Alberti Rucellai Sepulchre Chapel

Dear Art Lover,

     Inside of the Museo Marino Marini, featuring the sculptures and drawings of the Tuscan artist who lived from 1901 to 1980, lies the Rucellai Chapel and Sepulchre.  It is an unusual sacred space in that one may only see it by paying admission to enter the museum [or in my friend Kumiko’s and my case, enjoying a free museum day, as we did on Sunday, October 1, 2017].

     Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), who designed the upper façade of Santa Maria Novella church in Florence, was commissioned by Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai to build him a tomb in the family chapel in the Church of San Pancrazio, the current and renovated location of the Museo Marino Marini.  The Rucellai Chapel is a room off to the left as you enter the museum. 

     Inside is an altar, which one would expect, but also there is the small scale copy of the Holy Sepulchre of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.  It is mostly made of white marble and very well crafted with inlaid green marble, as well as well-carved letters and architectural decorative details.  There is a short, wooden door with bars, allowing you to look inside.  During my visit, there were small bronze birds on top on the tomb.  They are all from the same mold and just placed in differing angles for effect.  I do not think they are there all of the time since you will see them absent in the gorgeous pictures in the links below.

     There is something about blue skies and golden stars . . . that combination seems quite popular in Italy, perhaps gold because of its value.  I would have put blue with silver, but … whatever works!  I also enjoyed other details inside of the chapel, included the inlayed marble disc in front of the altar. 
Enjoy these images, but please click on the links below to get the more official stories… you know that I often give the “Kelly tour” and not so much the technical information or history of a place that so many people enjoy hearing about.  Thank you for following along.

Blue Skies and Gold Stars

Helpful related links:

http://www.arttrav.com/florence/rucellai-chapel/

Great photos by Alexandra Korey.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pancrazio,_Florence

Good pics of the circular designs carved in stone:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rucellai_Sepulchre

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Battista_Alberti

http://museomarinomarini.it/

https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/museum-marino-marini.html

https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/ancient-modern-and-contemporary-the-marino-marini-museum/

 

     Past posts on other aspects of this space:

The sculptures by Marino Marini in Florence, Italy:

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2017/10/marino-marini-sculptures.html

The drawings by Marino Marini:

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2017/10/marino-marini-drawings.html

The architecture:

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2017/10/architecture-san-pancrazio-marino.html

Peace,

Kelly Borsheim, artist

http://BorsheimArts.com

P.S. IF original art, while affordable, is STILL a bit out of your budget, or the piece you adored has sold?  Or do you like arty things in different formats, to surround yourself with art?  Looking for a gift?  See my store online for pillow, phone cases, shower curtains, towels, tote bags, and yes, even prints on metal, wood, canvas, and so much more:

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-kelly-borsheim.html