Niccolò Matas e la stella di David : una questione di metodo storico

How can it be that the facade of a Christian church could host the star of David, today recognized as the symbol of Judaism all over the world? Investigating the shift over the perception of this symbol over time, the article aims at clarifying the alleged Jewishness of Niccolò Matas, the anconetano architect who projected the facade of the basilica of Santa Croce in Florence and received the honor to be buried just in front of it. Based on archival sources and publications of the time, this research would also like to underline the importance of the historical method, as a way to provide reliable and verified information, in a world overwhelmed by false and fake news. [Publisher's text]