Maso di Banco, St. Sylvester Warns the Dragon and Revives Two Wizards Slain by the Monster's Pestilential Breath, scene from the Stories of the Lives of St. Sylvester and Constantine, 1332–5 or 1336–8. Basilica of Santa Croce, north transept, Bardi di Mangona Chapel

Animals and Fantastic Creatures in Santa Croce

19th January and 3rd February 2024

Behind the image: animals as symbols

What do animals represent in works of art? Over the centuries, through a veritable anthology of iconographical attributes, creatures of all shapes and sizes have acquired a symbolic and aesthetic value in those works, ranging from heraldry and images of saints to more fantastic apparitions such as centaurs, sphynxes and unicorns. A recurring figure is that of the serpent, a mysterious animal that boasts a broad variety of meanings from the diabolical and the apotropaic to, believe it or not, that of a good luck charm. 

How to participate

The visit is free and can be booked online on our website together with the entrance ticket, which is free for residents of the Municipality of Florence. Reservation is mandatory and will be available soon.