Gallery of the Candelabra
Pio Clementino Museum
Vatican City
Rome Italy
2016

The Refutation of the Pseudo-Philosophers - Ludwig Seitz


Echi Romani
A painting by Ludwig Seitz on the ceiling of the Galleria dei Candelabri: the refutation of the pseudophilosophers. To the right are the Islamic Aristotelians (e.g., Avicenna, Averroës), whose interpretations were contradicted in Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica and Summa contra Gentiles; western heretics are shown to the left.



Gallery of the Candelabra
This gallery takes its name from the massive marble candelabra which, together with the coloured marble columns, divide the exhibition area into six sections. Arranged under Pope Pius VI Braschi between 1785 and 1788, the gallery was completely renovated during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII Pecci (1878-1903) and this is the decoration you see today. This restructuring was carried out by Annibale Angelini, who appointed Domenico Torti and Ludwig Seitz for the paintings, and Giuseppe Rinaldi and Luigi Medici for the marble inlays. The works were arranged like furnishings, following symmetrical criteria compatible with the architecture of the gallery, to which one gains access through monumental bronze gates, still in place today.

https://theromanguy.com/italy-travel-blog/vatican-city/guide-to-the-gallery-of-the-candelabra-in-the-vatican/

Artworks On The Walls And Ceiling The Gallery is decorated with impressive chiaroscuro and grisaille frescoes across the walls and vaults. Chiaroscuro is a traditional technique using bold contrasts. Grisaille is a painting technique using grey tones as a base and is often an underpainting for an oil painting with other colors. These techniques are what make the frescoes in the gallery appear three-dimensional.
Pope Leo XIII commissioned the artist Ludwig Seitz and Domenico Torti for the ceiling between 1883 and 1887, as well as for the walls, although various other artists also contributed to these.

For example, one of the most notable works is the fresco by Torti, The Triumph of Truth, which shows the remarkable events of the time.

However, the German artist Seitz painted the grandest and most important series across the ceiling, which took inspiration from Pope Leo XIII’s desire for St. Thomas Aquinas and his philosophy to have priority in Catholic theology. So, in the middle of the ceiling, you can see St. Thomas kneeling and offering his works to the Roman Catholic Church.

https://www.vaticanpatronsohio.org/gallery-of-the-candelabras

One of the most famous, well transited and breathtaking areas in the Vatican Museums is the Gallery of the Candelabras. Originally an open-air loggia built in 1761, the long hallway was walled at the end of the 18th century. The Gallery was redecorated by artists Ludovico Seitz, Domenico Torti, Annibale Angelini and students under Leo XIII between 1883 and 1887. The occasion that prompted the work was the commemoration of Leo XIII’s 50th anniversary of priestly ordination.


a Re-discovery of Pope Leo XIII
Tourists being herded through the Vatican Museums will probably go through the long and narrow Gallery of the Candelabra, (262 ft. long) named after the eight magnificent candelabra of white marble within. The Gallery was commissioned and opened by Pope Pius VI in 1761

At present it contains many fine works of Roman antique sculpture.

Therefore the artwork on the walls and ceilings tend to go unnoticed. They blur into the myriad of ther beautiful and fascinating objects in view and as one`s concentration is disturbed by the jostling and movement of the crowd about.

The Gallery was restored by Pope Leo XIII in 1883-7

Pope Leo XIII commissioned the artist Ludwig Seitz (1844-1908) (Inspector of the Pontifical Galleries of Painting) and Domenico Torti for the frecoes on the ceiling (1883-87) and also on the walls (although various artists are responsible for the walls)

Torti is responsible for The Triumph of Truth over Falsehood. Inspired by Truth, History dictates to Re-nown the remarkable events of Time.

But it was Seitz, a German artist born in Rome and the Inspector of the Galleries of Paintings who is responsible for the longest and most important series on the ceiling.

They are all derived from the ideas of Pope Leo XIII and his desire that St Thomas Aquinas and his philosophy should have primacy in Catholic theology

In the middle of the ceiling, St Thomas is shown kneeling and offering his works to the Roman Catholic Church. Aristotle (representing Human Reason) is shown strengthened by the works of Aquinas.



Pio Clementino Museum
The nucleus of the pontifical collections of classical sculpture dates back to the original collection of pope Julius II (1503-1513) which was housed in the Cortile delle Statue (today the Octagonal Court). During the second half of the 18th century the pontifical collections were enormously expanded both as a result of excavations being carried out in Rome and Lazio, and by donations from collectors and antiquaries. The influence of Enlightenment thinking resulted in the inauguration of a museum in the modern sense, open to the public and explicitly charged with the task of safeguarding antique works of art, and promoting the study and understanding of them. The Museum is called Pio Clementino after the two popes who oversaw its foundation, Clement XIV Ganganelli (1769-1774) and Pius VI Braschi (1775-1799). The museum fills several large exhibition halls which were obtained by adapting pre-existing rooms with new constructions both within and adjacent to the small Belvedere Palace of Innocent VIII (1484-92). Antique sculpture was brought here and ancient roman pieces have often had their missing parts completely restored. The neo-classical architecture was realised under the direction of Alessandro Dori, Michelangelo Simonetti, and Giuseppe Camporese and embellished by the work of a large number of painters and decorators.
With the Treaty of Tolentino (1797) the Papal States were forced to give up the principal masterpieces in the Museum to Napoleon and they were transported to Paris. Much later, following the defeat of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna (1815), and thanks to the diplomatic efforts of Antonio Canova, the greater part of the works were recovered.