# Nave vault: Allegory of the Jesuits' Missionary Work

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/nave-vault-allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-r2942ac6a223457>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [POZZO, Andrea](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de>)
- Date: 1651-1700
- Technique: Fresco

## Commentary

This spectacular composition is almost an inventory of Baroque architectural ceilings and their final triumph. According to Jesuit ideas, the space within a church was a single area in which the faithful congregated. In Sant&#39;Ignazio space is stretched \(Pozzo was clever at the illusion of &#34;doubling&#34; the perspective of the real architecture\) before exploding into light and glory. Saints, angels, allegories, and floating clouds accentuate the virtuoso effect. The impression is one of exuberance and freedom. In reality, it was worked out using scientific criteria. Designed to be viewed from a point in the centre of the nave, which is marked by a white stone, Padre Pozzo&#39;s ceiling produces the illusion of a palace opening on the sky. &lt;p&gt; &lt;table align=left cellpadding=5 border=1 width=320 bgcolor=&#34;\#99cccc&#34;&gt; &lt;tr valign=middle&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; border=0 valign=middle&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 6 minutes\):&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/17\_cent/torelli\_sonata.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Giuseppe Torelli: Sonata a cinque in D Major No. 7&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;

## Related artworks

- [Allegory of the Jesuits&#39; Missionary Work \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-detail-r51117dad4e3ad5>)
- [Allegory of the Jesuits&#39; Missionary Work \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-detail-r51ad7c70c19dd1>)
- [Allegory of the Jesuits&#39; Missionary Work \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-detail-r78f02328840364>)
- [Allegory of the Jesuits&#39; Missionary Work \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-detail-r82898b34d4c339>)
- [Allegory of the Jesuits&#39; Missionary Work \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/allegory-of-the-jesuits-missionary-work-detail-rc8c3d61f593742>)
- [Altar of St Ignatius Loyola](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/altar-of-st-ignatius-loyola-r9b14e81eb3b78f>)
- [Altar of St Ignatius Loyola](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/altar-of-st-ignatius-loyola-rad9ccffaadf354>)
- [Antechoir vault: Vision of St Ignatius at the Battle of Pamplona](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/antechoir-vault-vision-of-st-ignatius-at-the-battle-of-pamplona-r5d22bdadad3120>)
- [Apotheosis of St Francis Xavier](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/apotheosis-of-st-francis-xavier-r1f1f4e025b1abe>)
- [Apse calotte: St Ignatius Helping the Sick and Poor](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/apse-calotte-st-ignatius-helping-the-sick-and-poor-r3cde9e81188361>)
- [Apse calotte: St Ignatius Helping the Sick and Poor](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/apse-calotte-st-ignatius-helping-the-sick-and-poor-rd98c4352f18ff8>)
- [Deeds of Hercules and his Apotheosis](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/pozzo-andrea-r59fb2792aa38de/deeds-of-hercules-and-his-apotheosis-r98606315967a69>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)