Altare di Santa Maria della Pace -Trittico con Madonna della Cintola e Santi

Arte dell'Italia Centrale

MSA 256

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 195; Larghezza: 238; Profondità: 16

marmo scolpito e dipinto

Framed in an elaborate structure reminiscent of the wooden frames of polyptychs of the time, this composition, in purely Lombard style, is characterised by having almost entirely preserved its original colouring. In particular, note how the central Madonna, dressed in blue, is surrounded by angels dressed in the colours of the theological virtues: red for faith, green for hope, white for charity. The figures are inspired by northern Gothic, while the decoration, with its elegant carved woodwork, shows inspiration from painted polyptychs.

Psicostasia dell'Arcangelo Michele

ambito pistoiese

Manfredino da Pistoia

MSA 3641

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 272; Larghezza: 138

Affresco staccato su resina di vetro

The fresco depicts psychostasy, or the weighing of the soul by the fighting St Michael. Part of the demon's wings can be seen on the left, possibly depicted in the form of a dragon (St. Michael the Archangel draconus). The work is signed and dated 1292 and decorated the apse of the demolished church of San Michele di Fassolo. Manfredino brought the novelty of painting as it was evolving in Assisi, from where the painter probably moved to Genoa, staying there at least until 1305.

Convito in Betania

Manfredino da Pistoia

MSA 3640

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 226; Larghezza: 205

Affresco staccato su resina di vetro

The fresco comes from a side wall of the choir of the Church of San Michele di Fassolo, demolished in 1858; the detachment was executed in 1849 by the painter Tammar Luxoro. Manfredino brought the novelty of painting in the way it was evolving in Assisi, from where the painter probably moved directly to Genoa, living there for at least until 1305. The fresco depicts Jesus at Simon's supper, as he is seated with other guests (and an apostle); below, Mary Magdalene washes and anoints Christ's feet. A city with large buildings forms the backdrop to the scene.

Sepoltura di anziano dalla Caverna della Pollera

sepoltura

"Skull of Ursus Spelaeus, Ros." dalla Caverna delle Fate

ambito pleistocenico

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 16,5; Larghezza: 25; Lunghezza: 39

ossa

This skull was found in the Caverna delle Fate (SV) together with other bone remains documenting the presence of cave bears in numerous prehistoric caves in Liguria. Larger than today's grizzlies and predominantly herbivorous, it was widespread in Europe in the Upper Pleistocene. On its hind legs it could reach up to 3.5 metres in height and had long teeth and sharp claws. These animals took refuge in caves during the winter and some individuals could die or be hunted by Neanderthals: hunting cave bears could procure a large amount of meat, but also fur, tendons and fat. In Toirano (SV), in the Caverna della Bàsura, cave bears lived between 50,000 and 24,000 years ago and an excavation inside the cave uncovered a level where traces of fossilised fur were found. A large specimen reassembled from the bones of different individuals from the Caverna del Pastore (Toirano, SV) can also be admired in the museum. skull of "Ursus Spaeleus" (order: carnivores; family: ursidae), somewhat chipped and covered with clay incrustations. It preserves 'in situ' all the teeth except the incisors. Found in the Caverna delle Fate (Finalborgo).

bucket

sec. XIX fine

3475

sgottare l'acqua dai bacini chiusi fissato per mezzo della catena ad una gru a bilanciere girevole detta 'cicogna' quando il bacino è stato delimitato da palificate

DESO: iron bucket with pivoted reinforcement and chain DESI: subject absent DESS: subject absent Before the invention of dredgers - vessels used to excavate the seabed of a harbor - operations were carried out manually.

Galea genovese

Arsenale della Repubblica di Genova e Museo Civico - Provenienza

ambito italiano

3382

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 150; Larghezza: 220; Lunghezza: 38

legno

The galea was a type of vessel used by European fleets until the early 19th century, although its ‘golden age’ coincided with the 16th-17th centuries. Its strong points - whose conception dates back to the ancient Greco-Roman triremes - did not change over the centuries: the possibility of sailing and rowing, its manoeuvrability, its shallow draught (that is, the submerged part of the hull), and its function as both merchant and military vessel: in fact, it could embark a few dozen ‘naval soldiers’, armed at one time with bows and arrows, then with crossbows, and finally with arquebuses and muskets; artillery pieces could be few and light, a shortcoming that eventually made the galley lose its centuries-old confrontation with the great vessels.

Lastra commemorativa della presa di Porto Pisano

ambito genovese

MSA 18

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 39; Profondità: 12; Lunghezza: 81,5

marmo bianco apuano scolpito e inciso

Originally this stone, the product of a Genoese sculptor, was placed on the façade of a private house in Vico dritto di Ponticello, which went to Porta di S. Andrea, today Porta Soprana, the main entrance to the city from the east. The stone celebrates the victory of the Genoese who, after defeating the Pisans in the naval battle of Meloria (1284), had inflicted a stringent peace agreement on them, which was largely broken. This led to a naval expedition in 1290, aimed at forcing the rival city to respect the pacts: having broken the chains protecting the port, the Genoese devastated it. The chains of the harbour were displayed as a trophy in Genoa in some of the city's important buildings.

Personaggio eminente

ambito campionese

MSA 3663

marmo bianco apuano scolpito

The sculpture was created by the workshop of the 'Maestro di Giano', a collective name for a community of Lombard sculptors who were particularly active in Genoa until the 1220s: having initially taken charge of the decoration of the parts of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo damaged in the fire of 1296, they assumed a predominant role in the city.

Lapide sepolcrale di Simonetta e Percivalle Lercari

ambito genovese

MSA 3610

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 22,8; Larghezza: 27,3; Profondità: 4,7

marmo bianco apuano dipinto a tempera

Gravestone of the brothers Simonetta and Percivalle Lercari, buried on 16 August 1259, from the cemetery of the church and hospice of San Giovanni di Prè. The work, a mixture of sculpture, painting and goldsmithing, refers to the artistic culture in vogue at the time in the Île de France: represented in the form of an illuminated page at the centre of which is a silver plaque in the form of a church front in which the two deceased brothers are kneeling before the Madonna and Child.