Museo di Arte Sacra "San Giovanni de' Fiorentini"
The Basilica of St. John the Baptist of Fiorentini has acquired, over the centuries, religious art of outstanding value. The Museum was opened in 2001 to preserve and make accessible this heritage to the public. The path is divided into a sequence of rooms configured as a gallery. The collection includes 48 works among which: a statue of "Saint John the Baptist", by Michelangelo Buonarroti; marble busts and bronze "Crucifix" by Giovan Lorenzo Bernini; the fresco of the "Seated Madonna with Child", by Daniele da Volterra; a silver and bronze reliquary by Benvenuto Cellini. During the restoration of some of the major works on display, there are been exceptional discoveries as: the two marble busts of Antonio Coppola and Antonio Cepparello were attributed to Bernini thanks to the discovery of the documentation inside them; fully revealed by the restoration was the "Seated Madonna", previously covered by a painting of the late nineteenth century. The biggest job was the restoration of the "Saint John" by young Michelangelo, symbol of the Museum, with a new base, the work of Gino Giannetti. The Museum promotes different activities (concerts, conferences and exhibitions); continued research and is partner of important cultural events.
