Marsuppini monument, Renaissance tomb in Basilica of Santa Croce, Italy
The Marsuppini monument is a marble tomb located in the sixth bay of the north aisle of the Basilica of Santa Croce. The structure stands around 6 meters tall and features intricately carved angels holding garlands, with a depiction of the Virgin and Child set within the arched lunette above.
The monument is generally dated between 1453, the year Carlo Marsuppini died, and 1455, though no exact documentation survives. Marsuppini was Chancellor of the Florentine Republic after Leonardo Bruni and, like him, a philosopher, writer and humanist. Desiderio da Settignano modelled the tomb on the type of the arcosolium and closely followed Bernardo Rossellino's monument to Bruni opposite, completed in 1450.
Carlo Marsuppini, chancellor of Florence after Leonardo Bruni, is shown crowned with laurel and holding one of his own works, the same literary attributes given to Bruni opposite. The lunette holds a medallion of the Virgin and Child between two busts of angels, while two putti at the base of the pilasters support heraldic shields.
The tomb sits in the Basilica of Santa Croce and allows visitors to view the detailed marble carvings from different angles as they move through the aisle. The structure is positioned at ground level and remains accessible during the basilica's regular visiting hours.
Recent restoration work uncovered traces of the original colored coating that once covered the marble, including red paint on the flame above the arch. This discovery reveals that the monument was originally painted rather than appearing as pure white marble as seen today.
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