Blessed are...

Gaetano Callani 1736-1809
Statue of Beatitude, the Peacemaker
18th century
Sant' Antonio Abate
Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Blessed are the peacemakers. Perhaps the importance and truth of the Beatitudes has never been more needed.

Callani was the prize pupil of Peroni

The German painter, Anton Raphael Mengs, met the Parma painter and sculptor Gaetano Callani, in 1774.

Callani`s reputation has not lasted as it should have.

One of his main works involved the restoration of the church of St. Anthony Abate in Parma. Ottavio and Giambattista Bettoli, on behalf of Pope Clement XIII Rezzonico, started construction work in 1759.

The origin of the church of is tied to the arrival of the Hospitaller monks of St. Anthony to Parma in the mid-14th century.

St. Anthony’s casket was embellished by beautiful sculptures by Callani

The above picture shows one of the figures made by Callani for the Church, each representing one of the Beatitudes.

His style is a mixture of Rococco and Neoclassicism.