Umberto Cacciarelli

UMBERTO CACCIARELLI (Italy, 1880 - 1910)
"Pontiff Pius XI in the gestatorial chair in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican".
Oil on canvas,
Presents restorations on the pictorial surface.
Signed and dated and located in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 76 x 100 cm; 96 x 121 cm (frame).
Canvas attributed to Umberto Cacciarello, representing Pope Pius XI in the gestatorial chair inside the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. The painting shows the pontiff elevated on the traditional sedia gestatoria, a portable chair used in solemn ceremonies to transport the pope and make him visible to the faithful. Pius XI, dressed in liturgical vestments, is carried by the pontifical sediarii, who wear ceremonial uniforms. The scene is framed by the majesty of St. Peter's Basilica, with its imposing architecture and golden light, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and reverence.
The work combines realistic elements with a ceremonial approach, capturing both the figure of the pontiff and the sacred atmosphere of the surroundings. The attention to detail in the ornaments and architecture suggests an intention to faithfully document a significant moment in the liturgical life of the Vatican.