Solomon’s Temple has been a significant reference point for religious architecture throughout the centuries both from the symbolic and utopian point of view. It is possible to say that in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the inspiration for the temple architecture came directly from God. The intermediary was the powerful King Solomon who built the temple, a model of architectural perfection, obeying God’s will. Despite its troubled history characterized by continuous destruction, the temple has been and still is a holy place for Hebrews, Muslims and Christians. The representation of Solomon’s Temple in art can actually have a deeper symbolic significance. Probably, it can be associated with the human desire to have a religion and a place where, thanks to architecture as well, different cults could be joined in a single faith. It is known that numerous attempts have been made to rebuild the destroyed temple, a testimony of the utopian efforts to make architecture supplied by God live again for an equally perfect world. Actually, the study deals with imagined and built spaces of religious small-scale architecture such as antependia. In particular, the research focused on a chapel whose altar presents specific furnishings whose space language, both built and painted, is a clear hymn to the Solomonic and to the temple par excellence. Knowledge through innovative technologies, drawing attention to this specific religious symbology, can effectively contribute to the preservation of historical memory and to the inspiration of noble ideals in the next generations.

Imagined spaces in church architectural furnishings: Solomon’s temple in small scale architectural language

Rita Valenti
Primo
;
2021-01-01

Abstract

Solomon’s Temple has been a significant reference point for religious architecture throughout the centuries both from the symbolic and utopian point of view. It is possible to say that in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the inspiration for the temple architecture came directly from God. The intermediary was the powerful King Solomon who built the temple, a model of architectural perfection, obeying God’s will. Despite its troubled history characterized by continuous destruction, the temple has been and still is a holy place for Hebrews, Muslims and Christians. The representation of Solomon’s Temple in art can actually have a deeper symbolic significance. Probably, it can be associated with the human desire to have a religion and a place where, thanks to architecture as well, different cults could be joined in a single faith. It is known that numerous attempts have been made to rebuild the destroyed temple, a testimony of the utopian efforts to make architecture supplied by God live again for an equally perfect world. Actually, the study deals with imagined and built spaces of religious small-scale architecture such as antependia. In particular, the research focused on a chapel whose altar presents specific furnishings whose space language, both built and painted, is a clear hymn to the Solomonic and to the temple par excellence. Knowledge through innovative technologies, drawing attention to this specific religious symbology, can effectively contribute to the preservation of historical memory and to the inspiration of noble ideals in the next generations.
2021
978-3-030-50764-0
978-3-030-50765-7 (eBook)
Solomonic order; 3D Survey; photogrammetry; St Francesco Saverio altar; cultural heritage
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/367759
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