St. Ursula, St. Lawrence, the Madonna & child, St. Jerome - Springfield, MA
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Metro2
N 42° 06.218 W 072° 35.102
18T E 699683 N 4664104
This replica of the Trenta altar (in Lucca, Italy) is located in the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield, MA.
Waymark Code: WMJR2B
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 12/21/2013
Views: 2
A sign which accompanies this work at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts informs us that this is a plaster cast replica of the 1416 marble altar in the Trenta Chapel of the Basilica of San Frediano in Lucca Italy. The original artist is Jacopo della Quercia. The sign tells us that the figures left to right are: St. Ursula, St. Lawrence, the Madonna & child, St. Jerome and English King Richard.
The Wikipedia page for the Basilica (
visit link) does not have a photo of the altar, but does inform us that King Richard is buried below the altar. The King had died here in Lucca in 722.
Not much is known about St. Ursula ...even if she truly existed..but legend has it that she and 11,000 virgins were beheaded and martyred by the Huns. (
visit link)
St. Lawrence was martyred under Roman Emperor Valerian in 258. (
visit link)
St. Jerome is best known for having translated the Bible into Latin. (
visit link)