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Bill Thayer

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S. Maria in Cosmedin


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The façade and the belfry, one of the tallest in Rome, from the Piazza Bocca della Verità.

This is one of the older and more attractive churches in Rome; a complete and proper website will be forthcoming, by and by. Right now:


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[ 8/27/01: 1 page, 9 photos ]

A brief look at the exceptionally fine Cosmatesque pavement.


[image ALT: A roughly square fragmentary mosaic depicting a woman seated on a plump cushion, holding a baby who is leaning forward to touch a book or a box being presented to him by a hand. Behind them a tall standing angel with a rod or scepter; and to the left, the small figure, the only one in the composition not to have a halo, of a man. It is a mosaic from the medieval church of St. Peter's in Rome, now preserved in the sacristy of S. Maria in Cosmedin, and probably represents the Epiphany.]

[ 10/6/01: 1 page, 1 photo ]

Another brief look: at an 8c mosaic that is almost all that remains of the medieval predecessor of St. Peter's Basilica.


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For the more studious, mind you, some good basic topographical and art history information is immediately available: Christian Hülsen's article on this church in Le Chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo, linked to 2 further important texts — Armellini's Le Chiese di Roma and the article in the 1763 edition of Filippo Titi's guidebook. If you read Italian in fact, this seems to be the single most comprehensive resource online on this church right now, totalling about 3000 words of solid reliable information (plus a photo of the famous Bocca della Verità pending my more formal page on it).


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Site updated: 27 Apr 02