The National Museum of San Matteo in

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

(''Museo Nazionale di San Matteo'') displays works from historic ecclesiastical buildings in the city and

Province of Pisa The province of Pisa ( it, provincia di Pisa) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of central Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa. With an area of and a total population of 421,642 (), it is the second most populous and fif ...

Collections

The works span from early Medieval period to the 16th century. The collection includes sculptural masterworks by

Nicola Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; c. 1220/1225 – c. 1284) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the ...

and

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), better known as Donatello ( ), was a Republic of Florence, Florentine sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sculpture and use ...

. It has a rich collection of antique paintings, including works by Berlinghiero Volterrano,

Giunta Pisano Giunta Pisano (also named Giunta da Pisa or Giunta Capitini) was an Italian painter. He is the earliest Italian painter whose name is found inscribed on an extant work. He is best known for his crucifixes. Works He is said to have exercised hi ...

Simone Martini Simone Martini ( – 1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. It is thought that Martini was a pupil ...

Lippo Memmi Lippo Memmi (c. 1291 – 1356) was an Italian painter from Siena. He was the foremost follower of Simone Martini, who was his brother-in-law. Together with Martini, in 1333 he painted what is regarded as one of the masterworks of the Intern ...

Francesco Traini Francesco Traini was an Italian painter who was documented as working from 1321 to ''ca'' 1365 in Pisa and Bologna. He appears to have been a follower of Andrea Orcagna to judge by only one work known to be by Traini: in 1345 he signed and da ...

Masaccio Masaccio (, , ; December 21, 1401 – summer 1428), born Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, was a Florentine artist who is regarded as the first great Italian painter of the Quattrocento period of the Italian Renaissance. According to Vasari, ...

Beato Angelico Fra Angelico (born Guido di Pietro; February 18, 1455) was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance, described by Vasari in his ''Lives of the Artists'' as having "a rare and perfect talent".Giorgio Vasari, ''Lives of the Artists''. Pengui ...

Benozzo di Lese Benozzo Gozzoli (4 October 1497) was an Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. A pupil of Fra Angelico, Gozzoli is best known for a series of murals in the Magi Chapel of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, depicting festive, vibrant processions w ...

, and

Ghirlandaio Ghirlandaio is the surname of a family of Renaissance Italian painters: * Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494), painter of fresco cycles and Michelangelo's teacher * Davide Ghirlandaio (1452–1525), younger brother of Domenico * Benedetto Ghirlandai ...

. The museum also has a collection of medieval

illuminated manuscripts An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...

, wooden religious sculpture from 13th century to 15th century, and antique ceramics.

History

The nucleus of the collection was initially started by a 1796 endowment by the Canon of the Pisa Cathedral,

Sebastiano Zucchetti Sebastiano is both a masculine Italian given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (1650–1724), Italian cardinal * Sebastiano Baggio (1913–1993), Italian clergyman * Sebastiano Bianchi (16th cen ...

. Further works were added after the Napoleonic closure of many religious establishments, and through the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute o ...

. In 1893, a local Jewish citizen,

Igino Benvenuto Supino Igino Benvenuto Supino (29 September 1858 – 4 July 1940) was an Italian painter, art critic, and historian. Biography Igino was born to a prominent and erudite Jewish family of Pisa; his father, Moises, was a collector of medieval seals, coin ...

, helped found the Pisan Museo Civico. In 1949, the Museo Civico collection help form the nucleus for the present Museo Nazionale, installed in the restored medieval Convent of San Matteo in Soarta.

Sources

Beni Culturali of Italy
Official website for Museum, including catalogue of collections. {{Authority control Art museums established in 1949 Museums in Pisa Monasteries in Tuscany National museums of Italy 1949 establishments in Italy