Restoration of Donatello’s Pulpit of the Resurrection in the Basilica of San Lorenzo
The Basilica of San Lorenzo, chosen as the family church by Cosimo de’ Medici, was enriched with priceless works in the course of the 16th century and also conserves Donatello’s last masterpiece. In the central nave are Two Pulpits in bronze attributed to the maestro: on the south side is the one decorated with panels showing scenes related to the Resurrection of Christ, on the north side that showing scenes from his Passion.
The “Pulpit of the Resurrection” is the last work of the Florentine sculptor, who was over seventy years old at the time of its execution. Theories tend to place the time of realisation of the design by Donatello between 1453 and 1466, the year of his death. Two of Donatello’s pupils, Bartolomeo Bellano and Bertoldo di Giovanni also collaborated in a marginal manner on the realisation of the work. It is believed that this was the first of the two pulpits to be completed, and it is slightly larger than its companion-piece: 292 cm wide and 123 cm high (excluding the columns).
