Schede
The Maria Badini monument is situated in the Loggia of Tombs in an open space on a courtyard; it exploits changes in light, unlike other monuments with a similar iconographic structure placed within a closed arch, such as the Sampieri tomb by Giovanni Putti in the Third Cloister. The iconography of sculptor Alessandro Franceschi celebrates Maria Badini and is based on the continuity of affection between the deceased and the surviving loved ones. It is an image of intense emotion, which while being clothed in a classical robe, offers us an everlasting tribute to gentle, sweet Maria. The tomb is formed of a base supporting a sarcophagus resting on leonine paws. Coming from the left are her husband Pio Sarti and son Raffaello, still a child. With superb plastic treatment, the sculptor emphasises the strong contrast between the man’s virile strength and the fragility of the unaware child, who is being accompanied to lay a wreath of flowers. The marble plaque on the right of the base shows the following epigraph:
MARIAE . IOSEPHI . F . BADINIAE / CONIVGI . MEAE . DVLCISSIMAE . VNANIMAE / QVAM . INGENIO . MITISSIMAM / ATQ . AMORE . IN . MARIT . SVOSQ . OMNES . PRAESTANTEM / RELIGIO . INTEGRA . ET . INGENVVS . PVDOR / CONFORMAVERE / HEV . FLORENTIS . AETATIS . A . XXIIII . CONNVBII . PRIMO / AB . INNOCVO . PARTV . DIE . OCTOGESIMO / BREVIS . MORBI . VIS . ABRIPVIT / V . KAL . APR . A . M . DCCC . XXV . / PIVS . SARTIVS . DOCT . IVR . / FECI . MEO . ET . RAPHAELIS . FILIOLI . INFANTIS . NOMINE / QVOCVM . GRANDIVSCVLO . MONVMENTVM . MATRIS . INVISENS / LACRIMIS . ITERVM . PERFVNDAM