Key to Umbria: Bevagna
 

[The Augustinians were established at Bevagna in 1251.]

The Augustinians built this church and the adjacent convent in a part of the medieval city that was outside the Roman walls.  They demolished the nearby church of San Pietro, which had given its name to the southwest quarter of the city, at some time after 1463.

Exterior

Madonna and Child with Saints (15th century)

This fresco in the aedicule above the portal is attributed to Giovanni di Bindo or Giovanni di Corraduccio.  It depicts the Madonna and Child enthroned with two saints to each side: the Madonna holds a rose and the baby Jesus holds a goldfinch.




Interior

The interior of Sant’ Agostino is in the form of a single nave with a wooden ceiling and a vaulted rectangular apse.  It was re-modeled in the Baroque style in the 17th century, but returned to its original form in 1945.  The walls was plastered and painted white during that restoration, but a number of interesting frescoes were discovered under this plaster in 1982.


The church was closed during my recent visits (April 2010 and June 2017).  This poster outside the church illustrates some of the frescoes.

Lamb of God (14th century)

This relief is [on the counter-façade??]

Madonna and Child enthroned (15th century)

This fresco by a Sienese artist is on the façade.

Frescoes in the apse (15th century)

The frescoes on the back wall depict:

  1. the Madonna and Child with St Nicholas of Tolentino;

  2. the Maestà with St Catherine of Alexandria;

  3. the Annunciation (attributed to Giovanni di Corraduccio, called Mazzaforte);

  4. SS Roch, Mary of Egypt and Francis; and

  5. St Augustine enthroned with Augustinian saints.  Those on the left depict: St Michael, Christ and St Agatha.

Frescoes (15th century)

These frescoes depict:

  1. the Risen Christ and St Leonard (on the right wall);

  2. the Virgin Annunciate, the Madonna and Child, and St Christopher (on the left wall); and

  3. St Leonard, the Maestà, and Augustinian saints in tondi (on the counter-façade).

Frescoes (16th century)

These frescoes in niches along the right wall depict:

  1. the Maestà and God the Father with SS Andrew and Nicholas of Tolentino, which is attributed to Bernardino Mezzastris;

  2. the mystic marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria with SS Ansanus and Leonard;

  3. the martyrdom of an unknown saint (dated by inscription, 1555);

  4. the Madonna della Rondinella (of the swallow) with SS Antony of Padua, Agatha, Apollonia and John the Baptist; and

  5. the Nativity.

Frescoes (16th century)

These frescoes in the niche on the left wall depict:

  1. the Madonna del Soccorso;

  2. the Pietà with angels,; and

  3. SS Francis and Antony Abbot.

Frescoes [date??]

[Another set of frescoes in the squinches of a closed portal on the left depict the Madonna and SS Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Alexandria, [unknown] and Antony of Padua.]

Madonna of the Girdle (17th century)

This altarpiece, which is attributed to Marcantonio Grecchi, was removed from an altar in the church in 1945: it is now in the sacristy, which is reached from a door on the right of the presbytery.   It depicts the Madonna and Child, seated on clouds, with SS Augustine and Monica,  and includes portraits of the donor and his family.


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Sant' Agostino (1316)


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