San Domenico, Pistoia
The church of San Domenico in Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy dates to some time in the mid to late 13th centuries. Dominican fathers are documented to have preached from the small Oratory of the Crucifix (Oratorio del Crocifisso). The latter contains frescoes dating to the 13th century.
The church contains work from the 14th and 15th century, including frescoes by Giovanni Cristiani and Antonio Vite; sculpture by Bernardo and Antonio Rossellino. There is no documentation to substantiate the rumors by later art historians including Giorgio Vasari that either the two Dominican order brothers Sisto and Ristoro, architects of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, or that that Giovanni Pisano, were at work here.
Traces of late 13th century frescoes are found in the convent and church, some attributed possibly to Coppo di Marcovaldo and his son Salerno.
The tomb of the Lawyer Filippo Lazzari (first on right), and of the Blessed Lorenzo da Ripafratta, are attributed to Rosellini. The church also has the tomb of the bishop Andrea Franchi, who led the White Procession during the plague outbreak of 1399. In 1497 the florentine painter Benozzo Gozzoli dies here. The painter Fra Paolino, a Dominican follower of Savonarola painted for this church an Adoration of the Magi and a Holy Conversation. The latter work is now in the church of San Paolo of Pistoia.
The cloister has frescoes depicting the Life of San Domenico by Sebastiano Vini. The church also has frescoes depicting the Life of the Magdalen, painted by Ulisse Ciocchi, Michele Cinganelli, and Giovanni Martinelli (painter): all pupils of Bernardino Poccetti. The painter Giovanni Cristiani painted a now detached last judgement for the convent refectory.
The convent was suppressed in 1783; Dominicans returned only in 1928. The church was damaged during the allied bombing of World War II.[1]
Bibliography for History of Church and Convent
These sources are listed in the website below.
- G. Beani, La chiesa e il convento di S.Domenico in Pistoia, Pistoia, 1909
- S. Orlandi, La chiesa monumentale di S.Domenico a Pistoia, Pistoia, 1932
- Il patrimonio artistico di Pistoia e del suo territorio, catalogo storico descrittivo, Pistoia, 1967
- A. Bacchi, Pittura del Duecento e del Trecento pistoiese, in La pittura in Italia. Il Duecento e il Trecento, I, Milano 1986
References
- ↑ Comune Pistoia, entry on the Convent of San Domenico.
Coordinates: 43°55′50″N 10°54′59″E / 43.9305°N 10.9164°E