San Giovanni dei Fiorentini

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 11 July 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

A few minutes away from St. Peter's we pass San Giovanni. (That's true: yesterday's shot is 30 minutes older than this one!)

It was a commissional work of the community of Florentines in Rome (hence the name) and because of the old Rivalry between the two cities I guess that the orderes of San Giovanni wanted it to be a proof of Florence's excellence. But things turned out not so well, as so often when mistakes are not an option: no less than six architects over a period of almost 230 years (1509 - 1734) weared out working at this church.

We're looking at the High Altar, Francesco Borromini's last work. There's not much decor here, so I didn't mind the very bad light conditions. It's the right quiet place to catch a breath before heading further to the busy Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.

Comments (11)

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Such a lovely warm church and the detail and colors are phenomenal.

11 Jul 2008 12:41am

@Michael Skorulski: Careful! Actually it was quite cold in there! :-)

Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom

A remarkable image..... starting at the top, the daylight filling the dome looks very natural, then the windows are exposed perfectly, and in the church proper the candle light provides a warm glow. I think it has an exceptional quality.

11 Jul 2008 6:02am

@Observing: Thanks very much! With a time lag of almost three years it's quite amusing for me to see how I handled this difficult light situation. Everything I noticed then was the darkness around the seemingly only light source at the altar and I just raised the ISO, adjusted the aperture and did my shots. I wonder if I would make it better or different now... that means that I have to revisit this place soon :-)

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

Sensationalllllllll!!!! about time I visit, love the angle :)

11 Jul 2008 6:14am

@Lorraine: Thanks a lot, Lorraine! Definitely worth a visit, you may go everywhere there, you can't go wrong!

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

A great, warm shot down the nave. The light through the stain glass really stands out.

11 Jul 2008 7:18am

@Steven: Thanks! That was only a small portion of light, half an hour later the sun has set.

Tracey from White Hall, United States

Wow. The bright light at the end of the aisle almost feels like a fireplace. As a matter of fact, that was my first thought when I looked at it. I love how pews almost seem to glow, as if covered in light directly from heaven!

11 Jul 2008 7:22am

@Tracey: Thanks! That feeling of warmth is actually sort of an illusion as it was quite cold there. However, these sparely illuminated places have a very calm and concentrated atmosphere that I like very much. It's much easier to find a quiet moment there than in the perfectly illuminated and always overwhelming 'showcase' churches. I had similar impressions in the Chiesa nuova and Santissima Trinità.

Vink from Magagnosc, France

Beautiful light and atmosphere ! Bravo !

11 Jul 2008 7:44am

@Vink: Thanks a lot! Sometimes it's sufficient just to have an idea of the beauty around you without seeing all the details.

Rags from Plano, United States

I really don't think the light was bad. You have made a gem of an image out if a dark situation.

11 Jul 2008 9:01am

@Rags: Thank you so much! When I made this photo I had my camera only for a few weeks, so this was quite stressful :-)

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

Agreed, nice atmosphere.

14 Jul 2008 11:12am

@Twelvebit: Very different to St. Peter's. You'll see soon.

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

I wouldn't call it "bad light" at all! You created something exquisite with just the available light! This is how the decor would be made use of in a "light and sound show". It is not always necessary to show everything. Leaving most of the upper part in the natural darkness, add a dramatic feeling to the lowers half, specially on the walking space between the seats. It is a call to prayer.....it is like showing the road....Definitely, a most beautiful and thoughtful composition!

15 Jul 2008 2:28am

@Japanalia: Thanks very much, Gabriela! In fact, the darker churches have a much more quiet atmosphere than the - often crowded - lighter ones. Additionally, San Giovanni is not a "must see" address that you would find at first place in your travel guide. That makes atmospheric shots like this one a lot easier! This is sometimes a struggle between the believer and the art admirer in me.