pruneta inventory, it is probable that this was originally crafted for a Florentine church (perhaps Santa Maria del Fiore) and later passed to Impruneta where a silver cross appears in the inventories from the beginning of the 16th century. 48-49. antonio salvi (1450-1527) Pax with the Crucifixion Pax with Our Lady of the Assumption and Christ in pietà 1515 Partially gilded, cast, carved, engraved silver; gilded enameled copper; 19x13.5 cm (Crucifixion), 19x14 cm. (Our Lady of the Assumption) (inv. 4-5) Inscription on the back: “andreas bondelmontes pl.s.m imprunete hocopus faciundum curavit ad.mdxv” On the back of the small pax boards, an inscription enclosed within a decoration with swirls and racemes lets us know, besides the date, the name of the client, Andrea Buondelmonti, who belonged to the family patron of the church: parish priest of Impruneta, he was the archbishop of Florence from 1532 to 1545, always maintaining, however, a relationship with the basilica, that he enriched also with the donation of some illuminated codices. The year 1515 is related to the two visits made that year in Impruneta by Pope Leon x (Cardinal Giovanni de’ Medici) thus explaining the two commissions. While the iconography of the Crucifixion conforms to tradition, that of Our Lady of the Assumption occupy-
ing the mandorla flanked by two angels, is rather original for the presence of the Christ in Pietà, above. The attribution to goldsmith Antonio di Salvi is now accepted by experts, given the convincing comparisons with other works by him, in which the reproduction of classical and illustrious motifs used in the sector for decades is integrated with new motifs, little used in goldsmithery. 50. simone pignoni (historical information 1593-1614) Reliquary of Saint Sixtus 1614 Embossed, carved and chiseled silver; cast statuette; 36x43x19 cm (inv. 7) Inscriptions. On the lid: “bartholomeus lanfredinius episcopus fesolanus divo romulo anno dm mdcxiiii”; sunder the casket: “simon pign. sculpsit”; under the statuette: “s.ti xisti primi p.es.m.” The inscriptions on the reliquary and ancient documents allow the history of this masterpiece of goldsmithery to be reconstructed: the inscription on the lid reveals that it was commissioned in 1614 by the bishop of Fiesole, Bartolomeo Lanfredini, in order to preserve the relics of Saint Romulus, the first bishop of Fiesole (by whom, according to tradition, the sacred image of Impruneta was brought to Tuscany). The signature under the casket refers to a Florentine goldsmith already active at the end of the 16th century when, in 1593, he made the reliquary bust of one of the companions of Saint Ursula for San Lorenzo
museo del tesoro di santa maria dell’impruneta
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