Pinacoteca Comunale 

There are plans to exhibit some or all of the following in Palazzo Collicola (see Walk I) in due course.

Crucifixion (14th century)

This fresco of the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Evangelist was recorded in the 16th century, when it was already detached  and placed above the high altar of San Salvatore.  This altar was destroyed in the re-modeling of 1906, at which point the fresco was moved to right wall.  It was stolen in 1980 but recovered in 1983, after which it was restored and transferred to the Pinacoteca.

Sant’ Eutizio Polyptych (1472)

This polyptych by Nicolò di Ulisse da Siena came from the Abbazia di Sant’ Eutizio outside Norcia.  It was moved to Spoleto for security in 1883 after the theft of a precious reliquary from the abbey (see below).  It was restored in 1920 and again in 1983.   An inscription that was legible in the 16th century recorded the name of the artist and the date.

The central space, which is now empty, probably originally housed a statue (perhpas of the Madonna and Child or of St Eutychius).  The remaining figures depict:

• SS Placidus and Benedict on the left; and
  

• SS Spes and Florentius (with his bear) on the right
  

Madonna and Child with saints (1514-5)

This detached fresco, which is attributed to Giovanni di Pietro (Lo Spagna), of was removed from the chapel in the Rocca in 1799.  An inscription recording this move replaces the original predella. 

The arms in the lunette are those of Pietro di Nicolò Ridlofi, the husband of Contessina dei Medici, who was the daughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent.  The Medici Pope Leo X appointed Ridolfi as governor of Spoleto in the period 1514-6. 

The altarpiece depicts the Madonna and Child with SS Jerome (with his lion), Nicholas of Tolentino, Catherine of Alexandria and Brictius.

Three virtues (16th century)

These detached frescoes of Charity, Justice (in a lunette) and Clemency, which are attributed to Giovanni di Pietro (Lo Spagna), came from the Rocca.  In 1827, they were detached and re-used in the Palazzo Comunale in a monument that commemorated the election of the Spoletan Annibale Sermattei della Genga as Pope Leo XII (1823-9).

St Helena (16th century)

This altarpiece, which is attributed to Livio Agresti, was recorded in the Ospedale di San Matteo (see Walk III) in 1873.

Reliquary of St Eutychius (1544)

This gilded reliquary, which contained the hair shirt of St Eutychius, bears an inscription that records its commission by Abbot Giovanni Mensurati in 1544.

The reliquary was stolen from the Abbazia di Sant’ Eutizio outside Norcia in 1883.  It was subsequently recovered, minus the relic, and moved to Spoleto for security.

St Mary Magdalene (17th century) 

This altarpiece, which is attributed to the workshop of Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino, came from Santa Maria Maddalena (see Walk II).  It seems to have belonged to Alfonso Palettoni, who was Governor of Cento (Guercino's native city) in 1636-7 and to have been donated by his heirs to the Confraternita di Santa Maria Maddalena, which owned the church.  When the confraternity was suppressed in 1860, its members moved the precious altarpiece to the Duomo and hid it behind another in an attempt to avoid its confiscation.  Unfortunately, it was discovered and duly confiscated. 

Arrival of Pope Leo III (17th century)

Cardinal Fausto Poli gave this picture to the Commune in 1636, the year in which he became a citizen of Spoleto.  It depicts Pope Leo III arriving at Spoleto with Duke Winigis of Spoleto had saved him from his enemies in Rome in 799.  (Leo III continued to Paderborn, where he threw himself on the mercy of Charlemagne.  The latter gave him protection so that he could return to Rome and in return was duly crowned as Holy Roman Emperor).

The picture, which is by an unknown artist, contains an important cityscape of Spoleto.

Angel (17th century)

This gilded bronze figure, which is by a follower of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, probably came from the chapel in Palazzo Comunale.

Incredulity of St Thomas (1758)

This panel, which is signed by Etienne Parrocel, called il Romano and dated is of unknown provenance.

Return to Walk I.