Description
On exhibition in this room is a fine example of the School of Fabriano during the 13th-14th centuries. First of all are the two large panels painted on wood by ALLEGRETTO NUZI (ca. 1320-1373). These are the side panels of a large triptych coming from the Abbey of St. Maria d’Appennino. The central section, portraying a Madonna and Child, has been located in the National Gallery of the Marche Region in Urbino. The two panels portray on the right St. John the Baptist and St Venanzio, on the left S. Antonio Abate and St. John Evangelist.
One of the masterpieces of sculpture from the Marche of the 13th century is St. James the Apostle. This rare work has been included in the catalogue of FRA GIOVANNI DI BARTOLOMEO (references from 1364 and 1396) who was a monk actively sculpting in the Convent of St. Catherine in Fabriano. He is also known as the Maestro of the Magi of Fabriano.
The small votive tablet portraying St. Veronica is thought to have been done by an artist of the Umbrian school of the XV cent., possibly from Foligno.
Attributed to MAESTRO DI STAFFOLO are the detached frescoes, originally belonging to the church of St. Orsola and subsequently on display in Palazzo Baravelli in Fabriano. They represent the “Deposition from the Cross” and “Saints John of Capistrano, St. Bernardino of Siena and St. Sebastian”. A formal tie of this unknown artist with Gentile da Fabriano transpires in particular in the elegant “Enthroned Madonna and Child” (Madonna of Loreto). Also the fresco with Four Saints dated 1457 comes from Palazzo Baravelli and is an early work by ANTONIO DA FABRIANO.
