Historical Altarpiece
History and description...
It was sculpted in 1719 by François Moirat from Marseille and its polychromy is due to the Genoese painter-gilder and varnisher Joseph Biaggio who worked there in 1721.
This architectural ensemble from the beginning of the 18th century is in carved, gilded and polychrome wood.
It occupies the entire width of the building and practically the height of the apse.
The work is elegant with caryatids on the edges and twisted columns.
It conforms to the Baroque taste of the time, but its composition nevertheless announces Rococo style tendencies.
The predella:
On each side, two superimposed putti support the whole
Palm branches are located on either side of the last step symbolizing the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Bleachers :
The three steps are decorated with friezes with winding flowers and with consoles at each end, gilded with water. The backgrounds are polychrome.
The Tabernacle:
The tabernacle is gold and silver. Four twisted columns terminate in small composite capitals.
Two coupled cherubs support the entablature and are surrounded by garlands with floral decoration motifs.
The center :
The central part is made up of five panels, two of which are small located between twisted columns in Solomonic order.
At each end, caryatids ending in an acanthus leaf, rest on a golden scotia base
On each side, arranged in gilded and oval wooden frames, we find on the left the painting representing Saint Sylvester and on the right that of Saint Anthony of Abbas, supported by putti.
A winding of acanthus flower in symmetry surrounds each table with two rosettes in the upper part.
The two panels between the twisted columns present decorations of intertwined foliage.
The central panel is composed of a niche with a molded frame and acanthus leaves.
The niche is surrounded by a winding of acanthus flowers.
In the niche is the masterpiece of the altarpiece, namely a statue of the "Virgin and Child" in Majesty.
Christ's rattle is golden. The crowns are gilded with silver leaf.
The Virgin and Christ are in polychrome and gilded wood.
The Virgin rests on two cherubs with wings fixed in the back and the set on a base with a garland in gilded and polychrome wood.
A flower garland dominates the entire central panel.
The twisted columns rest on a base with golden scotia
A golden garland of vine leaves and bunches of grapes wraps around each column.
The column ends with a gilded composite capital. The volutes are coupled to the angles, forming horns.
The entablature:
It is composed :
o A cornice with an acanthus frieze in gilded wood, molding and dentils.
o A frieze, with an acanthus flower in the center, and a winding garland of flowers on either side. A golden sunflower flower is located above each column.
o A polychrome architrave with two sides separated by a simple golden molding.
