Peace and Justice

Among Maderno’s monumental sculptures for Roman churches are his reclining figures of Peace and Justice (1614), which crown the pediment of the high altar in Santa Maria della Pace. These allegorical statues demonstrate the sculptor’s debt to both Classical antiquity and contemporary trends in painting, such as the work of Domenichino. According to Baglione, they so pleased their patron, Gaspare Rivaldi, that he bestowed on the sculptor a position in the customs office at the Port of Ripetta in Rome. Baglione’s assertion, however, that Maderno’s career as a sculptor came to a halt after receiving this position is unfounded. Documented works of 1624, 1628–29 and 1636 prove that he remained active as a sculptor for the rest of his life.