New, although realised in accordance with a sculptural language based on criteria traditional technicians and on finished formsis the interpretation of the figure of San Donato realised Andrea Roggicreating an image faithful to the figurativebut iconographically unusual and capable of symbolising significant episodes in the life of the holy martyrbut without falling into the repetition of 'topoi' repeatedly replicated. La monumental sculptureconsisting of two separate parts, one in stonethe other in bronze, presents San Donato which, barely covered by a simple and poor tunicis in the act of lifting the chalicesymbol of the Christianity for which, according to tradition, the patron saint of Arezzo suffered the martyrdom the 7 August 362 AD.. The chalice refers to one of the main episodes in the life of the bishop saint from Arezzo. During a celebration Eucharisticwhile the rite of Communion and its deacon Antimo was distributing the consecrated wine to the faithful with a glass chalice, the pagani they suddenly burst in, throwing the chalice on the ground, which shattered. San DonatoAfter praying intensely, he collected all the glass fragments, reassembling the vessel. Although a large part was missing from the bottom of the chalice, stolen from the demon same, the sacred ornament continued to perform its function, without dispersing the liquid. The fact led to the conversion of seventy-nine pagans present.

The celebration of the miracle is the focus of the image sculpted by Roggiwhich in thegold of chalice visually concretises the divine forceto which the saint turns in supplication. There is no lack of references to the missing dowel of the cup, perforated at the bottom, and the liquid it contains, materially symbolised by the reddish sphere. La spherewhich has long been a constant element in the sculpture of Roggiis also interpreted here as a symbol of the salvation operated by the martyrdom of the saint himself, who died, as Christto save others and for the spread of Word. The solemn gesture made by the human image, perfectly moulded in the cast bronzefocuses on the interest in the objective reality of manthe founding theme of the art of Roggievokes a set of absolute meanings. Although related to the figure of San Donatothese are therefore of great value moralewith the intention of also documenting a cross-section of town history and respecting the link between subject and matter. The paganity of Arezzo, where San Donatonative of Nicomediaengaged in preaching and the conversion of many, is emblematised in the image of the famous sculpture version of the Minervajust outlined in the bronzecan be glimpsed in the back, giving the idea of disappearing inside the saint's body mass. At Christianity of the city postpones the stone of the base, in which, in addition to the direct reference to the evangelical significance of the stone itself, one recognises the outline of the pieve aretinasymbol of a recognised and deep-rooted spread of the Christian worship.