In questa luce. La Collezione Oreste Poli

edited by Giovanni Matteo Guidetti and Matilde Sophia Poli

“In questa Luce” (In this Light) was conceived with the aim of sharing with the public a private collection that gradually took shape through a process of discovery closely intertwined with the life, vision, and artistic sensibility of the architect Oreste Poli. It is the result of a long journey of observation, study, and quiet engagement with the spiritual dimension of the image.

The exhibition presents the greater part of the Oreste Poli Collection, donated by Impresa Poli S.r.l. to the Basilica of San Lorenzo, together with a number of works intended for the Church of Santi Apostoli and the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Settignano. Together, these works trace a journey in which sacred art, memory, architecture, and devotion are once again combined into a single contemplative vision.

The exhibition unfolds as an inward journey through the life of Christ, guided by a selection of works spanning three centuries of religious art, from the 15th to the 18th century. Predominantly Italian in origin, these works bring together diverse artistic languages, regional schools, and sensibilities, united by a shared spiritual aspiration.

This collection is presented with the aim of returning these images to a space where their presence and significance can be perpetuated. Viewed in this light, the Basilica of San Lorenzo offers a particularly fitting setting for the exhibition, enabling the works to re-establish a meaningful dialogue with the devotional and artistic traditions that originally shaped them.