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Santa Maria Maddalena, Cupola

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 1 June 2008 in Art & Design and Portfolio.

The same church as yesterday, also called La Maddalena. Now we're looking right into the cupola. The white pigeon in the center of the cupola's lantern is symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Ina from Krugersdorp, South Africa

Fantastic light and color, great detail :)

1 Jun 2008 7:50am

@Ina: Thanks! This was only possible because the light was coming through the lantern (small superstruction on the cupola with windows), the rest of the church was quite dark.

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Strong and powerful in detail and composition, MS.

1 Jun 2008 11:53am

@Michael Skorulski: Thank you so much! I did this on my second Rome trip and was more experienced in photography than the year before, so I'm quite content with this image.

Tracey from White Hall, United States

I love these cupola shots! It gives the photo such a 3-D quality. I love the porthole windows up there too!

1 Jun 2008 12:17pm

@Tracey: Thanks, Tracy! To appreciate its full beauty you must imagine this church in a really beautiful quarter of Rome with narrow lanes and beautiful Baroque houses. Inmidst this beautiful urban composition you'll find this church. It's incredible.

Jen from Alpharetta, United States

Gorgeous light and compostion!

1 Jun 2008 1:15pm

@Jen: Thank you! Light - as so often - was actually a problem, but the cupola windows let enough in, so this shot worked.

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

Not only that I like the real feeling of the cupola shape (light and colours,too), but I love the way you composed the shot introducing a part of another fresco in the foreground! I find this very attractive! Cupola only would have been less captivating!

1 Jun 2008 1:52pm

@Japanalia: Thanks! Though this wasn't too difficult to get the other fresco: this was one of the most decorated churches I have found in Rome. It's a very pure Rococo design and that means an almost playful decor. Simply breathtaking, nothing to be found next door :-)

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

If this is looking up then the curvature of the element above the painting at bottom (and the reverse curvature of the similar element at top) adds a disorienting reference. This is not intended as a criticism, I think it adds a pleasing ambiguity.

3 Jun 2008 2:10pm

@Twelvebit: I think a little disorientation (or the sensation of feeling uplifted) was intended by the artist :-)
What I find most interesting is that the artist had to consider that curvature in his painting withing the cupola under utilization of the light coming from the small windows and the lantern. There's only one correct angle to see the figures in the painting correctly: the point of view from where I took this photo.