Angelo Italia
| Angelo Italia | |
|---|---|
| Born |
8 May 1628 Licata, Sicily, Italy |
| Died | 5 May 1700 (aged 71) Palermo, Sicily, Italy |
| Occupation | Jesuit and architect |
Angelo Italia (8 May 1628 – 5 May 1700) was an Italian Jesuit and Baroque architect, who was born in Licata and died in Palermo.
His father was a master mason in Licata, from whom he received technical training. His first work as an architect was the construction of the Chiesa di Sant'Angelo Carmelitano in Licata, dated 1653.
In November 1671 he joined the order of the Jesuits at the age of 43 and after his novitiate in Messina in 1671–1672 he went to the Jesuit College in Palermo. The originality of his designs for the Holy Sacrament of Palermo and the Jesuit church of San Francesco da Saverio indicates that it is likely that his architectural studies had taken him to Rome, Naples and other Italian cities, and that he was familiar with the works of Francesco Borromini,Girolamo and Carlo Rainaldi and Pietro da Cortona. He saw the work of Guarino Guarini in Messina in 1672, and this influenced him in a decisive way. He may also have met Borromini in Messina, since Italia's unusual design for the Jesuit College of Mazara del Vallo shows Borromini's influence.
Between 1685 and 1692 was in the service of the powerful and cultured Carlo Carafa Branciforte, Prince of Butera, for the realisation of the Chiesa Santa Maria della Neve (Church of St. Mary of the Snow) in Mazzarino.
After the devastating east Sicilian earthquake of 1693, Italia designed the cities of Avola, then Lentini, and then Noto. These three new urbanization projects establish him as the most important figure in the reconstruction.
He remained in eastern Sicily until he returned to Palermo in 1700, where he died.
...
Wikipedia