Memorials

S. Croce 269 maestro Galileo Galilei

Situated In

Rosselli Number	269.0
Memorial Type
Status	extant
Current Repository	in situ
Primary Installation	floor
Secondary Installation	no additional components
Tomb Form	rectangular
Liturgical Orientation	W
Length	2.82
Width	1.18
Documented Types	lastrone chiusino
Component Parts	slab cover relief sculpture border Ornamental areas of distinct pattern, material, color, or shape around the edge or boundary of something. With regard specifically to tapestries, refers to the areas around the central field outside the inner guard and within the guard that edges the outer sides of the tapestry. For the narrow surfaces showing the 'thickness' or smallest dimension of thin, flat objects, as distinguished from the broad surfaces, see "edges (object components)."
Decorative Elements	effigy textile-derived motif
Material	Carrara marble type of marble quarried in the area around Carrara, Tuscany, Italy (Luna in antiquity), characterized by a fine, compact grain and varies in color from pure white to creamy white, sometimes with a bluish tinge; a favorite stone of sculptors from antiquity to the present, including Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475-1564) Getty ID: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300011576 bronze copper-tin alloy; refers to a broad range of alloys of copper, specifically any non-ferrous alloy of copper, tin, and zinc or other trace metals in varying proportions from 70 to 95 percent copper in surviving ancient artifacts. Because of the copper base, bronze may be very malleable and easy to work. By the Middle Ages in Europe, it was recognized that using the metals in certain proportions could yield specific properties. Some modern bronzes contain no tin at all, substituting other metals such as aluminum, manganese, and even zinc. Historically, the term was used interchangeably with "latten." U.S. standard bronze is composed of 90% copper, 7% tin and 3% zinc. Ancient bronze alloys sometimes contained up to 14% tin.
Database ID	13166

Dates

1464 to 1468 a
1596 b	renovation

Inscriptions (1 total)

2503

TEMPORIBVS • HIC • SVIS • PHYLOSOPYE • / ATQ3 • MEDICINE • CVLMEN • FVIT • ET MAGISTER / GALILEVS • DEGALILEIS • OLIM • BONAIVTIS • QV / ETIAM • SVMMO • INMAGISTRATV • MIRO • / QVODAM • MODO • REM • PVBLICAM DILEXIT / CVIVS • SANCTE • MEMORIE • BENE • ACTE • VITEPIE • BENEDICTVS • FILIVS • HVNC • TVMV / LVM • PATRI • SIBI • SVIS • q3 • POSTERIS • EDIDIT

In his time, this was the peak of philosophy and medicine, and master Galileo of the Galilei, formerly of the Bonaiuti, who, even in the highest magistracy, loved the state in a remarkable manner, whose venerable memory is a well-lived and dutiful life. His son Benedetto built this tomb for his father, for himself, and for his descendants.

Individuals (3 total)

Galilei, Benedetto di mag. Galileo di Giovanni di Tommaso di Bonaiuto	circa 1464 (date is approximate) to circa 1468 (date is approximate)
Galilei, Galileo (maestro) di Giovanni di Tommaso di Bonaiuto	circa 1464 (date is approximate) to present
Galilei, Antonio di Ruberto di Mariotto di Benedetto di Mag. Galileo	1596	c

Groups (1 total)

Galilei

Related Memorials (1 total)

S. Croce 274.1 Jacopo di Lionardo da Bisticci e discendenti

Sources (3 total)

R. Iacopino, Le lapidi terragne di Santa Croce, II, 1418-1488	pp. 376-79, no. 94
ASF, Manoscritti, 618, Sep. S. Croce 1596 (copy)	fol. 62v
ASF, Manoscritti, 624, Rosselli, Sepoltuario Fiorentino, 1657 (copy)	pp. 338, no. 269

Notes

[a] Rita Iacopino dates the tomb to the mid 1460s, after the death of maestro Galileo Galilei in 1460 but before the testament of Lionardo da Bisticci who requested burial near maestro Galileo.
[b] The sepoltuario of 1596 states that the Galileo tomb was made in this year by Antonio Galilei but may be referring only to the inscription or another portion of the tomb that no longer survives.
[c] Though it is not clear what his addition was, the 1596 sepoltuario indicates that Antonio Galilei had some work done on his great-grandfather's memorial in that year.