Niccolò "Nicola" Matas (6 December 1798 – 11 March 1872) was a Jewish Italian architect and professor. He is best known for being the architect of the 19th century Gothic Revival façade of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy. Matas was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence (). He is one of the important architects in the history of the city of Florence.
Biography
Early life Niccolò "Nicola" Matas was born on 6 December 1798, in Ancona, in Marche, Papal States (now present-day Italy). His family was of SpanishJewish origin. That is why He was buried out of santa croch Christian Catholic church. He studied at Academy of Fine Arts, Rome (); followed by study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Venice () and the Academy of Fine Arts, Vicenza ().
Career In 1825, Matas moved to Florence, where he was an academic professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence (), primarily teaching architecture. His architect contemporaries in Tuscany included Gaetano Baccani, Mariano Falcini, Emilio De Fabris, and Giuseppe Poggi. Matas worked closely with sculptor Giovanni Dupré of Gipsoteca Dupré. He had a working relationship with Anatoly Demidov, 1st Prince of San Donato.
From 1857 to 1863, he worked on the design of the façade of the Basilica of Santa Croce, where he worked in a prominent Star of David into the top of the building. The design of the building was said to be influenced by a now-lost drawing by Simone del Pollaiolo, named "il Cronaca". He is also thought to have been inspired by the Siena Cathedral () and Orvieto Cathedral (). At the same time he was working on the restoration (1851) of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri, Pisa and the plan of the monumental cimitero delle Porte Sante (1848–59) at San Miniato al Monte, Florence (completed by Mariano Falcini).
Matas died in Florence on 11 March 1872. His body was moved in 1886, and Matas is buried under the porch at the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Works
New buildings or new portions of buildings 1835: , Ancona, Marche, Italy. He worked on the building decorations. 1842: (), Bibbiena, Tuscany, Italy 1857–1863: façade of Santa Croce, Florence, Tuscany, Italy 1851: Demidoff Gallery at , Elba Island, Portoferraio, province of Livorno, Italy 1850–1855: Cimitero delle Porte Sante, near San Miniato al Monte, Florence, Italy Restorations 1826: (), Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He restored the building. 1834: Ancona Cathedral (), Ancona, Marche, Italy. He restored the building and the dome with copper. 1836: , Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He restored the building.
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