Sixth Room.—Cartoons of Volterra; Annunciation, by Arpino; Christ and the Tribute Money, by Caravaggio; the Supper at Emmaus, by Caravaggio; copy of Guercino's Assumption, original in Russia; copy of Domenichino's S. Andrew; "The First Gentleman in Europe," by Lawrence; S. Thomas, by Cammuccini; a Head, by Vandyck.
Seventh Room.—Cartoons of Maratta's, for S. Peter's dome; a Greek Baptism, by Nocchi, 1840. The last room contains plaster casts of ancient statues.
On the left coming out of the Museum is the back entrance to the Church of S. John. Enter here, and pass out to the front. The bronze statue on the left of the back portico is that of Henry of Navarre.
S. GIOVANNI IN LATERANO.
"The mother and head of the churches of the city and of the world."
This church was founded by Constantine, and took the name of Lateran from its occupying the site of the Palace of Plautus Lateranus, the senator, who suffered under Nero. After having existed for ten centuries, it was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1308. It was rebuilt by Clement V., and embellished by other popes. Clement XII. had the façade executed from the design of Galilei. It is of travertine, with four large columns and six pilasters of the Composite order, which support a cornice surmounted by a balustrade, on which are placed colossal statues of Jesus and several saints. Between the columns and the pilasters there are five balconies; that in the middle was used for the papal benedictions. Beneath the balconies are as many entrances, which lead into the magnificent covered portico (loggiato), decorated with twenty-four pilasters of the Composite order. In this portico is placed the colossal statue of Constantine found in his baths. Notice the beautiful bronze doors which came from the Senate House in the Forum.
The interior is divided into a nave and two aisles by four ranges of pilasters. The architect was Borromini, who covered the ancient columns which divide the middle aisles from the side ones with pilasters, forming five arches, corresponding to an equal number of chapels. Each of these pilasters is decorated, on the side of the middle aisle, by two fluted pilasters, supporting a cornice which goes round the church. Between these there are twelve niches, each ornamented by two columns of verd-antique, containing the statues of the apostles. The Corsini chapel, first chapel on left of front entry, is one of the richest in Rome. It was executed by Clement XII. from the design of Galilei, in honour of S. Andrew Corsini. The porphyry sarcophagus of Clement XII. was brought from the portico of the Pantheon, and is supposed to have contained the remains of Agrippa. The subterranean chapel contains the remains of the Corsini family. On the altar is the beautiful statue "Piety," said to be by Bernini or Montanti.
This splendid church contains many chapels, decorated with paintings and statues worthy of attention. On the second pier of the right aisle is Giotto's Boniface VIII.
The Gothic Tabernacle above the high altar, containing the heads of Paul and Peter, is a fine piece of workmanship of the fourteenth century, restored by Pius IX. In front of the Confession is a bronze tomb of Martin V., by Simone, Donatello's brother. Since 1876 the transepts and the apse have been closed to the public; but on Ascension day 1886, with grand religious ceremonies, they were again thrown open to public view, having been restored. The frescoes in the transept, representing scenes in the life of Constantine by artists of the seventeenth century, have been touched up; the gold work has been regilded, and the appearance of newness has been imparted to the whole. At the end of the right transept, looking towards the tribunal, is the grand organ and a banner captured from the Saracens. The left transept contains the altar of the Sacrament by Paolo Olivieri, the four gilt bronze columns being, it is said, from the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, made by Augustus out of the beaks of the fleet of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Above the altar is the finest fresco in the basilica, the Ascension by Arpino, 1600. To the right is the Colonna chapel. The altar-piece is by Arpino, the roof by Croce, whilst the portrait of Martin V. is by S. Gaetano. In the recent restorations the old choir, tribunal, and the corridor of Leo I., 440–61, which surrounded it, have been destroyed, and a new one erected sixty-seven feet longer than the old one—a very unnecessary piece of work and vandalism. The church was quite large enough for any ceremonies that take place in it. The whole praise of this restoration is claimed by Leo XIII.; but it is only just to Pius IX. to record that he initiated and left money to continue the work, although he is ignored in the laudations. In the four corners, above the spring of the arches, are doctors of the Eastern and Roman Churches—Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Anastasius. On the left, above organ, the Commission submitting the Plans to Leo XIII.; on the right, Innocent III. approving the Doctrine of Transubstantiation (1215)—both the work of Francesco Grandi. The mosaic on the vault of the apse belonged to the old apse, and has been considerably restored in moving it from one to the other. It is the work of Jacopo da Turrita and Gaddo Gaddi (1292). At the top is the Almighty's head surrounded by angels; from the Father proceeds the Holy Spirit (a dove) to the Cross (which represents the Son) erected on the mountain from which flow the four rivers of paradise round the heavenly Jerusalem, the gates of which are guarded by an angel. Two harts and sheep drink of the waters; saints are on either side; the Virgin has her hand on the head of Nicholas IV., who had the mosaic done. The apostles below, between the windows, are by Jacopo di Camerino, of the same period. The base of the tribunal is inlaid marble imitation cosimati work of the thirteenth century, as is also the Bishop's Throne, reached by a flight of steps. The Bishop of Rome takes his title from S. John's Lateran, hence this church has precedence over all others. The Bishop of Rome is by right thereof Papa, Pope, or Father of the Roman Church. Since the death of the last bishop, Pius IX., February 20, 1878, the chair has been vacant; for some fanciful reason Leo XIII. has never taken possession of his bishopric.
The Cloisters of the twelfth century are interesting, and contain many curious architectural remains.