The Sculptural Soul of Naples: The Life and Legacy of Antonio Baboccio da Piperno In the twilight of the Middle Ages, as the rigid structures of the Gothic era began to soften under the burgeoning light of the Renaissance, there emerged a master whose hands shaped the very identity of Neapolitan grandeur. Antonio Baboccio da Piperno, born around 1351 in the quiet landscape of Pietrantonella, was far more than a mere craftsman; he was an abbot, a painter, a sculptor, and a goldsmith—a true polymath of the visual arts. While the biographical shadows surrounding his early years remain somewhat…