Nanni di Banco and the Revival of Classicism: An Early Renaissance Procession to the Church of Orsanmichele.

So far in the Early Renaissance series, students have received on-site lectures in a variety of historically significant locations.  From the Palazzo Riccardi Medici to the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, each masterpiece we have observed played a pivotal role in determining the development of style in fifteenth century Florence.

But from where do concepts behind sculptural works, such as Michelangelo's 'David', emerge?  What source led Botticelli to choose a pagan subject like Aphrodite for his famous 'The Birth of Venus'?

Botticelli, Close-up of Venus from
'The Birth of Venus', 1484-1486.

Michelangelo, David, 1501-1504, marble.

Whilst these renowned works possess complex internal narratives of their own, on a physical and theoretical level they share a similar ideal - the classical.  For Michelangelo, it was the muscular anatomy of Grecian youth and for Botticelli, the ethereal imagery evoked by Greco-Roman mythology.  However, this revival of classicism, which is rooted in the artistry of Early Renaissance Florence, advocated more than aesthetic pleasure.  It referenced the prestigious civilisation of the Augustan era and acted as a national symbol of Florence's desired political status.

The facade of Orsanmichele from Via Calzaiouli.  The reason for the churches'
peculiar architecture is based upon its rich, complex history.  It was first
constructed on the site of an orchard belonging to a Benedictine convent in 1337,
initially functioning as a grain market and later as a grain storehouse for times of
famine/siege.  Owing largely to the religious observance of the Compagnia della
Madonna di Orsanmichele and the population decrease following the Black Death
(1348), between 1380 and 1404 the building became a fully-established church.

Turning to the facade of Orsanmichele, it is impossible to ignore the sense of civic pride embodied by the sculptures which occupy the churches' fourteen niches.  Each sculptural figure or group is framed by an elaborate Gothic tabernacle, boasting materials such as expensive bronze or imposing marble.  In many cases the sculptor simulates movement by drawing emphasis upon the creases of drapery and the bold gestures of individual figures.  It is here we are able to identify the progression of sculptural formalism from classical to naturalistic and the function of this style in constructing a public "Florentine" persona.

With this in mind, it is unsurprising that Orsanmichele was one of the first walking-tours on the Early Renaissance programme.  Students visited this unusual church with Frank Nero, looking in depth at Nanni di Banco's 'Quattro Santi Coronati' and Donatello's 'St George'.  Frank encouraged the group to re-enact a Renaissance-style procession, where students knelt before the 'Quattro Santi Coronati' viewing the sculpture from the perspective of a contemporary Florentine citizen.

A kneeling view of Nanni di Banco's Quattro Santi Coronati, 1408. This high-relief 
scene on the predella depicts members of the stone and woodworkers guild.

The ultimate revelation of this exercise was the integral relationship between the viewer and the sculpture.  The iconographic features of Nanni di Banco's 'Quattro Santi Coronati' rely significantly on the angle of the processors' gaze.  At different moments, students were able to identify discrete sculptural details hidden when observed from a frontal viewpoint.

Stage 1 of the procession: students begin

their journey towards the Quattro Santi Coronati!

Stage 2: Nanni di Banco's figures begin to 
emerge.  Our attention is drawn towards the

coat of arms on the predella and the
accompanying scene.

Stage 3: Students end their procession before Nanni di Banco's
sculpture.  What changes? 1) The interior vaulted dome of the
tabernacle comes into view.  2) Emphasis is drawn upon the
relationship between the three divided sections of the
tabernacle - the pediment depicting 'Christ Blessing', the
central 'Quattro Santi Coronati' and the predella frieze which
is accompanied by two stemma's representing the
commissioning guild.

Dedicated to the guild of stonemasons and carpenters, Nanni di Banco's sculpture illustrates the story of four Christian martyrs who refused to carve a stone idol of the pagan god Asclepius.  As a result they were all executed under the tyrannical orders of Emperor Diocletian.

Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, The Scourging of the
Four Crowned Matryrs, early fifteenth century.

On the outset, the heavily classical character of Nanni di Banco's sculpture barely acknowledges the Christian context of the scene.  Yet it is possible that the sculptor, in utilising ancient costume and posture, sought to re-adjust the look of Christianity to suit the contemporary vision of a new republican Florence.  The figure of 'Christ Blessing' positioned in the pediment surmounting the main scene further obscures the boundaries between religion and secularism.  It is the hierarchy formed through the symbolic division of pediment, niche and predella that heightens the stone and woodworkers craft to the realms of a divine occupation.

Scholars have claimed that the features of the
"oldest" bearded martyr and the "youngest"
(relatively) clean-shaven figure were based
upon portraits of Roman philosophers and
the iconography of ancient sarcophagi.

A detailed view taken from the right-side of Nanni di Banco's
predella.  Here we can identify a sculptor in the process of
creating a marble Christ child, which shares a close resemblance
to pagan putti figures.  Through this act the stonemasons craft is
deemed a holy practice, enacted in the dual service of God and
Florence.

The heavy, almost robust appearance of Nanni di Banco's sculpture does not necessarily appeal to the modern eye.  He does not present us with the chiselled physique of 'David' nor the ethereal grace of 'Venus', but what di Banco does demonstrates is the fundamental importance of classical art in initiating the style of early Florentine masters.

Donatello, St George, 1416.  This sculpture occupies the

niche adjacent to the Quattro Santi Coronati and was 

commissioned by the armourer's guild.

This close-up image of St Georges' predella draws emphasis upon Donatello's
use of atmospheric perspective to enhance the sense of movement within the
scene.  The sculptors' innovative use of relief not only demonstrates painterly
effects but also contrasts with Nanni di Banco's Byzantine-style predella.

The sculptures seen today in the tabernacles of Orsanmichele are in fact copies of the original works currently displayed in the churches' museum.  'Quattro Santi Coronati' and 'St George' are only two of the fourteen unique sculptures devoted to Orsanmichele, all of which demonstrate the talent and innovation of early Renaissance sculptors.

The museum of Orsanmichele is open from 10 to 5 pm from Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Monday.

- Ellie Porter HOA Intern