{"id":106118,"date":"2024-11-11T12:08:10","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T10:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultura.ilfilo.net\/the-parish-church-of-st-john-the-great\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T17:30:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:30:57","slug":"the-parish-church-of-st-john-the-great","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultura.ilfilo.net\/en\/the-parish-church-of-st-john-the-great\/","title":{"rendered":"The Parish Church of St. John the Great"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The millennial parish church of St. Giovanni Maggiore, which retains its remarkable bell tower and a splendid marble ambo from its original 12th-century structure, is significantly altered on the inside, where numerous works by the Chini family can be admired. As early as 1843, Pietro Alessio Chini painted the ceiling of the central nave, depicting the Baptism of Christ, framed by a beautiful motif with artificial perspective consoles, a refined vegetable festoon, and other grotesque, plant-like decorations. The decoration of the money-bag (the apsidal basin) and possibly the chapel at the head of the left nave are also attributed to Pietro Alessio. These works were commissioned by the then parish priest, Alessandro Magnani, and represent one of Pietro Alessio\u2019s most significant contributions, showcasing his position within the academic milieu of mid-19th-century Florence, while also revealing his creative and imaginative decorative talent.
\nThe ceiling of the church is also adorned with artificial coffers featuring rosettes, created by Dino Chini. Subsequently, during another restoration in 1912, led by the engineer Niccol\u00f2 Niccolai and Galileo Chini, and executed by Dino Chini, the church’s walls were covered with tiles designed to mimic a marble cladding. In addition to this, Dino Chini also retouched some of the existing artworks, including the Baptism of Christ, as well as painting the aforementioned monochromatic artificial coffers on the ceiling of the central nave. He also worked on the architectural facades, in a Renaissance style, and on the geometric decorations of the two side altars, as well as the geometric designs beneath the arch of the baptismal font chapel.<\/p>