In the 16th century, Naples experienced a radical transformation, expanding from a population of 60,000 to nearly 300,000 residents. A good port for trade and fertile plantations (latifundia) in the surrounding countryside made Naples a center of economic activity for the Florentines, Genoese and, eventually, the Spanish Bourbons, who ruled the city for over a century.
In this context, the arts (most notably, Baroque paintings and architecture) flourished. Today, Naples has become an important destination for understanding the late Renaissance and Baroque period. This walk, in the company of an art historian, takes us through the heart of the old city and into important churches and royal palaces, where we can view in-situ masterpieces, as well as overlooked pieces which illustrate the artistic and social environment of the time.
Beginning with Il Gesu' Nuovo, a stunningly eclectic work of Baroque architecture with works by Giordano, Lanfranco, and Fanzago, we move on through the crowded and culturally rich streets of Naples, stopping at hidden chapels and into the maze of side-streets, where we can view some of the overlooked treasures of the city. We will imbibe the romantic atmosphere of life here that is uniquely Neapolitan.
The walk will continue on to San Lorenzo, an Angevin church containing important works by the court painter Luca Giordano, among others. If time allows, we may descend into the excavations beneath the church where we can see the vivid stratigraphy of the Medieval, Roman, and Greek city that lies beneath modern Naples. We will also visit the Pio Monte chapel and palace, a vivid example of 17th century architecture that contains Caravaggio's "Seven Works of Mercy." The walk concludes with the multilayered and sumptuously-decorated Duomo.