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Visit Rome following 8 XVIIIth century itineraries XVIIIth century Rome in the 10 Books of Giuseppe Vasi - Le Magnificenze di Roma Antica e Moderna The Grand View of Rome by G. Vasi The Environs of Rome: Frascati, Tivoli, Albano and other small towns near Rome A 1781 map of Rome by G. Vasi An 1852 map of Rome by P. Letarouilly Rome seen by a 1905 armchair traveller in the paintings by Alberto Pisa The 14 historical districts of Rome An abridged history of Rome How to spend a peaceful day in Rome Baroque sculptors and their works The coats of arms of the popes in the monuments of Rome Pages on a specific pope Pages complementing the itineraries and the views by Giuseppe Vasi Walks in the Roman countryside and in other towns of Latium following Ferdinand Gregorovius A Directory of links to the Churches of Rome A Directory of links to the Palaces and Villas of Rome A Directory of links to the Other Monuments of Rome A Directory of Baroque Architects with links to their works A Directory of links to Monuments of Ancient Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Medieval Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Renaissance A Directory of links to Monuments of the Late Renaissance A list of the most noteworthy Roman Families Directories of fountains, obelisks, museums, etc. Books and guides used for developing this web site An illustrated Glossary of Art Terms Venice and the Levant Roman recollections in Florence A list of Italian towns shown in this web site Venetian Fortresses in Greece Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller A list of foreign towns shown in this web site
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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Emperor Joseph II portrayed as Hercules - 1806 Monument in Josefsplatz by Franz Anton Zauner Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller - Sacred images


The strict association between the Habsburgs' Empire and the Catholic faith shows up in Vienna also in the large number of sacred images on private buildings. The owners of these buildings showed not only their faith, but also their loyalty to the emperor.

Madonna and child in Hochholzorhof and in Sonnenfelsgasse 3
Madonna and child in Tuchlauben 5 and in Sonnenfelsgasse 3

As one would expect statues and reliefs showing the Virgin Mary by far exceed those portraying other saints or holy symbols. There are however few madonnas, by this meaning the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus, while Rome is full of madonnelle.

Statues of the Virgin Mary in Tublauchen 5, in Griechengasse 7 and in Johannesgasse 15
Statues of the Virgin Mary in Tublauchen 5, in Griechengasse 7 and in Johannesgasse 15

In Vienna the most frequent iconography of the Virgin Mary is that which makes reference to her immaculate conception. She stands over the globe (sometimes a moon crescent), crushing with her foot a snake which represents the original sin. She is usually crowned by twelve stars, a reference to a sentence in St. John's Gospel or to the twelve apostles.

Deposition in Schwertgasse 3; St. Ursula in Johannesgasse 8; St. John Nepomuk next to Dreifaltgkeitskirche
Deposition in Schwertgasse 3; St. Ursula in Johannesgasse 8; St. John Nepomuk next to Dreifaltgkeitskirche

St. John Nepomuk stands out as a preferred subject among the sacred images not dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This saint in the XVIIIth century was the object of a particularly strong devotion, especially in Prague (click here to learn more about him).
The use of stucco allowed for a very elaborate design and decoration of many sacred images (the image used as a background for this page shows the stucco decoration of a sacred image in Palazzo Panfilio in Rome).

Decoration (the Holy Trinity) of Alte Backstube and on a house in Stittgasse
Decoration (the Holy Trinity) of Alte Backstube and on a house in Stittgasse 10

Many of the ordinary houses built in the XVIIIth century in new settlements outside the walls do not exist any longer, replaced by larger buildings. The remaining ones often show a very elaborate stucco decoration having a religious subject.


Pages in this section of the website in recommended order:
Introduction: the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nations
Renaissance Vienna
The 1683 Siege of Vienna
XVIIth century churches
XVIIth century palaces
Monuments celebrating the end of plagues
The walls of Vienna
Sacred images
XVIIIth century churches
XVIIIth century palaces
Fountains
Italian sculpture and sculptors
A political manifesto: Karlskirche
Churches without the walls
Palaces and Villas without the walls
A day in the countryside: Perchtoldsdorf