Capece Minutolo Chapel and Other Treasures: Friends of Naples Inaugurates Its Restoration in Naples Cathedral

Through synergies between the public and private sectors, the FoN Association continues to return to the community symbolic places of the Neapolitan historical and artistic heritage.

The Capece Minutolo Chapel, an authentic jewel of Neapolitan Gothic architecture, shines again thanks to the action of Friends of Naples together with other important historical-artistic testimonies kept in the Chathedral of Naples: the main entrance door, the side entrance door and the Pigne gate on Piazza Sisto Riario Sforza, the tombstone of the family of Pope Innocent XII Pignatelli di Spinazzola and the tombstone of the Dentice di Frasso family.

The results of the restoration work, carried out under the high supervision of the Superintendency  of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Municipality of Naples, were presented and inaugurated in the Cathedral (Wednesday 4 June) in the presence of religious and civil authorities, patrons, restorers and partners who made this important project of recovery and enhancement of the city’s heritage possible.

The presentation was attended by Monsignor Gennaro Matino,  Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Naples; Don Antonio Loffredo, Vice President of the Naples C’entro Foundation; Rosalia D’Apice  and  Barbara Balbi,  Superintendence  of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Municipality of Naples, Alessandro Capece Minutolo del Sasso, President of the noble patronage, together with other members of the Capece Minutolo family, and Alberto Sifola, President of Friends of Naples.

The Capece Minutolo Chapel represents one of the most evocative and ancient spaces of the Cathedral, of Gothic design with interventions dating back to the 14th century, a corner of the Middle Ages in the heart of the city. It preserves funerary monuments of extraordinary value, 14th-century frescoes attributed to Montano d’Arezzo and a valuable Cosmatesque floor. The works, which began at the end of 2020, were focused on stabilizing the degraded surfaces, consolidating some decorative apparatus and containing the progression of the ongoing degradation, with particular attention to the lateral tombs of Orso and Filippo Minutolo, the flooring, the lower register of the wall decorations, and the creation of the lighting project.

All the interventions were supported by the  patronage of the Capece Minutolo family  and by the patrons  Miguel and Ileana Gomez, Alejandro and Martha Gomez, Brett Lloyd, Thomas Dane Gallery, Tridama Foundation of Brunella Trimarco and Gianfranco D’Amato and by many other  Friends of Naples.

The restoration of the Capece Minutolo Chapel was carried out by the expert work of L’Officina Restauro di Diego Ferrara, with the scientific consultancy of Prof. Francesco Esposito, the direction of the works of the architect Francesca Bertagnin and with the assistance of the Del Core Restyling company. The diagnostic investigations were conducted by M.I.D.A. Investigation Methodologies for Artistic Diagnostics by Claudio Falcucci. The lighting project created by the architect Adriano Caputo, author of the luminous narration of the space – with his collaborators Giorgia de Rose and Marta Iadecola – was possible thanks to the contribution and consultancy of LuciOmbre Srl di Roberto Zecchinelli, a company specialized in lighting design. Together they identified the company ILM Lighting of Federico Ognibene for the choice of products that could integrate with respect and precision into the environment of the Capece Minutolo Chapel, and Sie srl di Stefano Ciotola for the installation.

Photographs by Alessandro Bove of Pubbli&Rolando

In addition to the Chapel, other restorations have been completed that are fundamental for the enjoyment and protection of the Cathedral.

The large wooden entrance door, dating back to the 16th century, has been the subject of a complex restoration operation carried out by the masters of Dafne Restauri under the high supervision of the Superintendence, as part of the larger project of the MUDD – Museo Diocesano Diffuso. The wood, now dried out, has returned to its ancient splendor, the metal studs have been treated and the coats of arms of the Capece Minutolo family that appear on the door, consolidated.

The side door on Piazza Sisto Riario Sforza has also been restored, framed by a marble cornice and surmounted by a lunette depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, which has also undergone careful cleaning and consolidation.

Also in Piazza Sisto Riario Sforza, the restoration of the imposing iron and piperno gate, surmounted by pine cones and dating back to the 15th century, was completed. It was once the main access to the Cathedral for the faithful coming from Porta Capuana. The work was possible thanks to the generous support of patrons Jan and Joanna Fabre.

Further work involved two gravestones of great historical importance: that of the family of Pope Innocent XII Pignatelli di Spinazzola, located in the transept and dating back to the 17th century, embellished with marble inlays and bronze inserts such as the coat of arms of the family and other geometric and phytomorphic elements; and the gravestone of the Dentice del Pesce family, from the 18th century, positioned in front of the Sacristy and restored with traditional inlay and fixing techniques. Both works, returned to their original decorative richness, were restored thanks to the direct contribution of the respective families. We thank Russo Marmi, a company with ancient traditions, for the precious work of recovery and restoration.

With this new cycle of interventions, Friends of Naples confirms its mission of protection, promotion and rediscovery of the artistic heritage of Naples. Through synergies between public and private, the association continues to return to the community symbolic places of the city, strengthening the sense of belonging and the historical memory of the Neapolitans.

FRIENDS OF NAPLES ONLUS

Friends of Naples is a non-profit association founded in May 2018 by a group of professionals and friends deeply connected to Naples, to promote the restoration and conservation of the city’s artistic assets and its invaluable cultural heritage. The association works daily with Superintendencies, Institutions, Archives, Museums, Institutes of Fine Arts, Academies and Universities, activating good practices of collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Among the initiatives currently underway is the ambitious restoration project of the Compianto di Sant’Anna dei Lombardi created by Guido Mazzoni, for which fundraising is still underway through the “Adopt a statue” initiative.

In collaboration with the Municipality of Naples, he carried out interventions on contemporary art in the Materdei metroarte station with the involvement of ANM and the Academy of Fine Arts.

Among the latest projects completed, we recall the Annunciation by Francesco Guarino in the Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli in Naples, the restoration of the fresco in the small votive chapel of the State Archives and the fresco in the Church of Santi Filippo e Giacomo dell’Arte della Seta. Also, the restoration of the Door of Palazzo San Giacomo and the funerary monument of Don Pedro Álvarez de Toledo in the Royal Pontifical Basilica of San Giacomo degli Spagnoli, the interventions on the Cell of San Tommaso d’Aquino at the Convent of San Domenico Maggiore, the recovery of the Obelisk of the Meridian of the Villa Comunale in Naples. Thanks to the contribution of the Museo Cappella Sansevero, the wooden choir of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Pizzofalcone was made safe.

On the website www.friendsofnaples.org you can find out more about the association, learn about its work, sign up or donate to a specific project.

Naples, 02/06/2025

Press Office, MiNa vagante comunicazione | Alessandra Cusani – Giuliana Calomino