Stefano Rosselli suggests that a Franciscan convent dedicated to St. Clare existed on this site from 1262, which was taken over by a group of Augustinian nuns in 1356, at which time, according to Giovanni Fanelli, a hospital was founded. The presence of Biliotti arms in several places in Rosselli's day led him to recognize the family as patrons of the refurbished convent and hospital that had been renamed in honor of St. John the Baptist by 1367.
Better understood, thanks to the research of Sharon Strocchia, is that a new convent dedicated to St. Clare was established after Biliotti descendants ceded the site to Maria di Maso degli Albizzi, who began a renovation campaign after taking possession on May 30th, 1452. The community of Poor Clares would grow quickly, and it consistently had over 100 nuns in residence from 1515 through at least the ducal census of 1632. The building was significantly changed after its suppression and became a private building with a variety of uses. The high altar chapel, as thoroughly explicated by Meghan Callahan and Donal Cooper, was sold to curator John Charles Robinson who installed it in what is now the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1861.
| Affiliations (2 total) |
|
|---|---|
| Database ID | 117 |
Maybe 1262 (date is uncertain) |
foundation |
circa 1356 (date is approximate) to circa 1366 (date is approximate) |
renovation |
May 30th, 1452 to circa 1499 (date is approximate) |
renovation |
1808 |
| monache agostiniane di S. Chiara | 1356 to May 30th, 1452 |
|
| Poor Clares of S. Chiara Novella | 1452 to 1808 |
