San Sebastiano in Vallepiatta is an ancient church next to Piazzeta della Selva in

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. It is located in the Contrada della Selva. Church construction began in 1492 and completed in 1656, under the patronage of the guild of weavers (Tessitori). The interior is frescoed by 16th century painters, depicting ''Dream of St Irene'' by Stefano Volpi, a ''Glory of St Sebastian'' and a ''Virtue and Angels'' by

Sebastiano Folli Sebastiano Folli (1568–1621) was an Italian painter of the late Renaissance period. He was a scholar of Alessandro Casolano, and a native of Siena. He distinguished himself by several frescoes in the churches at Siena, particularly the cupola ...

, a ''Stories of St Sebastian'' by Pietro Sorri and

Rutilio Manetti Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti (c. 1571 – 22 July 1639) was an Italian painter of late- Mannerism or proto- Baroque, active mainly in Siena. Biography He was influenced and/or taught by the local artists Francesco Vanni and Ventura Salimbeni. He is ...

. On the main altar there is a ''Spoliation of Christ'' by

Luigi Ademollo Luigi Ademollo (April 30, 1764 – February 11, 1849) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born in Milan. He studied at the Brera Academy, where he was taught by Giulio Traballesi, Giocondo Albertolli, and Giuseppe Piermarini. He left Milan i ...

, and a 15th-century ''Crucifix'', which legend holds was donated to the ''Compagnia di San Giovanni Battista della Morte'' (Company of St John the Baptist of the Death) by St Bernard himself. Built in the shape of a Greek cross, it has a cupola with a cylindrical tambor. The design is attributed to

Francesco di Giorgio Martini Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439–1501) was an Italian architect, engineer, painter, sculptor, and writer. As a painter, he belonged to the Sienese School. He was considered a visionary architectural theorist—in Nikolaus Pevsner's terms: ...

. Most of the brick façade has only a sliver of a cornice with architrave in travertine marble, added in 1545–1550. The interior was frescoed in the 16th century by

Giovanni Paolo Pisani Giovanni Paolo Pisani (1574-1637) was an Italian painter, active mainly in a Mannerist style in Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically link ...

Raffaello Vanni Raffaello Vanni (1590 ca-1673) was an Italian painter of the Baroque. Biography He was born at Siena. He first trained with his father, Francesco Vanni, who died in 1610. He was afterwards sent to Rome, and recommended to the care of Antonio Ca ...

, and

Astolfo Petrazzi Astolfo Petrazzi (1583–1665) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in his hometown of Siena, but also Spoleto and Rome. He was a pupil of mainly Francesco Vanni, but also worked under Ventura Salimbeni and Pietro Sorri. ...

. The main altarpiece is a bas-relief in stucco and terracotta depicting the venerated ''Madonna della Selva'', and is attributed to

Sources

Rete Toscana Luoghi della Fede

The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance Florence
Sebastiano in Vallepiatta 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1656 1656 establishments in the Grandy Duchy of Tuscany {{italy-church-stub