Dive into the art of the Master of Borsigliana

While the Renaissance was taking shape in Florence, a painter from Talada, a small village in the Emilian Apennines, arrived in Alta Garfagnana, where he was destined to leave a lasting artistic legacy.
For a long time, he was known simply as the Master of Borsigliana, after the village where he worked between 1463 and 1499; only recent studies have identified him as Pietro da Talada.
His painting, still linked to the late-Gothic tradition, developed in the Garfagnana area, which was crossed by pilgrims, merchants, shepherds and wayfarers.
In these small villages, the communities and parishes commissioned him to create altarpieces and paintings to celebrate religious faith and enrich the local churches.

Following the Master’s trail means traveling through some of the most picturesque places in Garfagnana and the surrounding areas.

In Borsigliana, in the municipality of Piazza al Serchio, the Church of Santa Maria contains one of the master’s most famous works: the Triptych of the Madonna and Child with Saints Nicholas and Prospero, a masterpiece that made the artist famous.

In Capraia, in the municipality of Pieve Fosciana, the Church of Santa Maria contains the Madonna and Child learning to read with a syllabary, one of the Master’s most original works.

In Corfino, in the municipality of Villa Collemandina, at the entrance to the Orecchiella Park, inside the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Perpetuo Soccorso (Our Lady of Perpetual Help), you can admire the Polyptych of the Madonna and Child enthroned with Saint Lawrence and Saint John the Baptist.

In Rocca Soraggio, in the municipality of Sillano Giuncugnano, the Church of the Natività di Maria, perched on the highest point of the ancient fortified village and also known as the Hermitage of the Volto Santo (Holy Face), contains a precious tunic-clad crucifix dating back to the 13th-14th century.

In the past, it contained the Triptych with the Madonna enthroned with Child, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Dominic, which is now kept at the Guinigi Museum in Lucca.

In Vitoio, in the municipality of Camporgiano, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, not far from the Rocca Estense in Camporgiano, contains paintings depicting Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Peter, Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Mary of the Assumption.

Moving towards Versilia, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Stazzema contains the Virgin of the Assumption Presenting the Holy Girdle to Saint Thomas in the presence of the Apostles, another example of the Master’s work.

The Master of Borsigliana Passport is an itinerary dedicated to the most significant sites linked to the artist's work.
The route connects five villages - Rocca Soraggio, Borsigliana, Vitoio, Capraia and Corfino - and offers visitors an experience that combines art, spirituality and discovery of the area.

The Passport is available at participating churches and at the Garfagnana IAT (Tourist Information Office).
It contains all the information you need to plan your itinerary, including contact information for the volunteers who oversee the opening of the churches and with whom you can arrange visits.

At each stop, visitors will receive a stamp as proof of their visit.
Once you have completed the route and collected all five stamps, you can turn in your passport at the headquarters of the Unione Comuni Garfagnana, in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, where you will receive a certificate of participation and a book from the “Banca dell’Identità e della Memoria della Garfagnana” publishing series.

The initiative is the result of collaboration between the Unione Comuni Garfagnana (Garfagnana Union of Municipalities) and the Municipalities of Sillano Giuncugnano, Piazza al Serchio, Camporgiano, Pieve Fosciana and Villa Collemandina, together with the parishes, local associations and church caretakers.

For more information, visit the official website of the Garfagnana Valle del Serchio Tourism Area.