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@anthonymajanlahti.bsky.social Sep 13, 2026, 12:56 PM

Faccia di bronzo. For #SpoliaSunday, Alexander VII despoiled the church of S. Adriano al Foro, once the #Senate, of its #bronze doors in 1660, to give the #Lateran basilica the prestige of ancient power, but covered in his family symbols. #AncientBluesky 🏺

ANCIENT BRONZE DOOR FROM THE CURIA JULIA REUSED AT ST JOHN LATERAN

A steep upward perspective looking along one open leaf of a massive bronze door with a pale green patina, with a portion of the ceiling visible at the top right. Although this is an ancient Roman door of the Senate, which may date to the time of Domitian based on a semi-melted coin found within the metal, prominent elements of the decoration seen here date to the C17. When Pope Alexander VII transferred the doors to the Lateran basilica, they were too small for the portal. Francesco Borromini cast bronze extensions for the perimeters, incorporating the Chigi della Rovere armorial bearings. The protruding acorns and thick borders refer to the oak tree on his crest, while the bronze stars rising along the flat bands are also from the papal arms. These ornate Baroque additions act as an outer frame around the flat ancient bronze panels, which are themselves bordered by original Roman mouldings featuring a classical Lesbian kymation. This brazen reuse proclaimed the Church as heir to the ancient empire, and the Chigi pope as the bearer of this inherited power.

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