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Museums and Libraries
  In
Sala 3 (Hall 3), which is the ex church of Gesù and where
one should admire the coffered ceiling adorned with figures, created
by Michelangelo Leggi in 1536, Italian masterpieces from the fifteenth
century are displayed. Among these are:
Mother and Child from the Sienese school from the first half of
the sixteenth century. It is a precious work painted on wood and
comes from the first church of Saint Margaret.
THE PAINTED CROSS (1320?) On wood it is unanamously considered to
be a work of the young Pietro Lorenzetti, an artist who has been
defined Cortonese for the many works which he executed here.
TRIPTYCH OF SASSETTA It is the last work from the Sienese school
which exists in the museum. It was painted on wood around the year
1435 and depicts tahe Madonna with Child and four saints in relief
on goldleaf background. Notable are the colors of the garments and
the rich robes of Saint Nicola, the first saint on the left. It
comes from the church of Saint Dominic.
TRIPTYCH OF ANGELICO This Madonna with the child on her knee is
seated on a throne covered by a precious drape on a goldleaf background
from which emerge figures of angels. Completed laterally by the
figures of four saints and above by an Annunciation and a Crucifiction
, while below on the predella the life of Saint Dominic is illustrated.
Fran Angelico (Fra Giovanni da Fiesole 1395?-1455) opens a cycle
of paintings which present sacred illustration that provoke emotion
through the lines and color. The painting comes from the church
of Saint Dominic.
ANNUNCIATION OF ANGELICO. The visitor now finds himself before one
of the most beautiful tableau of Italian painting. He can now enjoy
the exquisite interaction of the two figures, that of the Madonna
with that of the angel in their precious garments. One should admire
the architecture of the portico and the details of the flowering
garden in the background from which Adam and Eve painfully take
leave. On the predella is an illustration of the life of the Virgin
Mary which draws admiration for its richness and the inscribed details
and luminosity of the landscape. This painting comes from the church
of Saint Dominic.
THE VIRGIN PRESENTS A BELT TO SAINT THOMAS This canvas recovered
after a recent restoration is the masterpiece of Fra Bartolomeo
later called "della Gatta", a Camaldolese Friar, and was
paintint around the year 1475 for the church of the Contesse from
where it came. The faces of the apostles are to be admired, old,
noble, gaunt or touching all immersed in a deep and heartfelt meditation
while blinded by the light which emanates from the Virgin. Before
disappearing among the choir of angels, she gives here belt to Sainòt
Thomas.
 Sala
4 ((Hall 4) contains the works of Signorelli and his workshop. Luca
Signorelli was born in Cortona around 1455 and died here in 1523.
He was one of the most important painters of the Italian Renaissance.
His nudes anticipate those of Michelangelo which his landscapes
echo the rhythmic compositions of Perugino.
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEAD CHRIST. The unmoving figures have been caught
in a moment of suspense and frozen drama in an image which is strongly
reminiscent of popular holy demonstrations. The nude Christ is tied
to a story from Vasari which claims that it is a portrait of his
son who died in the plague of 1502. The panel was painted in 1502
for the main altar of the church of Santa Margherita.
COMMUNION OF THE APOSTLES. This painting is dated 1512 and should
be compared with the preceding one to pick up the manner in which
Signorelli matures as a man and artist. In it there is a struggle
to get away from the crude and tragic style of paintin found in
the Final Judgement in Orvieto and the Sympathy of Cortona to try
and imitate the soft tones and airy and decorative architecture
of Rafaello and the new school of the 1500's which influenced the
painting at the time. Stupendous is the figure of Judas who hides
the host in his black shoulder bag and turns toward the exterior
of the painting. He expresses with a glance the painful knowledge
of his treason. It was painted for the main altar of the church
of Gesù.
After this work the master's intervention on subsequent paintings
at the workshop located in Cortona are increasingly rare. The painter
started to feel considerably the decline of his artistic reputation
and this triggers a crisis in his artistic as well as his personal
life. This crisis had an influence on all of his last activities.
He was strained to change his style of painting to adapt to the
great artistic renovations at the beginning of the 1500's and the
dominant figure of Raffaello. Therefore, he leaves the greater part
of the work which continues to be commissioned to him to the hands
of his helpers in his workshop in Cortona, particularly to his nephew
Francesco, though his personality still dominates the work.
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