Terre di Spezierie
collections
Exhibitions
Ceramics from Montelupo for Santa Maria Nuova and the historic pharmacies of Tuscany
From June 21 to January 6, 2025, the ceramics on display in the diffused exhibition “Terre di Spezierie. Ceramiche di Montelupo per Santa Maria Nuova e le farmacie storiche della Toscana” (Terre di Spezierie. Ceramics from Montelupo for Santa Maria Nuova and the historic pharmacies of Tuscany) bear witness to the centuries-old commissioning relationship that linked Montelupo manufactures to the places most active in health care in Tuscany. From the early decades of the 15th century through the 17th century, in fact, master potters from Montelupo produced containers for medicines for the oldest and best-known apothecaries of hospitals, convents and private shops in Tuscany. These artifacts, embellished with the same decorations and coatings of the same glaze as the fine tableware majolica, ensured perfect preservation of the substances enclosed within them, were easy to clean and did not release odors.
The starting point of the itinerary is the Museum of Ceramics in Montelupo Fiorentino, but the complete path includes the hospital Santa Maria Nuova, the Museum San Marco, the Museum Galileo and the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence, to then reach the Ancient Spezieria Serristori in Figline Valdarno, the Spezieria of Santa Fina in San Gimignano and the Aboca Museum in Sansepolcro.
The full and updated program of the events related to the exhibition can be viewed online.
Check also the information on hours, fares and how to reach the places of the exhibition.
