Museo di arte sacra (Certaldo)

History

Nelle sette sale del museo sono raccolte le opere provenienti dalle chiese comprese nel territorio del vicariato ecclesiastico di Certaldo.

Il museo di arte sacra era in origine un convento agostiniano del quattrocento. Accuratamente restaurato per adibito a museo, è stato inaugurato nel giugno del 2001, parte di un circuito di centri espositivi della Valdelsa e di musei vicariali sorti nell'area fiorentina con il fine di aggregare beni culturali religiosi sparsi nel territorio che, per ragioni di sicurezza e custodia, non possono essere conservati nelle sedi di origine e che trovano perciò assetto museografico, visibilità scientifica e pubblica fruizione presso la chiesa più importante della circoscrizione ecclesiastica di riferimento.

Room I: Art Gallery

Sited in the monastery's former refectory, the first room houses 13th to 16th century paintings and two early 15th century fresco fragments.

Master of the Bigallo Crucifix, Enthroned Madonna and Child with Two Saints, panel, c. 1240-1245, from the town's church of Santa Maria a Bagnano

Meliore di Jacopo, Enthroned Madonna and Child with Two Angels, tavola, c. 1270-1275, also from Santa Maria a Bagnano

Ugolino di Nerio (attr.), Enthroned Madonna and Child with Saints Peter and Romulus, panel, c.1315-1320, also from Santa Maria a Bagnano

Puccio di Simone, Madonna and Child with Saints, panel, sesto decennio del XIV sec. (1357?) from the oratory of San Pietro a Petrognano, then from the pieve di San Giovanni Battista in Jerusalem a San Donnino

Cenni di Francesco, Crucifixion with Mourners, St Catherine of Alexandria and St Miniatus (?), panel, c. 1385-1390, from the Oratory of San Pietro a Tugiano, then the pieve di San Lazzaro a Lucardo

Cenni di Francesco, St Martin and St Catherine of Alexandria, fresco fragment, 1405-1410, from the church of San Martino a Maiano in Certaldo

Cenni di Francesco, Madonna and Child, fresco fragment, 1405-1410, also from San Martino a Maiano

Pseudo Ambrogio di Baldese (Lippo d'Andrea), Madonna and Child, panel, 1430s, from the church of San Martino a Pastine

Raffaello Piccinelli (attr.), Enthroned Madonna between St Francis and St Anthony Abbot, panel, 1522 (dated), from the church of Santa Maria a Bagnano

Studio of Bernardino Poccetti, Circumcision of Christ, panel, 1590s, from the church of San Giovanni Battista in Jerusalem a San Donnino

Rooms II, III, IV: Goldwork

Three small rooms contain goldwork, mostly from San Lazzaro a Lucardo, a pieve of Certaldo, the most important pieve in the ecclesiastical deanery. They include (with display numbers):

Workshop of Ruggero of Helmershausen, Minor Cross (n. 38), worked, engraved and gilded copper and cast bronze, mid 13th century, from the church of Santa Maria a Casale

Possibly a Byzantine master, Thurible (n. 60), gold-copper alloy, engraved, 11th-12th century, from the church of San Gaudenzio a Ruballa

Workshop of Filarete, Peace (n. 47), embossed, gilded and chiseled bronze, mid 15th century, from San Lazzaro a Lucardo

Florentine studio, Chalice - Pyx (n. 48), chiseled, embossed, engraved and gilded copper, 1496, from San Lazzaro a Lucardo

Paolo Laurentini, Busto reliquiario della beata Giulia, embossed, chiseled and engraved silver, 1652-1653, from the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo

Room VI: the Compagnia

Previously the chapel of the Compagnia della SS. Annunziata and still consecrated for worship, this room describes the Compagnia's history with 17th century paintings and sculptures. Its duties included assisting those condemned to death. The connecting door to what is now Room V was installed on the complex's conversion to a museum - previously the only access was the now-closed door onto piazza SS. Jacopo e Filippo

Bernardino Monaldi, Madonna of the Rosary with Saints, canvas, 1611 (signed and dated), from the church of Santa Maria a Bagnano in Certaldo

Tuscan painter, 1600-1650, Annunciation, canvas, c. 1620

Sienese painter, Madonna and Child with Augustinian Saints, canvas, c. 1630

Florentine painter, 1600-1650, Madonna and Child with St Anthony Abbot and St Francis, canvas, from the church of San Martino a Maiano, Compagnia di Sant'Antonio

Florentine painter, Madonna of the Rosary with Saints John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Anthony of Padua and Dominic, canvas, 1600-1650, also from San Martino a Maiano, Compagnia di Sant'Antonio

Florentine painter, 1600-1650, St Martin and St Catherine of Alexandria Adoring the Holy Trinity, from the church of San Martino a Maiano, Compagnia di Sant'Antonio