Father Pronti, illusionist painter in San Nicolò

Father Pronti, illusionist painter in San Nicolò. Hotel near San Nicolò in Ravenna.

Photo: 1)Adoration of the Child bolognese shool, 2) Fragments unknown painter "Giotto's" thechnique,3)exposition space inside of the nave, 4)the apsis

Few and short- but significant- fragments of wall paintings testify the variety and richness that was in the church of San Nicolò, reflection of the prosperity and richness of the Agostinian Order arrived in Ravenna by the second half of XIII century.

Each fragment depicts one of the city's artistic moments from the erection of the church (in 1364) on, and are, for this reason, a sort of small local Art  Gallery .

The most ancient relic - an Adoration of the Child of Bolognese School of the last years of XIII century - was removed by monks with all the portions of wall at its back from their previous convent and again wall up in Ravenna, in the niche on the right side of the church, to testify the very special devotion to this holy image.

A fresco cycle of the life of Saint George by  an unknown painter who used Giotto's techniques, follows chronologically.

The better preserved part of it depicts the Princess  with Saint George, strangely dismounted, and the Dragon.

Quality of the decorative invention , liveliness and colour are the peculiarities of this brilliant artist called by Agostinian Fathers to make the first paintings in their church .

The Reinassance brought remarkable adaptation works to the church  testified by grotesque paintings on the nave and, later on, by the work of Longo and Barbiani's family painters.

The last sumptuos painting is by Father Cesare Pronti , a monk in that convent, during the XVII century. Traces of his fantastic and pleasing intervention in the church are almost everywhere in the hall but it is in the triumphant arch that Pronti gives the best of his prospective work depicting an illusionist world where the nature elements are inverted extraordinarily.

It is possible to visit the Church only during the archaeological exposition months organised by Fondazione "Ravennatica".

Prof. Gianni Morelli

The pleasure of fine accommodation in the centre of Ravenna: we recommend the Fabbri hotels for a pleasant stay as follows:

The Centrale Byron Hotel, 3-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to the main momuments;

The Bisanzio Hotel, 4-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to the main momuments;

Once you have reached the hotel and parked your car, forget it and walk everywhere, because everything is within walking distance.

The railway station is near our hotels and within walking distance