Works surviving and preserved are: •
St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia, Fresco paintings. •
Richard Alsop IV House in Connecticut (now owned by
Wesleyan University), the interior decorative wall paintings are attributed to Monachesi. It is believed that his work in the
Merchants' Exchange Building (Philadelphia) impressed the owner, who had an office in the Exchange and invited Monachesi to travel out of Philadelphia. The works highlighted are stair hall painting displays, in the style of ''
trompe-l'œil'' of figures in niches, while oil-on-plaster paintings are featured in the parlors, dining room and morning room. The parlor paintings are classical derivations, and some subjects are Raphaelesque in origin. In the morning room, the formal classicism of the parlors is replaced by scenes derived from the "rural" Italian tradition of wall decoration. Local birds and insects are featured in these scenes. The dining room displays a painted frieze. These works exist today and are on display and preserved by the university.
Works demolished or destroyed: •
Merchants' Exchange Building (Philadelphia) was designed by architect
William Strickland. The interior of the exchange room, with wall paintings, ceiling fresco, and an elegant mosaic floor, was executed in the 1830s, and the artwork was removed later during a building renovation. •
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) at 13th and Chestnut Streets. Interior paintings in the 1830s at the then-cathedral of the Diocese of Philadelphia. The church and interior were destroyed by fire in 1899. •
Matthew Newkirk's mansion residence at 13th and Arch Street, Philadelphia, was designed by architect
Thomas Ustick Walter. Interior decorative paintings and marble in 1834. The decorations were carefully preserved until 1876, when they were sold to the
St. George Society of Philadelphia and renamed "St. George's Hall". The building was demolished in 1903. • ,
Phil-Ellena the stately mansion of
George Washington Carpenter, is located in Germantown, Pennsylvania, now the West Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. Interior decorative paintings reflective of Ralphel's paintings in Rome's
Vatican, executed in over 20 rooms. The
Greek Revival styled mansion was sited on 600 acres, constructed in 1845 and demolished in 1892 during the development of the Mount Airy neighborhood. • Confectioner's George Parkinson and his wife
Eleanor Parkinson shop at 180 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Interior decorative ceiling paintings in 1840. The owners had created a confectionery business that made Philadelphia vanilla ice cream a synonym for the city's haute cuisine. Their son James opened a restaurant in the early 1840s with an ice cream garden in the rear of the store. The wonderful marble mosaic floor and artwork were considered a "glorious painting" as a marriage of Jupiter and Juno and brought a
par excellence of refinement to creating a place that both men and women could socialize (compared to and departure to Taverns). Demolition date unknown.
Works of unknown status: His portraits were in many "old" established families in Philadelphia and the vicinity. They included patrons such as
Stephen Girard, Madam Rush,
Joseph Bonaparte, and Joseph Togno. In 1841–42, his large historical picture, The Murder of
Jane McCrea, was exhibited in Philadelphia. The
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts held an exhibit of his work.
Works of art gallery: Preserved frescoes painted by the Italian artist Nicola Monachesi (1795–1851) are best displayed at
St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia. The center of the church's ceiling is occupied by his painting representing the ascent of St. Augustine into Heaven. Augustine is depicted with an older face and a thick white beard that descends from his face, and dressed in the black tunic of the Augustinian monks. He is placed on a cushion of clouds in the middle with a chorus of angels at the feet of the Virgin holding the Baby Jesus in her arms. Above in his ascent is boldly highlighted with an intense light from the Trinity, symbolized by an equilateral triangle. Other paintings in the Church are also considered his works of art and decoration. == References ==