Stefano Maderno
(1576-1636), a sculptor of the Roman School and of the era just
preceding Bernini, his contemporary. He is believed to be of
Lombard origin from the neighbourhood of Como; probably he was
related to Carlo Maderna, the architect and sculptor, who was also
born near Como, at Bissone. Stefano's works are found frequently
in churches upon which Carlo was engaged. Stefano began by copying
the antique and made several highly esteemed models in bronze. His
fame rests, however, upon the statue of St. Cecilia over her tomb
in the church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome. He never
surpassed, or even equalled this which he executed in his twenty-
third year. The body of the martyr, discovered by Pope Paschal I
(fourth century) in the Catacomb of St. Callistus and brought by
him to the church which had been her dwelling, was viewed anew
unchanged in1599. Before closing the tomb again, Clement VIII
summoned Maderno, the most skilful artist of his day to make an
exact reproduction of the figure. His statue represents a
delicate, rather small body, lying face-downward, with the knees
drawn together, the arms extended along the side and crossing at
the wrists, the head enveloped in a veil. A gold fillet marks the
wound in the back of the partly severed neck. The form is so
natural and lifelike, so full of modesty and grace, that one
scarcely needs the sculptor's testimony graven on the base:
"Behold the body of the most holy virgin Cecilia whom I myself saw
lying incorrupt in her tomb. I have in this marble expressed for
thee the same saint in the very same posture of body." If it were
art alone, it would be consummate art but Cicognara bears witness
that in the perfect simplicity of this work, more unstudied and
flexuous than his other productions, the youthful sculptor must
have been guided solely by the nature of the object before him,
and followed it with unswerving docility.
Stefano is supposed to have assisted in the construction of the
Pauline Chapel of Sta. Maria Maggiore, where two of his reliefs
are to be found: one in marble representing a battle, the other,
the story of the snow-fall in August, the origin of the basilica.
Also attributed to Stefano, but quite without importance, are: the
figure of St. Peter for the fa�ade of the Quirinal Palace, a
statue of St. Charles Borromeo in the church of S. Lorenzo in
Damaso, decorative figures of children in the Sixtine Chapel of
Sta. Maria Maggiore, angels of the Madonna di Loreto and Sta Maria
sopra Minerva and the allegories of Peace and Justice at Sta Maria
della Pace. Count Gaspare Rivaldi, for whom Maderno executed
various commissions, having sought to reward him by procuring for
him a lucrative position at the excise offices of the Gabelle di
Ripetta, the sculptor's time became unfortunately engrossed by his
new duties to the exclusion of his art. He died in Rome in 1636.
M.L. HANDLEY
Transcribed by Michael C. Tinkler
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright � 1913 by the
Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright � 1996 by
New Advent, Inc.
Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).
This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an
effort aimed at placing the entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913
edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight,
editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to
contribute to this worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-
mail at (knight.org/advent). For more information please download
the file cathen.txt/.zip.
-------------------------------------------------------
Provided courtesy of:
Eternal Word Television Network
PO Box 3610
Manassas, VA 22110
Voice: 703-791-2576
Fax: 703-791-4250
Web:
http://www.ewtn.com
Email address:
[email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------
