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The Museum of San Marco is located in the cloister of the Dominican convent of San Marco and placed in the square. The Place, besides being famous for having hosted the Savonarola, was largely decorated with frescoes by Fra Angelico at the turn of XIV and XV century.
The history. In 1436 Cosimo the Elder, gave the convent and the church of 'Observant Dominicans' who settled there instead of Silvestrini-monks removed by Pope Eugene IV. On draft of Michelozzo, Cosimo (Pater Patriæ), he did restructure the second moderncanons of the time, making it become one of the most comfortable monasteries on the peninsula. The constructive criterion is simple and elegant. A large building spaces from well-outlined and liveable but the most beautiful and elegant is the library that takes the form of a large room with three naves with coverage barrel. During the rengo Lorenzo 'the Magnificent', quest'ambiente became a meeting place for many humanists of the period as Angelo Poliziano, and Pico della Mirandola who could freely consult the books of the library. In fact, this is the first public library ever built throughout the western world!
The convent of San Marco was the first expropriation in 1808 during the Napoleonic era, but it returned in monks possession shortly, just after the fall of the French emperor. The second and final expropriation it was in 1866 with the R.D. of July 7, 1866 which included the removal of religious orders. Declared 'monumental building' of national importance, was open to the public in 1869. As in few images shown here, the most important artistic addition to architecture and the constructive work of the complex, are the paintings of Fra Angelico, monk-painter whose real name was Giovanni da Fiesole.
In the public refectory’s dedicated to the reception of pilgrims, Ghirlandaio frescoed the upper room. Actually there is the doubt that the work was really and totally performed by Girlandaio. We believe he had drawn the sketches on the wall background only and that the real fresco instead, It had been executed by his brother and his disciple, Sebastiano Mainardi. In general, the pictorial structure is similar to that of the upper room of the last supper in Ognissanti, where behind the main figures, you can see in prospective plants and animals of paradise.
The convent of San Marco suffered its first expropriation in 1808 during the Napoleonic era but returned to the friars immediately after the fall of the French emperor. The second and final expropriation was in 1866 with the R.D. of 7 July 1866 which provided for the suppression of religious orders. Declared a "monumental asset" of national importance, it was opened to the public in 1869. As in the pictured images shown here, the most important artistic part in addition to the architecture and construction of the complex are the paintings of Fra Angelico, friar-painter whose real name was Giovanni da Fiesole. In the "public" refectory, the one dedicated to the reception of pilgrims and not the one where the friars ate, Ghirlandaio frescoed the cenacle even if it is believed that the work was not actually performed by the famous painter. It is believed that the background sketches had only been drawn on the wall and that the actual fresco had been executed by his brother and his disciple Sebastiano Mainardi. The general structure of the painting is similar to that of the cenacle of Ognissanti, in which the vaults open onto a loggia in perspective and behind on a garden, where plants and animals of paradise can be seen.
La Piagnona. "Linked to the events of Savonarola, the church bell (called the whiner, like the whiners the followers of the friar of Ferrara) underwent a curious trial as a punishment for sounding alarm when the Florentines flocked to the convent to remove the friar condemned for heresy. The bell was unplugged and carried in procession through the city while it was hit by leather whips for punishment.It was laid at the church of San Salvatore al Monte and never played again. After having been kept for a long time in the courtyard of the Florence Topographic Museum com 'era, since the early 2000s has returned to places related to its history, in the adjacent museum of San Marco. |
