THE ROYAL CHAPEL OF THE TREASURE OF SAINT JANUARIUS

It is our job to safeguard the relics and to preserve the cult of our Patron Saint. To this end, following the vow made to Saint Januarius by the city in 1527, the Deputation of the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of Saint Januarius was established. We are proud and honoured to be part of this institution, which has kept a rigorous and watchful vigil for centuries.

Our forebears chose and commissioned works from masters capable of perceptively interpreting the essence of faith and devotion the people of Naples have always shown towards their Saint. The most talented artists, summoned specifically to embellish the Chapel, have stayed at the Palazzo della Deputazione, where one of the apartments is named after the Bolognese master Domenichino in memory of the time when it was his home.

This traditional link between art and culture can not be represented merely by the passive display of the past in museums; on the contrary, it must be

a living thing to be renewed through a continuous exploration of the past to arrive at the ever-new interpretations offered by the present. This is why the Deputation has decided to remain faithful to its vocation of welcoming the art of its time and has accepted, and gratefully appreciates, the patronage of entrepreneurs Gianfranco D’Amato and Vincenzo Liverino, whose support has enabled us to include the work by Jan Fabre in the museum’s collection. This master’s art, with its powerful narrative and stylistic impact, will certainly not be the only testimony of the present day; indeed, it will mark a new receptiveness to the many virtuous readings that art can offer, encouraging an exchange of ideas that is both useful and necessary for stimulating critical thought.

Deputation of the Royal Chapel of the Treasure of Saint Januarius, March 2019