Santa Maria della Vita

Bologna's Santa Maria della Vita complex preserves Niccolò dell'Arca's terracotta Compianto and a Baroque oratory with works from the Carisbo collections.

Why it matters

The Confraternity of the Battuti Bianchi, founded to care for the sick, built its church and hospital here. Niccolò dell'Arca created the life-size Compianto between 1463 and 1494, a major Renaissance ensemble whose expressive mourners surround the dead Christ. The church, oratory and gallery form a layered record of Bologna's religious and artistic history.

What to notice

The Compianto's seven figures express grief in distinct ways around Christ's body. The inscription 'OPUS NICOLAI DE APULIA' appears beneath Christ's head, and traces of original polychromy remain. The adjoining oratory, rebuilt between 1604 and 1617, contains Alfonso Lombardi's Transito of the Virgin, works by Nosadella and statues by Alessandro Algardi. The gallery includes Guercino's Sibilla Samia and Elisabetta Sirani's Porzia dressing her wound.

Context and history

The Battuti Bianchi established their church and hospital in Bologna's medieval market district. The church's dome, associated with the Bibiena family, became part of the city's Baroque skyline. The oratory's stucco decoration and ceiling paintings date from the seventeenth century. The complex now brings together the church, oratory and Carisbo collections while retaining its religious history.