The Sistema Museale Castiglionese and its regional preservation of histories

The theme of this week lies in territorial identity. We are interested in how artefacts and artworks of different centuries testify the (hi)stories that have passed through the same territory and the cultures of past times.

Today we invite you to an impressively rich regional museum in Tuscany: the Sistema Museale of Castiglion Fiorentino, where I had the chance to work over the summer. The museum has put up a “virtual tour” in English covering its five sections, along with specific documents, which are free to access for those interested in reading further research: https://www.museicastiglionfiorentino.it/en/

You will start with the Pinacoteca, housing sacred art from local churches. In the goldsmithing stands the Bust of Saint Orsola, a splendid fourteenth-century reliquary portraying the legendary martyr, made of painted silver and adorned with enamels, glass pastes and pearls.

According to the Golden Legend of Jacopo da Varagine, Orsola, Catholic daughter of the King of Brittany, got a marriage offer from Eureus, a prince indeed, but pagan. She agreed on the condition of meeting the Pope firsty to convert Ereus, and so the couple was brought to Rome by boat with 11 000 virgins.

On the night before the union, she dreamed of her martyrdom, and, on the way back home, while crossing Cologne, the group was exterminated by the Huns. She, however, was exempted because of her beauty that astonished Attila. Orsola could choose whether to marry the pagan Attila or die killed by arrows, and sadly enough, she decided to defend her religious beliefs.

The legend of Sant’Orsola had an extraordinary popularity in the Middle Ages. In the iconography, she is represented in various moments of her life, including the encounter with the Cyriac pope, the dream, the journey, and the martyrdom. Her attributes are the palm of martyrdom, the arrow that killed her, a white flag with a red cross – a sign of victory over death through martyrdom – and the boat that lead her to Rome.

We hope that this brief introduction of Orsola has warmed you up enough to also check out Bartolomeo della Gatta, the emblematic artist of Florentine realism! You can also visit the interiors of the fourteenth-century medieval tower Cassero with the Etruscan archaeological site next to it, and, last but not least, the library with 17th century manuscripts along with the Napoleonic prison cells and coins await you!

Just connect to the site to immerse yourself. Here is the link, enjoy your visit! https://www.museicastiglionfiorentino.it/en/

Published by Luna Silvestri

She/Her. Luna is an Art History student at the University of Glasgow. She is interested in the promotion of cultural awareness through education, and wants to learn more on the legality of restitution of cultural goods.