Accession Number
1986/1.152

Title
Chiesa St. Maria Novella (Firenze)

Artist(s)
Giorgio Sommer; Edmondo Behles

Artist Nationality
Italian (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1857-1866

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

Dimensions
12 in x 9 1/2 in (30.48 cm x 24.13 cm);14 5/16 in x 19 5/16 in (36.35 cm x 49.05 cm);10 7/8 in x 13 15/16 in (27.62 cm x 35.4 cm);7 3/16 in x 9 1/2 in (18.26 cm x 24.13 cm);7 in x 9 1/2 in (17.78 cm x 24.13 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. W. Howard Bond

Subject matter
Set in the Tuscan city of Florence, this photograph depicts a view of the medieval church of Santa Maria Novella. The church’s façade is symmetrically adorned with geometric patterns made of dark and light marble blocks. Spread out before the church is Piazza Santa Maria Novella, a wide, open space circled by palazzos and apartment buildings. In the left side of the composition, a marble obelisk stands erected in the piazza, another identical one in the distance. Supporting the marble block of the obelisk are four bronze turtles, one in each corner, which are clearly seen in the photograph. Next to the obelisk stands a wooden cart harnessed to a donkey. The pointed shape of the obelisk mirrors the shape of the clock tower to the church’s left.  

Physical Description
This photograph depicts a view of a church, before the church is a wide open piazza with two obelisks standing in its center. Next to one of the obelisks is a donkey cart.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Florence
Italian Medieval styles
Tuscan (architectural style)
Tuscan (culture or style)
basilicas
buildings
carriage
carts
church towers
churches (buildings)
horses
modern and contemporary art
obelisks (monumental pillars)
piazzas (squares)
streets