The teaser relents

The building where you would see the della Robbia ceramic shown in the previous post is the Orsanmichele, found on the Via dei Calzaiuoli, which today serves as a church and museum. In its early days (8th century), an oratory existed on the site. This was replaced in the late 1200s by a loggia for the sale of grain. Over time, the loggia was closed in, and two upper storeys were added to be used for the storage of grain. The edifice served a double purpose: worship and commerce.

I was particularly attracted by the works of della Robbia which you can see on the exterior walls of the Orsanmichele.

In niches around the circumference of the Orsanmichele, you will see tabernacles assigned to the various guilds of the time (1400s), such as the Bankers, Physicians and Apothecaries, Butchers, Stonemasons and Woodworkers and so on.

This represents the guild of Stonemasons and Woodworkers.The statues you will see are copies, most of the originals are on display in the museum, which is open on Mondays.

And, as an enticement for you to go and explore the exterior, then the interior of this church/museum, here are a few random images.

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If you want to find out a little bit more, spend a few minutes watching this video.

http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/orsanmichele.html