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Church of St Nicholas of Bari: the Orsini family, an earthquake and four paintings to discover
The Church of San Nicola di Bari is located at Via della Chiesa 4 in Montelibretti, a town to the northeast of Rome. Built by the Orsini family — the Gravina di Puglia branch of the family, hence the dedication to St Nicholas — in 1535, it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 and later rebuilt. Although it is small and not well known, it houses four paintings that alone are worth the visit.
The 17th-century paintings
Inside there are three 17th-century canvases: one depicting the Madonna and Child and one featuring the Saints Dominic and Catherine, attributed to the school of the Carracci brothers. The third, depicting St Peter and St Paul, may be by the Sabine painter Vincenzo Manenti.
The altarpiece and the connection to Scipione Pulzone
The most important painting is on the altar. The Annunciation with God the Father and Angels, dated around 1590, is attributed to the school of Scipione Pulzone, known as "il Gaetano" — portraitist of the Orsini family in late 16th-century Rome and a master studied in depth by Federico Zeri. On the right side of the painting, the town square appears with some houses. The restoration, completed in 2007, was overseen by the Superintendency of Southern Etruria.
St Emidius and the 1915 earthquake
The church also contains a statue of St Emidius, patron saint against earthquakes. The townspeople had it made after the 1915 earthquake by way of thanksgiving.
