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Santo Stefano Museum
Within the area of the 10th century cloister is this museum which also includes the ex-chapel of Benda. These following rooms were converted into a museum in order to allocate space for these historic exhibits on show now. Included here are paintings, frescoes, temperas, reliquaries and much more that would have in the past have been found in the various chapels throughout this complex.
This large fresco just through the door is a marvelous painting by Michele di Matteo dating to the 15th century. It depicts various episodes of the lives of St Stefano and St Petronio. The central figure is that of St Petronio holding in his hands the city of Bologna. One of these tempera paintings behind glass is by an unknown artist from the 14th century and shows St Abate.
This incredible series of paintings formed part of a wooden ceiling restored in 1999 and which is thought may have come from an ancient scriptorium of the 1400s. This was a room in a monastery where religious books and manuscripts were copied.
This one which is part of a cycle of other paintings along the same wall is attributed to Simone de Crocifissi from the 14th century. Other significant works here from the 14th-16th centuries originate from the schools of Ferrara and Toscany.
Behind glass cabinets here are valuable reliquaries skillfully created and adorned with gold and silver. The cross here was by Johannes Jacobs in 1634. On the wall opposite is this emotionally charged canvas of Tiarini from the 17th century depicting The Resurrection of Vedova’s son. Ansolini was responsible for this work of art from the 18th century showing the martyrdom of St Sebastian.
This is another cabinet showing ancient crosses and reliquaries which would have held the host. Other renowned artists in these rooms and which include a mention here are Giovanni de Caneto and Jacopo di Paolo which refers to works of art from the school of Vitale da Bologna.
It’s believed that this next room may have been the sacristy to the chapel Benda.
In this little side room is an extremely rare and valuable pastoral staff dating to the 12th century and which once belonged to St Isidoro. Ancient literary material and text is displayed in the case next to it.
Now in the Benda chapel is another fascinating work of art. This violent portrayal of tragedy is called The Massacre of the Innocents and is believed to have been completed by Berlinghiero da Lucca around 1260. On the adjacent wall is a painting by Marcantonio Franceschini depicting the Virgin in between St Joseph and St Benedict.
These are precious reliquaries of Benda’s chapel some of them dating to the early 1600s.
This chapel was built in the 1500s and took the name of a medieval strip of cloth that women wore on the faces as a sign of mourning. According to tradition the Virgin Mother would have worn this after the death of her Son.
This magnificent wooden vault was the creation of Gaspare and Antonio Bili in the 16th century. It’s not indicated for whom it was made.
Finally, approaching the altar is this antique statue of the Virgin. Beside it is the Holy stole of St Pio V while in an unusual space just above the altar are more precious reliquaries of St Mauro and St Isidoro unfortunately hidden behind a caged fence.
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