Civic and Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art in Montalcino
Displaying work by the masters of Siena, such as Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti
The Civic and Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art in Montalcino is housed inside the former convent of St. Augustine, dating back to the 13th century and adjacent to the church of Saints Philip and James.
The extensive and organic collection allows visitors to discover local artistic production from the Middle Ages to the historic 20th century, with particular emphasis on the Sienese painting tradition, represented by masters such as Bartolo di Fredi, Simone Martini, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Giovanni di Paolo and Sano di Pietro, and finally by a local painter and photographer, Arturo Luciani.
Prominent among the works on display are numerous painted wooden sculptures, linked in the Middle Ages to a variety of liturgical needs and created by major artists of the time, from Jacopo della Quercia to Francesco di Valdambrino.
In addition to other masterpieces, such as Giambologna's Crucifix, there are also some significant finds of medieval pottery, textiles, goldsmithing and miniatures from the surrounding area around Montalcino.
The visit then continues inside the Underground Archaeological Section, which traces the history of the area from prehistory to the Etruscan period. On display here are amphorae, bowls and furnishings belonging to the Etruscans, many of them from the Poggio Civitella complex, the only example of an Etruscan fortress still standing today, and from tombs found in the area, such as the tomb known as the "Fossa del Tesoro" of Sant'Angelo in Colle and the Buca di Sant'Antimo.
The Civic and Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art and the Archaeological Museum of Montalcino are part of the Montalcino Gold Tour.
Accessibility information: regione.toscana.it
