Mitoraj in the church of Sant’Agostino, Pietrasanta: a controversial case of contemporary art in ancient
buildings
The subject of this essay is the placement of a sculpture by Igor Mitoraj, a bronze lunette representing
the Annunciation, on the façade of the Gothic church of Sant’Agostino in Pietrasanta, Lucca. The report
of the intervention, carried out in 2013 against many criticisms and oppositions, thanks to the support
by the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage of Lucca, is an opportunity for a thorough examination
of the problem of inserting contemporary art in the context of historical architectural monuments. The text frames, first, the main methodological issues posed by the relationship between the old and
the new; secondly, it discusses some parallels with similar interventions, dealing with the addition of
modern sculpture works in ancient churches, such as the addition of new altars for liturgical adaptation
of presbyters, and the creation of new bronze portals in façades. Finally, the analysis of the specific case is
carried out, by applying to it the appropriate concepts of the theory of restoration.
