Pistoia - Sant'Andrea

Sant'Andrea, believed to have been Pistoia´s ancient cathedral, is thought to date back to the period of Lombard domination. The present day church dates to the mid 12th century.

Inside Sant'Andrea is this masterpiece of Giovanni Pisani, who created this great marble pulpit created 1298 - 1301.

It is sometimes compared to the pulpits sculpted by Giovanni's father Nicola in the Baptistery of Pisa and the Duomo of Siena, which Giovanni had assisted with. The Pisanis´ works are often described as "proto-Renaissance".

There is an inscription here, telling that the work was commissioned by Arnoldus and supervised by Andrea Vitelli and Tino di Vitale. It continues ".. Giovanni carved it (...), the son of Nicola, and blessed with higher skill.."

The pulpit has a hexagonal plan with seven columns (one in the middle) and five parapets (see previous upload).

Depicted on one of the parapets is a very crowded, dramatic scene:

The "Massacre of the Innocents".

Matthew 2:16

"When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."