Museo di arte sacra, Religious art museum in medieval Certaldo, Italy.
The Museo di arte sacra is a religious art museum housed in a former Augustinian monastery in upper Certaldo, featuring seven exhibition halls. The collection spans religious paintings from the 13th through 16th centuries, precious metalwork, vestments, and other sacred artworks.
The museum opened in 2001 within a 15th-century Augustinian monastery that underwent complete restoration to create proper exhibition spaces. The former convent was thoroughly renovated to transform it into a functioning cultural institution.
Room VI was the chapel of the Compagnia della SS. Annunziata, still consecrated, whose duties included assisting those condemned to death. Its altar painting, attributed to Gabriele Grassi and dated 1620-1623, was commissioned by the Augustinian friar Giulio della Rena, whose partly erased coat of arms and the letters "F. G. R." appear on the book held by St Nicholas of Tolentino.
Access is through the cloister adjoining the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo, in Certaldo Alto; the medieval lanes of the upper town are pedestrian-only, so you reach the entrance on foot. The former convent has been restored for museum use, with step-free routes between its seven rooms.
Room VII was long devoted to the Petrognano Crucifix, also called the San Donnino Crucifix, now kept in the church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo. Since 24 August 2018 the room has instead shown paintings, sculptures and prints from Villa Bardi in Linari, a district of Barberino Val d'Elsa.
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