
The Basilica of Saint Pudentiana was erected in the fourth century by Emperor Constantine, making it one of the oldest churches in Rome. This painting is often closed to the public, as it is in the private funerary Chapel of the Caetani family, commissioned in 1588. Artistic representation of the sisters evolved over time, as different depictions of the Basilica illustrate.The later portrayals like this one show the sisters in the act of serving the bodies of the martyred. These dipictions of their work speak to their deep belief in the resurrection of the body and the importance of the community of saints caring for one another.
Title of Art: Pudentiana and Praxedes
Subjects: Pudenziana (Pudentiana), Prassede (Praxedes)
Subject Century: 2nd
Ritual Pose/Object: sponges
Artist: Paolo Rosseti
Art Form: Fresco
Date of Composition: c.1588
Exhibit Institution: Basilica di Santa Pudenziana (Basilica of S. Pudenziana)
Exhibit Location: Rome, Italy
VM Image #: 0142
Photographer: Kirstyn Wright
Date of Photograph: January 1, 2025