Via dell’Anguillara, corner of Via dell’Acqua
The tabernacles of Florence
THE TABERNACLE
Tabernacle
Leaving behind Piazza San Firenze and heading down Via dell’Anguillara towards Santa Croce, you arrive at the intersection with Via dell’Acqua.
Dominating this crossroads, on the corners of the surrounding buildings, are two tabernacles, facing each other.
Among these, the first to catch the eye is a masterpiece of sandstone, a baroque-style tabernacle, presumably crafted in the 17th century.
It is framed by a curved pediment, interrupted at the center by a finely carved cherub's head. On either side, two molded columns adorned with ornamental scrolls gracefully support the entire structure. The horizontal base, regally upheld by brackets, is a triumph of decorations, with various moldings and two central scrolls. Its elegance is further enriched by an inscription invoking the Madonna: «NOSTROS · DIRIGE · CURSUS».
Fresco
The niche of the tabernacle’s aedicule, dated to the 16th century, houses a polychrome stucco bas-relief.
The composition depicts the Virgin Mary, draped in the traditional red and blue mantle, holding an open book and the Christ Child, who is nursing at her breast. On either side, an intriguing trio comes to life: on the left, the (presumed) patron, dressed in the traditional Florentine fashion of the 16th century, with a hand on his chest; on the right, Saint Anne, aged and comforting Mary with a maternal gesture. The scene is completed by a lively Saint John the Baptist at the Madonna's feet, pointing to the Christ Child and inviting the viewer to contemplate and adore the Savior.
Despite its size, the niche appears to have once held a different artwork, a mystery that adds allure to this corner steeped in art and devotion.
THE STREET
Via dell'Anguillara
Nestled into the corner of a building, which, judging by its structure and exposed stonework, appears to have originally been a tower, the tabernacle holds a prominent position at the intersection of Via dell’Anguillara and Via dell’Acqua. This area, located just outside Florence's earliest city walls, has a history that stretches back to Roman times and the rule of Matilda around 1078.
Location
In the past, this area was characterized by the presence of the Mugnone stream, which flowed parallel to the city walls, forming a moat. The abundance of channels and watercourses made the area marshy, resembling a swamp. The street names, Via dell’Anguillara and Via dell’Acqua, seem to reflect this waterlogged nature of the territory.
The name Via dell’Acqua might originate from the presence of streams and marshes, which drained into a large sewer or were connected to a public well called "Pozzo dell’Anguillara," likely located at the intersection with Via dell’Anguillara.
The name Via dell’Anguillara, according to some sources, may be linked to the palace of the condottiero Baldaccio d’Anghiari, Count of Anguillara (1435), located opposite the tabernacle. However, other theories suggest that the name reflects the presence of eels in the surrounding swamps or is related to the old term "anguillare" or "anguillari," which referred to bundles of vine shoots resembling clusters of eels. The proximity of Via della Vigna Vecchia and Via Vinegia hints at the possibility that Via dell’Anguillara was a path between rows of vines, perhaps owned by the monks of the nearby Badia Fiorentina. Originally a secondary route from the Roman walls to the amphitheater, Via dell’Anguillara has, over the centuries, become enriched with palaces and tabernacles, turning into a point of interest in the urban history of Florence.
THE AUTHOR
Pierino da Vinci
Coming from a family of artists (his paternal great-uncle, Arnolfo Testi, was an excellent 20th-century painter whose works adorn some historic Florentine churches, and the Testi family had a sculpture workshop in Florence from the 19th century until 1929), Emanuele Capozza, a native of Florence, has been passionate about drawing and painting from a young age. He earned a degree in Architecture, and from 2006, he began creating works in mortar, plaster, and stucco applied to wooden panels. Starting in 2012, he also learned the technique of fresco from expert restorers such as Guido Botticelli and Fabrizio Bandini, as well as accomplished painters like Silvestro Pistolesi and Gigi Gheri. Capozza also delved into this ancient Florentine art form, which he passes on to his students at the School of Sacred Art in Florence, where he teaches.
As a member of the International School of Fresco Technique, the artist has further honed his skills in drawing from life and portraiture since 2018, aiming to capture the true essence and expressiveness of the subjects he portrays. Therefore, the tabernacle of Villa Palmieri-Benelli is reborn and becomes a source of comfort for passersby, thanks to the care of the owners, the Benelli family, and the skillful work of Emanuele Capozza, a versatile artist who has succeeded in developing his own personal artistic style.
TIDBIT
The original work by Pierino da Vinci, a marble bas-relief created in Pisa between 1550 and 1554 and initially part of the collection of Duchess Eleonora of Toledo, was moved from the Bargello to the castle of the Guidi Counts in Poppi in 1943. This move was aimed at protecting it from potential damage during the bombing of Florence. Among the other works transferred were the famous Head of a Faun sculpted by Michelangelo Buonarroti in his youth and a magnificent Masculine Portrait attributed to the School of Hans Memling, both originally kept in the Bargello.
Unfortunately, on the night of August 22-23, 1944, Nazi soldiers from the 305th Infantry Division broke into the castle, forcing seven doors and a thick wall. This led to the looting of numerous crates containing artworks, including crate number 8, which held Michelangelo's Head of a Faun.
Currently, Pierino da Vinci’s marble bas-relief and the other two mentioned works are among the eighty lost masterpieces that have never been recovered. Considering this tragic story, the example of the tabernacle at the corner of Via dell’Anguillara and Via dell’Acqua holds particular significance, being the only one remaining, aside from some more recent copies on the international market.
GALLERY
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