VALVASSORI, Gabriele - b. 1683 Roma, d. 1761 Roma - WGA

VALVASSORI, Gabriele

(b. 1683 Roma, d. 1761 Roma)

Italian architect, active mainly in Rome. At the age of fifteen he attended the course of architecture in the Academy of San Luca, where he received several awards in 1702-04.

His professional activity began in Umbria, in 1711-17, he helped design the small church of San Giuseppe alle Fornaci near Foligno and as an assistant to Filippo Barigioni (1690-1753), he helped the enlargement of the facilities at the thermal baths of Nocera Umbra.

In Rome, he was patronized by the Pamphilj family, helping design the main altar (1720) in the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, which stands adjacent to the original family palace in Rome. In the 1730s, he helped in the designs of the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj, where he is responsible for the massive façade on the Via del Corso.

For the Archiconfraternity of Padri Bergamaschi, from 1729 to 1735, he helped develop their property on Piazza Colonna, which included the Cerasoli College. He aided in the restoration and remodeling of the Dominican church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta, in Rome. He designed the façade of Santa Maria dell’Orto.

In 1737, he became a member of the Accademia di San Luca and professor in 1758. He became a regent of the Congregazione dei Virtuosi al Pantheon.

Exterior view
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Exterior view

In the first quarter of the eighteenth century there was a stagnation in the architectural activities in Rome. But in the second quarter, between 1725 and 1745 Rome recovered to such an extent that she seemed to reconquer her leading position. Talented architects produced numerous important structures in this period. The new flowering of architecture in Rome is mainly connected with the names of Filippo Raguzzini, Gabriele Valvassori, Alesandro Galilei, Francesco de Sanctis, Niccolò Salvi, and Ferdinando Fuga. Each of the first five created one great masterpiece, namely the Piazza Sant’Ignazio (Raguzzini, 1727-28), the fa�ade of the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj (Valvassori, 1730-35), the fa�ade of San Giovanni in Laterano (Alessandro Galilei, 1733-36), the Spanish Steps (de Sanctis, 1723-26), and the Fontana di Trevi (Salvi, 1732-62). Only the sixth, Ferdinando Fuga, the most profuse talent of the group, secured a number of first-rate commissions for himself, best known are the Palazzo della Consulta (1732-37) and the fa�ade of Santa Maria Maggiore (1741-43).

The present Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj had expanded laterally from the palace at the site once owned by the Della Rovere and Aldobrandini families. Initial designs by Carlo Maderno were amplified by Antonio del Grande and added to by Carlo Fontana (including chapel) and Francesco Nicoletti. Valvassori is responsible for the massive fa�ade on the Via del Corso.

Valvassori’s fa�ade of the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj is notable for the playful movement of the window pediments, the balconies and balusters.

Exterior view
Exterior view by

Exterior view

In the first quarter of the eighteenth century there was a stagnation in the architectural activities in Rome. But in the second quarter, between 1725 and 1745 Rome recovered to such an extent that she seemed to reconquer her leading position. Talented architects produced numerous important structures in this period. The new flowering of architecture in Rome is mainly connected with the names of Filippo Raguzzini, Gabriele Valvassori, Alesandro Galilei, Francesco de Sanctis, Niccolò Salvi, and Ferdinando Fuga. Each of the first five created one great masterpiece, namely the Piazza Sant’Ignazio (Raguzzini, 1727-28), the fa�ade of the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj (Valvassori, 1730-35), the fa�ade of San Giovanni in Laterano (Alessandro Galilei, 1733-36), the Spanish Steps (de Sanctis, 1723-26), and the Fontana di Trevi (Salvi, 1732-62). Only the sixth, Ferdinando Fuga, the most profuse talent of the group, secured a number of first-rate commissions for himself, best known are the Palazzo della Consulta (1732-37) and the fa�ade of Santa Maria Maggiore (1741-43).

The present Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj had expanded laterally from the palace at the site once owned by the Della Rovere and Aldobrandini families. Initial designs by Carlo Maderno were amplified by Antonio del Grande and added to by Carlo Fontana (including chapel) and Francesco Nicoletti. Valvassori is responsible for the massive fa�ade on the Via del Corso.

Valvassori’s fa�ade of the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj is notable for the playful movement of the window pediments, the balconies and balusters.

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