| 12. Incoronazione di Maria |
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| THE CHAPELS [Internet Explorer 6 only] | |
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ArchiteCturE  The chapel, commissioned by the Municipality of Biella, was the first of the complex whose erection began after 1621 and finished as early as 1631. It is dedicated to the triumph of the Virgin. The architecture reflects the solemnity of the celestial event: the chapel is the largest of the complex and contains the highest number of statues, as well as the finest. It presents a Greek-cross plan preceded by a finely carved, imposing porch. A smoothed stone balustrade and a large grate subdivide the interior, creating a kind of vestibule in the entrance arm. The cupola, hidden by the externally visible tiburium, covers the main atrium, whereas the roof of the arms is sustained by barrel vaults. Around 1653 a blind gallery was added to the sides and the rear of the chapel, in order to protect it from the wind and the humidity, which was proving detrimental. Through the interstices of the deambulatory the main walls sustaining the structure and the original cornice are still visible. The project of the chapel was designed by the architect Francesco Conti. INTERNAL SCENE  The scene depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, the Holy Trinity and the triumph of the saints and angels. The chapel itself is known as that of the ‘Paradise’. The number of the statues exceeds 150, including angels, cherubs, saints, the Madonna, the Holy Trinity, Adam and Eve. Giovanni D’Errico and Giacomo Ferrero applied their finest skills to model the group since 1633. The result is the finest example of the complex, the only one not to undergo the controversial restoration works of 1969-1970. In the past, however, one or several layers of colour were added to the magnificent original polychrome, dating back to the 17th century, which we can partially appreciate thanks to the most recent restoration. The scene is grandiose, the characters seemingly caught with enraptured eyes and outstretched arms, in the momentous contemplation of the Coronation of the Virgin. The angular features, the long hair and beard are unmistakable traits of the art of G. D’Errico. The pronounced verticality of the sculptural group merges with the surrounding architecture to form a kind of stage, surely one of the greatest ever realized of the kind.OTHER PHOTOS Click on the image to see larger details.                    
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