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San Carlo alle Quattro FontaneSan Carlo alle Quattro Fontane © Scala/Art Resource, NY

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Rome, Italy. Francesco Borromini (architect). 1638–1646 C.E. Stone and stucco.

Curator Note

"A small church that packs a massive punch. Borromini, a rival of Bernini, treats the architecture like sculpture. The facade undulates in a wave-like motion (concave-convex), and the interior dome is an oval with complex geometric coffers (crosses, hexagons, octagons). It is the pinnacle of Baroque mathematical complexity."

Form

  • Undulating facade (concave-convex-concave).
  • Oval plan (dynamic) rather than circle (static).
  • Complex geometric coffers in the dome.
  • All white interior (monochromatic).
  • Small footprint (fits inside one pier of St. Peter's).

Function

  • Church for the Trinitarian Order (dedicated to freeing slaves).
  • To fit a church on a tiny, awkward corner.
  • To impress with mathematical virtuosity.
  • To challenge the Renaissance static ideals.
  • Devotion to the Trinity.

Content

  • Dome: Hidden windows make it float; Holy Spirit dove at apex.
  • Facade: Statue of San Carlo Borromeo.
  • Columns: Giant order.
  • Geometry: Based on two equilateral triangles.
  • The "Four Fountains" are on the street corners.

Context

  • Borromini was eccentric and depressive (committed suicide).
  • Rome was the center of Baroque innovation.
  • Trinitarians had little money; used stucco, not marble.
  • Revolutionized architectural wall surface.
  • Contrast with Bernini's theatricality.