Brother Damiano Beni

Fra' Damiano Beni directed the historic Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in the 19th century, undertaking major expansion beginning in 1847, converting the medieval Acciaioli chapel into the grand Neo-Gothic Sala dei Principi for Grand Tour visitors, and steering the pharmacy toward cosmetics and fine fragrance as modern medicine eroded demand for herbal remedies. As the last friar to lead the pharmacy before Italian state confiscation of church property in 1886, he had his lay nephew take over to preserve the business.