Madonna della Tosse
The Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse: a visit to discover a millenary history
Come and discover the history of the Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse, an 19th-century neo-gothic building located in the municipality of Castelfiorentino, in the province of Florence. Inside the Tabernacle were the frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, which decorated it since 1484. Today, the frescoes are exhibited in the BEGO-Museo Benozzo Gozzoli, a museum dedicated to the Renaissance painter, located in the historic center of Castelfiorentino.
The masonry structure
The masonry of the Tabernacle dates back to 1484, when the frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli were given, which decorated it. In 1576, during an apostolic visit, it was learned that the "Societas B.V.M. Annunciatae", which had its headquarters in the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Castelnuovo d'Elsa, carried out a procession every month that descended to the oratory of the Madonna della Tosse.
In 1853, the Tabernacle was incorporated into a neo-gothic chapel and transformed into an oratory to protect the frescoes from the weather. However, during the seventies of the twentieth century, it was necessary to detach the entire painted surface and preserve it in protected places. Later, the work was reassembled together with the other Gozzolian tabernacle of the municipal territory in the BEGO-Museo Benozzo Gozzoli in Castelfiorentino.
The frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli
The Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse was painted by Benozzo Gozzoli and his collaborators in 1484 on commission by Messer Grazia da Castelnuovo, prior of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Castelnuovo d'Elsa. The inscription on the front of the Tabernacle recalls its realization on December 24, 1484.
The frescoes have a very interesting iconographic plan: on the vault, the Evangelists with the Christ blessing have been portrayed, while on the back wall there is a fake altarpiece with the Madonna and Child and the saints Peter, Catherine of Alexandria, Margaret and Paul. Five angels support a drape behind the altarpiece, while in the foreground, resting on the predella, there is a small icon with the Holy Face.
On the right wall, there are the Funeral Rites of the Virgin, and the patron, Ser Grazia da Castelnuovo, is depicted in the foreground. On the left wall, an Assumption is depicted, interpreted as the Madonna throwing the girdle to St. Thomas.
The BEGO-Museo Benozzo Gozzoli
The BEGO-Museo Benozzo Gozzoli in Castelfiorentino is a museum that houses the collection of paintings by Benozzo Gozzoli. Famous for his works that are protagonists of Renaissance painting, the museum is considered a must-see for art lovers.
The museum is divided into two main sections: the collection of Benozzo Gozzoli's paintings and the collection of paintings by other artists linked to his surroundings. The collection of Benozzo Gozzoli is the most important part of the museum. Here you can find some of his most famous works, including the frescoes of the Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse, the Tabernacle of the Visitation and the Magi Chapel in the Medici-Riccardi Palaces in Florence.
The Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse: a treasure of Renaissance art
In conclusion, the Tabernacle of the Madonna della Tosse is a treasure of Renaissance art that deserves to be discovered. By visiting the museum, you can admire the beauty of Benozzo Gozzoli's frescoes and the other paintings from the Renaissance period. A visit to discover this millenary history will leave you a beautiful memory of Castelfiorentino and Tuscan art.
