Museo della Cattedrale
The museum is reached from the right aisle of San Rufino.
Works from San Rufino
Head of the Virgin
This fresco fragment (early 12th century) came from the crypt of the earlier church.
Frescoes from the Cappella della Madonna del Pianto
These frescoes (late 13th century) by the Maestro di Santa Chiara were painted on the walls of the left apsidal chapel of San Rufino soon after its construction. The chapel was walled up as part of Alessi's restructuring, and the frescoes were then forgotten until 1894, when work began on the construction of the Cappella della Madonna del Pianto.
The recognisable scenes depict:
the Crucifixion;
the Visitation; and
the Nativity and the adoration of the shepherds.
Two other fragments depict:
the grieving face of the Madonna; and
a right hand raised in blessing.
This fresco (early 14th century) , which is tentatively attributed to the Maestro Espressionista di Santa Chiara, in the monofore window in what was the exterior wall of the church. This wall is now on the left of the corridor the that leads to the museum .
San Rufino Polyptych [Courtesy of Assisi Accessibile]
Giovanna, the widow of Francesco Acceptanti left money in her will for this polyptych (ca. 1462) by Nicolò di Liberatore (l' Alunno). It was originally on the high altar of San Rufino: Giorgio Vasari saw it there in 1563, shortly before the precarious state of San Rufino necessitated its removal.
The inscription on the base of the throne contains a signature and
date, although part of the latter was lost when the work was
dismembered in 1864. The panels were reassembled in a new frame ten years later.
The main panels depict:
the Madonna and Child with angels and virgin saints;
St John the Evangelist and a bishop (on the left); and
two deacon saints.
The
upper panels depict:
St Michael (in the pinnacle);
God the Father; and
figures of the Annunciation (to the sides).
The predella panels
depict:
the burning of St Rufinus;
the discovery of his body in the River Chiascio; and
the translation of the relics to Assisi. In this last panel, an ox-drawn cart carries the uncorrupted body of the saint, with a fine cityscape of Assisi in the background.
St Lawrence and Flagellants
The Confraternita di San Lorenzo probably commissioned this predella panel (dated 1563) from Dono Doni.
It belonged to the altarpiece of the Crucifixion on their altar in the
right aisle. The predella was removed in 1848, when the main panel was
moved to the Altare di San Rufinuccio in the presbytery.
The Confraternita di San Gregorio probably commissioned this predella panel (dated 1563) from Dono Doni. It belonged to the altarpiece of the Deposition on their altar at the head of the left aisle. The predella was removed in 1848, when the altar was destroyed and when the main panel was moved to the Altare di San Vitale in the presbytery.
Miracle of St Vitalis
The canons of San Rufino commissioned this panel (17th century) from Cesare Sermei. It depicts St Vitalis curing a young man who has lost the power of speech, for the Altare di San Vitale. It was moved to the nave in 1848 to make way for the altarpiece of the Deposition by Dono Doni (above).
Madonna and Child with St Francis
Bishop Tegrimio Tegrimi commissioned this panel (1636) from Cesare Sermei
for the Altare di San Francesco in the presbytery. It was removed in
1848 when this altar was demolished, and is in the corridor that leads
to the Museum.
SS Jerome and Rufino d' Arce
Canon Girolamo Evangelisti commissioned the panel (ca. 1637) from Cesare Sermei for the Altare di San Rufinuccio. It was moved in 1848 to make way for the altarpiece of the Crucifixion by Dono Doni (above) .
Frescoes from the Oratorio della Confraternita di San Rufinuccio
These frescoes were detached from the oratory (see Walk III) in 1955.
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| [Photo courtesy of the Commissione Beni Culturali, Diocese of Assisi] |
These frescoes (ca. 1334) are attributed to Puccio Capanna came from a lunette in the Oratorio della Confraternita di San Rufinuccio.
The central fresco depicts the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Evangelist to the sides and SS Mary Magdalene and Francis at the foot of the Cross.
The other two scenes depict: the Flagellation of Christ; and the Lamentation.
Frescoes (mid 14th century)These two frescoes (mid 14th century) are attributed to Pace di Bartolo:
The better preserved depicts the Madonna and Child flanked by two angels, each of which commends a donor.
The other, which depicts the head of Christ and that of an angel, was probably part of a representation of the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane
Gonfalon from the Oratorio della Confraternita di San Francesco
This double-sided processional banner (1378) from the Oratorio della Confraternita di San Francesco is the oldest of its kind preserved in Umbria. It is the autograph work of the unknown Maestro del Gonfalone di San Leonardo (so-called because the confraternity met in the now-demolished church of San Leonardo near Porta San Giacomo at the time that they commissioned the banner).
The main side depicts St Francis enthroned with angels and members of the confraternity.
The other side depicts:
the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Evangelist, with SS Mary Magdalene and Francis at the foot of the Cross (above); and
the stigmatisation of St Francis (below). St Leonard witnesses the stigmatisation and holds the chains that signify his role as the patron saint of prisoners.
Frescoes from the Casa Canonica
Three fresco fragments (ca. 1470) by Matteo da Gualdo from the Casa Canonica depict:
the Madonna and Child;
St Antony Abbot; and
St Francis.
Altarpiece from San Nicolò di Piazza
This panel (ca. 1640) by Cesare Sermei, which depicts depicts St Nicholas of Bari, was originally on the high altar of San Nicolò di Piazza.
Panel from the Palazzo Vescovile
This panel (17th century) by Giacomo Giorgetti from the Palazzo Vescovile (see Walk II), which depicts St John's Apparition of the Virgin on Patmos, is in the corridor that leads to the Museum.
Triptych from Castello di Palazzo
A triptych (ca. 1475) by Matteo da Gualdo from the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the Castello di Palazzo (outside Assisi) depicts the Madonna and Child with musical angels and SS Francis and Sebastian. Read more:
T. Morettoni, "Il Museo della Cattedrale"
in F. Santucci (Ed.), "La cattedrale di San Rufino in Assisi", Assisi (1999)
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