Saint Nicholas’ is the parish church of the Fontvieille district. Completed in 1989, the building is dedicated to the same saint as the old church of Saint Nicolas du Rocher, which was destroyed in 1874. The baptistery of the old church was moved to the new building. The statue by Alberto Ricci was ...
Saint Nicholas’ is the parish church of the Fontvieille district. Completed in 1989, the building is dedicated to the same saint as the old church of Saint Nicolas du Rocher, which was destroyed in 1874. The baptistery of the old church was moved to the new building. The statue by Alberto Ricci was chosen by Prince Rainier III himself to adorn the church concourse. The artist depicted the Bishop of Myra wearing a mitre on his head and carrying an episcopal crosier, as well as three children wrapped in his cape. The work serves as a reminder that, according to the hagiography, Saint Nicholas is the protector of children.
Alberto Ricci was born in Rome on 8 May 1943. After studying at the Istituto d’Arte di Roma, he lived and worked mainly in the Italian capital. His figurative sculptures depict female nudes or religious personalities, and are the result of his constant exploration of movement, but it was in the field of sacred art that he did his most important work. He sculpted a bronze bust of Pope Paul VI commissioned by the Vatican, and also a bust of Pope John Paul II. His sculptures can be found all over the world, notably in the United States, Japan, and Scandinavia. He became famous for his “sculpted sand”. In addition to the statue of Saint Nicholas, Prince Rainier III commissioned Ricci to produce the Golden and Silver Clown trophies awarded to the best acts at the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival. In the Principality, he was promoted to the rank of Officer in the Order of Cultural Merit in 2002. He received the insignia of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2003. He died in Rome in May 2003.
