A new evangeliary made for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Master goldsmith Paolo Penko has created the new evangeliary cover for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

The Evangeliary, which contains the text of the Gospels proclaimed on Sundays and on the solemnities of the liturgical year, is enriched by many images of works taken from the great art history of Florence and its territory.

The work, inspired by one of Beato Angelico’s frescoes decorating the Convent of San Marco in Florence, is made of wood and silver.

On the front there is an image of the “Transfiguration of Jesus Christ” made of silver using the ancient technique of lost-wax casting, chiselled and engraved with a burin, which rests on a tile decorated with a sunburst pattern made using the penkato technique.

 The bas-relief is framed by four silver pyramids (also worked with the penkato technique) resting on cypress wood with pure gold highlights.

On the back are the four evangelists inspired by those depicted by Donatello with a silver cross in the centre.