Juan Bautista Morelly en San Antonio de los Portugueses de Madrid (1668)

Abstract

From 1650, art in the Court of Philip IV experienced a great evolution. After Velázquez's second trip to Italy, these Roman influences seem fundamental to it. The presence in Madrid of Agostrino Mitelli, Angelo Maria Colonna and sculptor Juan Bautista Morelli is clear evidece of his. The works undertaken by Morelli in Spain have their firt model in those of Velázquez, though he will continue to work in the Court and especially for Queen Mariana of Austria after de painter's death. In 1668 he agreed to carry out some reliefs and others tasks at San Antonio de los Portugueses as a complement to the painted dome by Rizi and Carreño de Miranda. The conditions of this contract can be analyzed to establish a similarity with the sculpture decorations by Algardi and his assistants at S. Ignazio in Rome.