Spello
SPELLO (anc. Hispellum, q.v.), a town of Umbria, in the province of Perugia, from which it is 22 m. S.E. by rail, 1030 ft. above sea-level. Pop. (1901), 5571. It is picturesquely situated on the slope of a mountain. The Cappella Baglioni in the church of S. Maria Maggiore contains some of Pinturicchio's finest frescoes (1501), " The Annunciation," " The Adoration " and " Christ in the Temple." The rich background with gold decoration in relief is characteristic. There is also a late altarpiece by Perugino (1521) and a fine early Renaissance canopy by Rocco da Vicenza (1515). In the sacristy is a crucifix in silver by Paolo Vanni of Perugia (1398). The holy- water basin is formed of a sepulchral cippus of the Roman period. S. Andrea contains a large altarpiece by Pinturicchio (1508), upon which a letter from G. Baglioni to the artist is painted.
See G. Urbini, in L'Arte (1897), ii. 367 sqq., (1898), iii. 16 sqq.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
