- Feb 5, 2002
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A look at the long tradition of ‘Little Madonnas.’
A ‘madonnella’ of Mary with the Child Jesus adorns a Roman apartment building. (photo: Scarlett Rose Ford)
In Rome, there are hundreds of museums to visit, with countless masterpieces to admire. Yet often overlooked is the art that stares passersby right in the face: Rome’s madonnelle.
Located just above eye level on many intersections throughout the city, madonnelleare Marian shrines that directly translate to “little Madonnas.” There are hundreds on Rome’s streets, installed with the intention for Our Lady to watch and protect the Eternal City’s inhabitants.
The Catholic devotion began just over 500 years ago, with the first known Marian street shrine installed in 1523. This madonnella, named Imago Pontis after its location, is still visible today in the Ponte neighborhood of Rome. At their peak, there were an estimated 3,000 madonnellescattered throughout Rome. Approximately half of these survive today.
The madonnelle were especially popular in the 17th through 19th centuries, coinciding with the end of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. During this period, the faith was scrutinized for its devotion to images and the Virgin Mary. In response, the Church doubled down on its art, commissioning some of history’s most well-known religious iconography. Most of these masterpieces were housed inside Rome’s churches, but many anonymous artists channeled their gifts into creating madonnelle.
Continued below.
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In Rome, there are hundreds of museums to visit, with countless masterpieces to admire. Yet often overlooked is the art that stares passersby right in the face: Rome’s madonnelle.
Located just above eye level on many intersections throughout the city, madonnelleare Marian shrines that directly translate to “little Madonnas.” There are hundreds on Rome’s streets, installed with the intention for Our Lady to watch and protect the Eternal City’s inhabitants.
The Catholic devotion began just over 500 years ago, with the first known Marian street shrine installed in 1523. This madonnella, named Imago Pontis after its location, is still visible today in the Ponte neighborhood of Rome. At their peak, there were an estimated 3,000 madonnellescattered throughout Rome. Approximately half of these survive today.
The madonnelle were especially popular in the 17th through 19th centuries, coinciding with the end of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. During this period, the faith was scrutinized for its devotion to images and the Virgin Mary. In response, the Church doubled down on its art, commissioning some of history’s most well-known religious iconography. Most of these masterpieces were housed inside Rome’s churches, but many anonymous artists channeled their gifts into creating madonnelle.
Continued below.
Rome’s ‘Madonnelle’: What Are the Marian Shrines on Street Corners?
A look at the long tradition of ‘Little Madonnas.’
