The Reinstallation of Medieval and Early-Renaissance Art Objects in Florentine Church Renovations during the Counter-Reformation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25770047
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: Keisen University
• Principal Investigator: Ito Takuma 恵泉女学園大学, 人文学部, 准教授 (80610823)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: イタリア・ルネサンス / フィレンツェ美術 / 対抗宗教改革 / ジョルジョ・ヴァザーリ / ドメニコ・ギルランダイオ / 聖堂改修 / サンタ・マリア・ノヴェッラ聖堂 / サンタ・クローチェ聖堂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The interior spaces of many churches in Florence were renovated during a period starting in the 1560’s. The most representative and well-known of these renovations were those carried out by Giorgio Vasari at Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. A principle aim guiding this undertaking was to provide a unified and coherent appearance in the interior of the church, involving the removal of a large part of existing decoration that had come to be considered out of fashion and disorderly. Nevertheless, despite extensive renovation, some of the art objects from the Medieval and Early-Renaissance time were preserved and even incorporated into the post-renovation displays in these churches. This research identifies various factors which led to the appraisal of these art objects, and highlights the importance of an emerging historiography of art during this period, as represented by Vasari’s own Lives of the Artists.

Free Research Field

美術史学