The Architecture of Devotion
Located in Empoli, Italy, the St Andreas Picture Gallery occupies the historic Palazzo della Propositura. This rectory serves as an annex to the Collegiata di Sant'Andrea, providing a quiet space for the preservation of ecclesiastical art. The building's structure organizes its collection across different levels, beginning with the ground floor where the baptistery and sacristy are situated. The architecture facilitates a chronological progression, moving from the foundational religious elements of the ground floor to the upper pinacoteca.
The physical layout of the venue reflects its long history as a repository for the spiritual and artistic life of the city. Visitors move from the heavy, stone-based presence of the ground floor toward the lighter, more decorative spaces of the upper levels. The cloister loggia provides a transition between the interior rooms, featuring glazed terracotta sculptures that reflect the specific craftsmanship of the region.
The Collected Works
The collection contains approximately 90 paintings and sculptures that document over six centuries of art history. These works were gathered from various churches and convents throughout the area, ensuring that the local artistic lineage remains intact within these walls. The selection includes significant examples of the Renaissance and the periods preceding it.
- San Girolamo, 1500 - Raffaello Botticini
- Tabernacle of San Sebastiano, 1476 - Antonio Rossellino
- and Child Enthroned with Saints, 1430 - Filippo Lippi
- Archangel Michael, 1519 - Pontormo
On the ground floor, the presence of Masolino da Panicale is felt through the Vir dolorum, a work dating to approximately 1424. This piece was originally created for the church of St. John the Baptist. Nearby, the baptismal font, attributed to Bernardo Rossellino and dated to 1447, remains a central feature of the lower level. The space also holds sculptures by Mino da Fiesole and Giovanni Pisano, alongside a Madonna with Child from approximately 1270 by Giovanni Pisano.
The Renaissance Rooms
The upper floor houses the pinacoteca, where paintings are arranged to follow a chronological sequence. The Renaissance room is defined by the presence of a Madonna in trono by Filippo Lippi and two triptychs by Lorenzo Monaco. These works represent the transition of stylistic preferences during the period. The final rooms of the gallery are dedicated to the works of the Botticini family, whose workshop was active during the 15th and 16th centuries. Their presence in the museum is marked by monumental tabernacles that originated from the Collegiata.
