Altar of the Crowned Martyr Saints

XVI and XIX centuries

The depicted Martyrs are the protectors of sculptors and marble craftsmen. The original altar goes back to the XVI century; the high relief of the altarpiece, that represents the Saints in their martyrdom, is the work of the Carrarese Pietro Lazzerini (1869).

It is more commonly known as the altar of the “Four Crowned Martyr Saints”. In reality, there are five martyrs pictured in the sculpture: in fact, it is said that the four marble craftsmen, that refused to sculpt statues of pagan gods, were joined by a fifth one, and more precisely a “praetorian”, who did not want to participate at the execution, and therefore had to undergo the same tortures and death.

At the sides of the altar, there are high reliefs from the XVI century: St Mary Magdalen (on the left) and St Lucy (on the right).