The Triumph of Religion Over Heresy

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The Triumph of Religion Over Heresy by Pierre Legros the Younger

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In the Chiesa del Gesù, the mother church of the Jesuits, there is a wonderful sculpture by Pierre Legros the Younger (1666-1719). It is part of the extravagantly ornate altar of St Ignatius Loyola, the Spanish saint and founder of the Society of Jesus, and depicts the Triumph of Religion Over Heresy (1695-99). 

Legros was a French sculptor, who worked almost exclusively in Rome, and for the Jesuits he created a masterpiece of Catholic propaganda. I particularly like the impish angel, who is gleefully ripping the pages out of a book by Martin Luther. 

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Chapel of St Ignatius Loyola

Chiesa del Gesu