Museo Sistino Vescovile

Opened in March 2002, the museum is housed in the former century seminary and houses works of art from Montalto and its villages of Porchia and Patrignone. In addition to the rich vestments embroidered in gold thread belonging to the first bishops of the city (especially remembers the planet Francesco Saverio Castiglioni, elevated to the papal throne with the name of Pius VIII in 1829), in the charming display can be seen a painted cross of the thirteenth century, paintings, wooden sculptures, ornaments in silver and a remarkable collection of processional crosses from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, recently restored by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence. Significant of all the gifts bestowed by Sixtus V to his homeland, which imposes the so-called Reliquary of Montalto, an absolute masterpiece of French goldsmith’s art of the fourteenth century. On an elaborate silver foot, it stands a table where rafifgurati dead Christ supported by angels and other scenes of the Passion. It is a work polimaterica extraordinary and extremely precious, made of gold, silver gilt, enamel en ronde bosse, gemstones, pearls and cameo in sardonyx. The execution of the precious artefact to be reconnected perhaps the Parisian workshop of Jan du Vivier, which was entrusted by the Kings of France in the late fourteenth century. Hence came the papal treasures, after having stopped at important princely collections of the fifteenth century, like that of Frederick IV of Tyrol, Lionello d’Este in Ferrara and Pietro Barbo (later Paul II) in Rome. Cardinal Barbo did accompany the reliquary of the deck on the back and foot, both made by a Venetian goldsmith (1457-1464). In the hallowed halls of the City found the Pope Sixtus V, a native of Montalto, who wanted to give it to his home country a few months before it was raised to diocesan headquarters. Among the gifts you Sistine you can admire the majestic saved Sixtus V, including a large cope with the planet, stole, handpiece and the bag body, as well as two and a frontal tunicles with the papal coat of arms. Made in the mid-sixteenth century, the wallpaper is silk satin red with plots launched the golden thread, while the papal coat of arms was used the technique of the application according to a practice that is spreading across Europe from the sixteenth and the seventeenth century. The preciousness of the fabric is given by the elaborate technique of OR NUE, already known and used in the fourteenth century to the creation of vestments of great importance. This is a great use of gold thread, which is spread on the canvas backing designed; The gold is then veiled by silk threads polychrome of various shades, ensuring effective chiaroscuro effects. Both the cope the planet are also embellished with embroidery with grotesque figures and saints enclosed in oval frames.