Per una lettura politica della pala Bentivoglio di Francesco Francia già in Santa Maria della Misericordia

Abstract

During a reign by the Giovanni II Bentivoglio, a city of Bologna had undergone significant changes from a mundane reminiscent of a medieval city to one that was fit for the age of Renaissance. A period when all forms of arts flourished but, some of when were also ordered to serve a political purpose from its conception. A great example representing such form is the work left by Francesco Raibolini il Francia, one of the finest artists in the Bentivoglio court. Leaving us with two very special altarpieces under the same title, ‘Pala Bentivoglio’. The first piece is situated at Bentivoglio family’s chapel in San Giacomo Maggiore and the other, located on the main altar of the church of Santa Maria della Misericordia. The former includes twoSaints allusive of the both name and profession of Giovanni II to illuminate his authority and ‘first citizen’ status and the latter commissioned upon the safe return of his second son, Anton Galeazzo, from a Jerusalem pilgrimage. The second altarpiece was left in question on the identity of the secular it portrayed, assumed for a long time as a St.Francis. However, given the significance of the location the piece was held and distinct physiognomy from effigies of other works, including the portrait ‘Concerto bentivolesco’ of the Thyssen in Madrid, the person in the altarpiece revealed as none other than Ermes Bentivoglio, third son of Bentivoglio rather than St.Francis. Not only for holding a significant altarpiece of its time but the Church of Santa Maria della Misericorida too have served a vital role, as a prominent locale where it held numerous political and diplomatic events until Giovanni II Bentivoglio’s sons lost the Signoria di Bologna to mark their ephemeral lordship after reconquest the city in 1511.