to visit it when is empty (i used to bribe the keeper with some cigarette packs and enter when was closed to the public) you can feel on your skin the weird vibrations and humming that that place has. The Count of Sansevero is believed to have been a sorcerer too, related to freemasonry, and other cults.
These beautiful sculptures prove that hard work pays off. The vivid postures and expressions are so realistic that they look like real people. Congratulations!
They really look like real people (and objects) frozen in time and turned into stone. Truly exceptional work
Load More Replies...I've been there twice so far. It astonishes me every time.
"The ambitious project was considered by some to be impossible to complete, and only Francesco agreed to attempt it." Its beyond incredible.
fun fact: The original owner of the Sansevero Chapel, Raimondo di Sangro, Count of Sansevero, has been known to have been one of the most active alchemist in Naples during that period. Another marvel of that chapel are the "metallic bodies". Originally thought to be bodies of servants that, after dead (or killed?), had some sort of special fluid injected in their veins, mummifying them and leaving intact the circulatory system. Recent studies seem to not confirm this theory, and the "bodies" seem to be just "dummies" created as anatomic machines to study the human body. http://himetop.wikidot.com/anatomical-machines Man2028Ana...ines29.jpg
So.....what is made of the net of the statues? I'm curious to know. Maybe during my (about) 90 (ninety) visits to this place, I missed something
Load More Replies...Fun fact: One the link of the net is broken (and has been never restored) because one german soldier, during WWII invasion of Naples, not believing that was real marble, simply hit it with a hammer, to verify his theory.
Hardworking and determined, that is how they become so good at it. Talent is not enough.
Load More Replies...Very artistic and beautiful. Amazing to see this kind of art. I am sculptor from India. We are selling Marble Moorti From Jaipur India. Thanks for sharing beautiful art.
Never forget that in the history of brilliant artists Francesco Queirolo,stands as as lesser known, but unparalleled in talent.
I see masterpieces like this and what we are capable of doing, and I wonder what the f**k are we actually doing? It's possible to do so much more than we are. So much more!
And so much less, too. Who needs more supersonic attack planes or"recreational" machine guns? Artificial Intelligence if we aren't even up to disseminating knowledge and thus letting mere rumour rule the brains of the gullible, leading them to expose their children to possibly fatal illnesses that they themselves have had vaccinations for? The hero worship of Formula 1 as the glaciers and ice caps are melting? We NEED to do so much more, first and foremost we need to set our priorities straight.
Load More Replies...You people are so gullible. Good thing the contrived narrative isn't that Santa did it one Christmas eve on the way to the Easter Bunny. You would be commenting that Santa (move the "n" two letters to the right) is an amazing craftsman. These works were done during the hidden previous glorious civilization.
They had advanced knowledge and technology of mixing all sorts of different polymers at that time, including those that look like marble when they harden and dry.
I think that sculpting in marble is amazing anyway, but the level of detail and life in these sculptures is breathtaking.
Butteschaumont ! The answer for your question is yes . I can. And I believe there are a few other sculptors around the world also capeable to do it. Tamás Baráz
absolutely other worldly...it is so perfect in everyway...I would be transfixed looking at it...absolutely amazing artistry, patience and skill...
OMGosh it is totally amazing that these artists can create in Marble the beauty that they do. When I traveled in Italy I was privileged to see a lot of marble statues the most famous was The Pieta by Michelangelo in Rome!
Amazing, I couldn't find the right word to define this art, its Divine.
Iv seen some great sculptures in museums that showed people so realistically.... but thus made my jaw fall down O_o Just WOW!
This is incredible!!! We went to Naples almost 4 years ago but didn't have time to visit this museum (what with all the wonderful catacombes, Pompeii, Ercolano, the Vesuvius, etc.). We'll definitely go again because I have to see this up close!
Sure all the things you have mentioned deserve another visit to Naples! Catacombes are not the only "underworld" marvel. The guided tour "Napoli sotterranea" (The Underground Naples) is amazing too, showing kilometres of corridors and passages under the actual city, with large chambers, natural water tanks carved in the limestone. During the WWII many of these large caverns were used as anti-bombing shelters, saving thousands of lives. It is not clear who carved this "city under the city", but it happened not less than 2,000 years ago
Load More Replies...Well, my dear expert, i have to tell you that i am from Naples, born there and lived 44 years and I know VERY WELL Cappella Sansevero. Your assumption of these wonderful masterpieces of MARBLE has the same depth and strength of the assumption that the earth is flat. period.
Load More Replies...I was born in Naples and for 44 years I used to live at about 15 mins walking from Sansevero Chapel. Since I was 13, I started to visit the chapel not less than 2 times per year. It's an absolutely magic place, and if you are lucky to visit it when is empty (i used to bribe the keeper with some cigarette packs and enter when was closed to the public) you can feel on your skin the weird vibrations and humming that that place has. The Count of Sansevero is believed to have been a sorcerer too, related to freemasonry, and other cults.
These beautiful sculptures prove that hard work pays off. The vivid postures and expressions are so realistic that they look like real people. Congratulations!
They really look like real people (and objects) frozen in time and turned into stone. Truly exceptional work
Load More Replies...I've been there twice so far. It astonishes me every time.
"The ambitious project was considered by some to be impossible to complete, and only Francesco agreed to attempt it." Its beyond incredible.
fun fact: The original owner of the Sansevero Chapel, Raimondo di Sangro, Count of Sansevero, has been known to have been one of the most active alchemist in Naples during that period. Another marvel of that chapel are the "metallic bodies". Originally thought to be bodies of servants that, after dead (or killed?), had some sort of special fluid injected in their veins, mummifying them and leaving intact the circulatory system. Recent studies seem to not confirm this theory, and the "bodies" seem to be just "dummies" created as anatomic machines to study the human body. http://himetop.wikidot.com/anatomical-machines Man2028Ana...ines29.jpg
So.....what is made of the net of the statues? I'm curious to know. Maybe during my (about) 90 (ninety) visits to this place, I missed something
Load More Replies...Fun fact: One the link of the net is broken (and has been never restored) because one german soldier, during WWII invasion of Naples, not believing that was real marble, simply hit it with a hammer, to verify his theory.
Hardworking and determined, that is how they become so good at it. Talent is not enough.
Load More Replies...Very artistic and beautiful. Amazing to see this kind of art. I am sculptor from India. We are selling Marble Moorti From Jaipur India. Thanks for sharing beautiful art.
Never forget that in the history of brilliant artists Francesco Queirolo,stands as as lesser known, but unparalleled in talent.
I see masterpieces like this and what we are capable of doing, and I wonder what the f**k are we actually doing? It's possible to do so much more than we are. So much more!
And so much less, too. Who needs more supersonic attack planes or"recreational" machine guns? Artificial Intelligence if we aren't even up to disseminating knowledge and thus letting mere rumour rule the brains of the gullible, leading them to expose their children to possibly fatal illnesses that they themselves have had vaccinations for? The hero worship of Formula 1 as the glaciers and ice caps are melting? We NEED to do so much more, first and foremost we need to set our priorities straight.
Load More Replies...You people are so gullible. Good thing the contrived narrative isn't that Santa did it one Christmas eve on the way to the Easter Bunny. You would be commenting that Santa (move the "n" two letters to the right) is an amazing craftsman. These works were done during the hidden previous glorious civilization.
They had advanced knowledge and technology of mixing all sorts of different polymers at that time, including those that look like marble when they harden and dry.
I think that sculpting in marble is amazing anyway, but the level of detail and life in these sculptures is breathtaking.
Butteschaumont ! The answer for your question is yes . I can. And I believe there are a few other sculptors around the world also capeable to do it. Tamás Baráz
absolutely other worldly...it is so perfect in everyway...I would be transfixed looking at it...absolutely amazing artistry, patience and skill...
OMGosh it is totally amazing that these artists can create in Marble the beauty that they do. When I traveled in Italy I was privileged to see a lot of marble statues the most famous was The Pieta by Michelangelo in Rome!
Amazing, I couldn't find the right word to define this art, its Divine.
Iv seen some great sculptures in museums that showed people so realistically.... but thus made my jaw fall down O_o Just WOW!
This is incredible!!! We went to Naples almost 4 years ago but didn't have time to visit this museum (what with all the wonderful catacombes, Pompeii, Ercolano, the Vesuvius, etc.). We'll definitely go again because I have to see this up close!
Sure all the things you have mentioned deserve another visit to Naples! Catacombes are not the only "underworld" marvel. The guided tour "Napoli sotterranea" (The Underground Naples) is amazing too, showing kilometres of corridors and passages under the actual city, with large chambers, natural water tanks carved in the limestone. During the WWII many of these large caverns were used as anti-bombing shelters, saving thousands of lives. It is not clear who carved this "city under the city", but it happened not less than 2,000 years ago
Load More Replies...Well, my dear expert, i have to tell you that i am from Naples, born there and lived 44 years and I know VERY WELL Cappella Sansevero. Your assumption of these wonderful masterpieces of MARBLE has the same depth and strength of the assumption that the earth is flat. period.
Load More Replies...
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