The Museum of Sacred Art, located in the historic center of Montevarchi, adjacent to the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo, has a fine collection of sculptures, frescoes, objects of fine jewelery, sacred furnishings, reliquaries and illuminated manuscripts.
Highlights of the collection, not only for historical and artistic importance because the finds are unique, are liturgical objects and works commissioned by the local Fraternity of the Sacred Milk constituted in the fifteenth century following the gift of a relic, belonging to the emperor of Constantinople and then to the king of France Louis IX, by Count Guido Guerra.
The glazed earthenware by Della Robbia is very important. The “Tempietto robbiano”, rebuilt as it appeared inside the church before being dismantled in the early eighteenth century, which housed the relic of the Virgin’s milk.
The Frieze with Count Guido Guerra presenting the Reliquary. This scene by Andre della Robbia represents the moment when Count Guido presents the clergy of San Lorenzo with the sacred reliquary of the Virgin’s Milk (dated 1495-1500) which had been obtained from Charles of Anjou, brother of King Louis IX, in recognition for support given by Count Guido Guerra, feudal lord of Montevarchi, in the battle of Benevento (1266).
Among the numerous liturgical objects, the processional cross of the Florentine goldsmith Piero di Martino Spigliati (16th century) in embossed and engraved silver and the Reliquario del Sacro Latte, in the shape of a small temple in carved ebony wood, with silver and gilded copper, by Michele Genovini (1626-1669).
In the museum the fresco Madonna enthroned with Child and Saints is preserved, the fresco was detached from the church of St. Andrew in Cennano and attributed to Luberto da Montevarchi (1460-1522), an artist who studied in the circle of Perugino, his collaborator at the Collegio del Cambio in Perugia who frequently worked in Valdarno.
Where (Map)
Contacts
Museum of Sacred Art of the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo
Via Isidoro del Lungo, 8
Montevarchi
Phone: +39 055.980468
Cell. +39 339.3512801 (to book visits outside the opening hours)
museo.artesacrasanlorenzo@gmail.com
web.site
Opening times
Thursday 10.00 am – 12.00 am
Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am – 12.00 / 16.00 – 18.00
Ticket: Adults € 3.00
Reduced € 1,00
free over 65 years
Accessible to the disabled