Orsanmichele and the History and Preservation of the Civic Monument

This far-ranging collection of essays - the first book-length scholarly exploration of Orsanmichele since 1996 - marks the conclusion of a decades-long campaign to restore the magnificent medieval church and its art, most notably Orsanmichele's celebrated niche sculptures. Originally commissioned by Florence's trade guilds acting in competition with one another, the sculptures represent work by some of the greatest artists of the day - including Donatello, Filippo Brunelleschi, Andrea Pisano, Nanni di Banco, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Andrea del Verrrocchio - and are among the finest examples of Renaissance art in the world. In twenty-two original essays by leading scholars working across disciplines, "Orsanmichele and the History and Preservation of the Civic Monument" makes important new information about the history and restoration of the church available for the first time, and examines the monument in its broadest context as a civic and religious centre from the Middle Ages to the present day, revealing the historic building's evolving role as repository of history and living institution.