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The Capuchin Convent in Albano Laziale: Gherardo delle Notti in a Franciscan nave
The Convent of the Capuchin Friars, with the annexed Church of San Francesco (St Francis), located in Albano Laziale, was built in 1619 based on a standard monastic layout. The single nave is intentionally sparse, featuring bare walls and no superfluous ornamentation, strictly adhering to the Franciscan tradition. Yet it boasts two unexpected masterpieces for such a sober building.
The altarpiece by Gherardo delle Notti
Above the high altar hangs a large-scale altarpiece created in 1618 by Gherardo delle Notti, a moniker for Flemish painter Gerrit van Honthorst, famous for his candle-lit nocturnal scenes. The painting depicts Princess Flaminia Colonna Gonzaga facing the Madonna and Child, while St Bonaventure is absorbed in a vision of St Francis. In the background, the Convent of Palazzola and Monte Cavo are recognisable: a real, local landscape transformed into the setting for the sacred scene.
The Nativity sculptural group
In the right chapel is a Nativity group sculpted in 1633 by A. Bolgi and S. Speranza, both artists from the school of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Featuring the Infant Jesus, the Virgin Mary, St Joseph, the ox, and the donkey, it is a highly refined sculptural composition, surprisingly sophisticated for such an sober convent.
