M. Francucci – A witness of the 17th Century reconstruction of Fabriano’s Cathedral and a proposal for Bastaro in Arpino

A little known manuscript casts new light on the 17th Century reconstruction of Fabriano’s Cathedral, which started in 1601. Notes written by Mario Lori provide us with some first-hand information about the timing and dating of some chapels and altars. Among them are those by Giuseppe Bastiani and Claudio Ridolfi, but the most interesting changes concern the chapel entrusted to the Intercession Confraternity whose altarpieces were carried out by the Roman painter Giuseppe Puglia, il Bastaro. Now we know for sure that the paintings were put in place between November 1634 and 1st November 1635, a shift of a few years compared to what had been previously supposed, but a great change for the brief career of the painter who died at 36 without any of his works dating previous to 1629.

In addition, a new altarpiece attributed to the painter, the almost unknown Madonna del Rosario in the Monastery of Sant’Andrea in Arpino, would appear to have been painted around 1634.

Fabriano’s Cathedral, Mario Lori, Giuseppe Puglia il Bastaro, Arpino