Botticelli's Altarpiece

The construction of the church was initiated by Simone di Guido, a friar and later prior of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria Novella. It became a priory in 1789 and has since been dedicated to the Evangelist, the patron of Montelupo. The current building is the result of modifications made by the architect Giuseppe Silvestri in 1796, which gave it the architectural lightness typical of the late 18th century. It was the parish priest Giuseppe Boschi who equipped it with the monumental marble high altar. Inside, the most notable work is the Madonna and Child with Saints Sebastian, Lawrence, John the Evangelist, and Roch, initially attributed to Ghirlandaio, now considered to be from Botticelli’s school. Particularly interesting are the two small altars located at the ends of the aisles, dedicated to the Holy Crucifix, from the Priory of San Lorenzo, and to Our Lady of the Rosary. Above the door leading to the northern rooms, there is a beautiful panel depicting the Visitation, attributed to Francesco Curradi.