San Gimignano - Sant'Agostino
A little way north of the Porta San Matteo, at the northern tip of the old town of San Gimignano within the walls, stands the Church of Sant'Agostino, an aisleless brick church built by Augustinian Canons between 1280 and 1298 in the plain Gothic style of the Mendicant Orders. Immediately on the right of the entrance is the Cappella di San Bártolo, with a sumptuous marble altar by Benedetto da Maiano (1494) containing the remains of San Bártolo. On the high altar is an altar-piece depicting the Coronation of the Virgin by Piero Pollaiuolo (1483).
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Frescoes
The most notable feature of the Church of Sant'Agostino is a splendid cycle of frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli (1464-65) in the choir. Beautifully painted in a lively narrative style, they depict in 19 scenes the life of St Augustine (354-430), one of the great Latin Fathers of the Church.
In the lowest row are Augustine as a boy in Tagaste (North Africa); Augustine as a youth in Carthage; his mother St Monica praying for her son; Augustine sailing to Italy; his landing; Augustine teaching in Rome; his departure for Milan.
Middle row: his audience with Bishop Ambrose of Milan and with the Emperor Theodosius; St Monica begging for the conversion of her son; disputation between Augustine and St Ambrose; Augustine reading Paul's Epistle to the Romans (13, 13) on his conversion; Augustine baptized by St Ambrose; Augustine and the Christ Child by the sea; Augustine explaining his Rule; death of St Monica. Top row: Augustine as Bishop of Hippo; conversion of a heretic; vision of St Jerome; death of Augustine. There are other frescoes in the nave: "St Sebastian Clothed", by Benozzo Gozzoli (1524); "Madonna Enthroned", by Lippo Memmi (1330); "San Bártolo giving a Blessing", by Sebastiano Mainardi (1487); "Life of the Virgin", by Bártolo di Fredi (c. 1400). On the south side of the church, entered from the sacristy, is a 15th century cloister and the chapter-house.
In the lowest row are Augustine as a boy in Tagaste (North Africa); Augustine as a youth in Carthage; his mother St Monica praying for her son; Augustine sailing to Italy; his landing; Augustine teaching in Rome; his departure for Milan.
Middle row: his audience with Bishop Ambrose of Milan and with the Emperor Theodosius; St Monica begging for the conversion of her son; disputation between Augustine and St Ambrose; Augustine reading Paul's Epistle to the Romans (13, 13) on his conversion; Augustine baptized by St Ambrose; Augustine and the Christ Child by the sea; Augustine explaining his Rule; death of St Monica. Top row: Augustine as Bishop of Hippo; conversion of a heretic; vision of St Jerome; death of Augustine. There are other frescoes in the nave: "St Sebastian Clothed", by Benozzo Gozzoli (1524); "Madonna Enthroned", by Lippo Memmi (1330); "San Bártolo giving a Blessing", by Sebastiano Mainardi (1487); "Life of the Virgin", by Bártolo di Fredi (c. 1400). On the south side of the church, entered from the sacristy, is a 15th century cloister and the chapter-house.
