Interior view
by CORTONA, Pietro da, Photo
The church Santi Luca e Martina is situated between the Roman Forum and the Forum of Caesar in Rome. From 1577 it belonged to the Accademia di San Luca, the academy of painters, sculptors and architects in Rome. In 1635 Cardinal Francesco Barberini, protector of the church, ordered the rebuilding of the church from Pietro da Cortona’s plan. In 1644 the building was completed and the interior was finished in 1650.
Cortona chose a Greek-cross design with apsidal endings. The longitudinal axis is slightly longer than the transverse axis. It is characteristic that at this period Cortona rejected the use of colour, the church is entirely white. By contrast to the severe forms of the architecture below, the vaultings of the apses above the entablature are copiously decorated.
The photo shows the apse.
View the section and ground plan of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome.