Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo (Church of the New Jesus) in Naples

Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo in Naples is a landmark of Neapolitan Baroque, seamlessly blending architectural innovations of its era. Initially built in 1470 as the Palazzo Sanseverino, the Jesuits acquired the structure in 1584 and transformed it into a church under the direction of Giuseppe Valeriano (1542–1596), a Jesuit architect from Abruzzo. Valeriano reimagined the building while preserving its distinctive diamond-rusticated façade, which remains one of its most recognisable elements.

At the heart of the church is the grand altar, a masterpiece by Cosimo Fanzago (1591–1678), a sculptor and architect from Clusone who became the most prolific sculptor in Naples. The altar, a triumph of marble inlay and gilding, epitomises Baroque art’s  emotional intensity. Its design naturally draws the viewer’s gaze toward the dome, fostering a sense of spiritual elevation. The original dome, painted by Giovanni Lanfranco (1582–1647), was destroyed in the 1688 earthquake and later repainted by Paolo de Matteis (1662–1728). De Matteis’s frescoes, depicting dynamic heavenly scenes, combine Baroque theatricality with lighter Rococo influences.

The interior is an extraordinary example of integrated Baroque design, featuring contributions from some of the era’s greatest artists. Belisario Corenzio (1558–1646), a Greek-born painter active in Naples, decorated the vault, while Massimo Stanzione (1585–1656) adorned the apse and upper vault, merging Caravaggist realism with vivid colouration. Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (1572–1645) crafted the altarpiece in the Chapel of Saint Francis Xavier, and Luca Giordano (1634–1705), a Neapolitan artist celebrated for his speed and energy, painted frescoes in the same chapel. In the Chapel of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Jusepe de Ribera (1591–1652), a Spanish-born painter working in Naples, created intensely dramatic scenes from St. Ignatius’s life, employing chiaroscuro to heighten the emotional impact