The Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities has an initiative for those who work all day so they may enjoy the artistic beauty of their country, and the tourists benefit too. The last Tuesday of each month is Martedi in Arte, where major state museums in Italy are open free to the public from 7pm-11pm. We will have three opportunities to enjoy this event, September 27, October 25, and November 29.
In Florence we have the choice of 9 museums; Galleria degli Uffizi, Galleria dell'Accademia, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Galleria Palatina, Palazzo Pitti, Museo del Bargello, Palazzo Davanzati, Cappelle Medicee, and Museo San Marco. The big ones are Galleria degli Uffizi, and Galleria dell'Accademia where the entrance fee is €9,50 each, if booked in advance. Booking in advance only allows you to not have to wait in the long line to buy your ticket. It doesn't prevent you from having to wait in a long line to get into the museum.
Galleria dell'Accademia is just down the road from our apartment and across the street from the little supermarket we go to pick up the few things we don’t buy at Mercato Centrale. There isn't a time we've gone by there that there isn't at least 300 people waiting in the line without reservations, maybe another 200 in the line with reservations and that’s not including the tour groups.
We opted to see two of the smaller museums since we saw both Galleria degli Uffizi and Galleria dell'Accademia on our honeymoon 10 years ago. We started at the Cappelle Medicee, which is a located in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, arriving at about 7pm exactly. There were only about 15 people in line ahead of us. We complied with the NO PICTURES sign in the museum but I have been able to find a few online.
Galleria dell'Accademia is just down the road from our apartment and across the street from the little supermarket we go to pick up the few things we don’t buy at Mercato Centrale. There isn't a time we've gone by there that there isn't at least 300 people waiting in the line without reservations, maybe another 200 in the line with reservations and that’s not including the tour groups.
We opted to see two of the smaller museums since we saw both Galleria degli Uffizi and Galleria dell'Accademia on our honeymoon 10 years ago. We started at the Cappelle Medicee, which is a located in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, arriving at about 7pm exactly. There were only about 15 people in line ahead of us. We complied with the NO PICTURES sign in the museum but I have been able to find a few online.
As we entered we found a large room with several crypts of various Medici on the floor or inside alcoves to the side each roped off so you couldn't walk on them. This room was filled with glassed display cases with their collection of relics. Each saintly relic was housed in an elaborate sculpture with bronze, gold, silver, marble and precious stones. Some of the artistic pieces had several saints contained in them.
Although much more is made of the New Sacristy in the Cappelle Medicee, because it houses Michelangelo’s statues of the Madonna and Child, and the figures of Day, Night, Dawn and Dusk on the tombs of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, and Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, I was more taken with Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of the Princes). Believe me when I say pictures cannot do justice to the opulent and imposing space. Some say the Prince’s Chapel is garish and simply ugly, I found it awe inspiring and powerful.
The Cappella dei Principi, was an idea created by Cosimo I. Designed by Matteo Nigetti in 1602, it was completed by Buontalenti, who made major alterations to the original design.
To carry out the amazing artistic work of colored marble inlay, and semi-precious stone, the Grand Ducal hard stone workshop, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure was established. (We will be visiting the museum of this Institute that is still in existence in the next few weeks.)
The Cappella contains six tombs of the Medici Grand Dukes and is decorated in green and red marble. Although there are six grand sarcophagi they are all empty; the Medici remains are interred in the crypt below. Marble, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, and coral inlays around the base of the tombs reproduce the coats of arms of sixteen Tuscan towns. The niches above were intended to hold sculptures but only two were completed: Ferdinando I and Cosimo II, both by Pietro Tacca (1626–42).
The octagonal Cappella is topped by a tall dome, 193 feet high, and was frescoed in 1828 by Pietro Benvenuti with scenes of the New and Old Testament.
To carry out the amazing artistic work of colored marble inlay, and semi-precious stone, the Grand Ducal hard stone workshop, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure was established. (We will be visiting the museum of this Institute that is still in existence in the next few weeks.)
The Cappella contains six tombs of the Medici Grand Dukes and is decorated in green and red marble. Although there are six grand sarcophagi they are all empty; the Medici remains are interred in the crypt below. Marble, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, and coral inlays around the base of the tombs reproduce the coats of arms of sixteen Tuscan towns. The niches above were intended to hold sculptures but only two were completed: Ferdinando I and Cosimo II, both by Pietro Tacca (1626–42).
The octagonal Cappella is topped by a tall dome, 193 feet high, and was frescoed in 1828 by Pietro Benvenuti with scenes of the New and Old Testament.
In 1999 a big chunk of marble came crashing down, so they have been involved in some major renovations ever since. Even with the scaffolding that is set up to carry out the work, I thought it was impressive and moving.
Next we went to the Museo San Marco which occupies the oldest part of a Dominican monastery and preserves much of its original atmosphere. The convent played an important role in the cultural and religious life of Florence, especially at the time of Savonarola¹.
The museum contains many paintings of Fra Angelico, one of the great artists of the Renaissance, who lived in the monastery and frescoed many parts of the convent.
The museum has a section devoted to fragments of sculpture and architecture from buildings of the city centre which were demolished in the 19th century.
Next we went to the Museo San Marco which occupies the oldest part of a Dominican monastery and preserves much of its original atmosphere. The convent played an important role in the cultural and religious life of Florence, especially at the time of Savonarola¹.
The museum contains many paintings of Fra Angelico, one of the great artists of the Renaissance, who lived in the monastery and frescoed many parts of the convent.
The museum has a section devoted to fragments of sculpture and architecture from buildings of the city centre which were demolished in the 19th century.
On the ground floor are the rooms formerly used for community life: the Hospice, the Chapter Hall, the Washroom, the Refectory and the adjoining room used for the kitchen and other facilities; there is also a small 15th-century cloister and a courtyard.
Upstairs are the cells of the monks. Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici, who commissioned to have a large part of the convent rebuilt, had his own cell here, where he loved to pray and meditate. The cells many of which were no bigger than 10’ x 10’ were each decorated by a fresco.
Upstairs are the cells of the monks. Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici, who commissioned to have a large part of the convent rebuilt, had his own cell here, where he loved to pray and meditate. The cells many of which were no bigger than 10’ x 10’ were each decorated by a fresco.
The Library, the first Renaissance library open to the public, holds a precious collection of over a hundred illuminated choir books from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, originating from this monastery and other suppressed monasteries and convents. They had a display of how the illuminated books were created; scraping the animal hide to make the parchment paper, grinding the stones, bugs or plant material to use as ink, all the instruments used during the drawing and writing process and the book binding techniques. This was especially interesting since the book I am presently reading is a novel about miniaturists (or illuminators) of 16th century Istanbul titled “I am Red”.
It was a very pleasant evening, one we’re sure to participate in again before we leave. As we walked back to our apartment at about 10pm there was still a long line outside Galleria dell'Accademia with only 1 hour to go. We knew we made a good choice in the museums we opted to see.
Notes:
¹ Savonarola was the fanatic monk who gained considerable influence in Florence during the 1490’s. After Charles VIII of France invaded Florence in 1494, the ruling Medici were overthrown and Savonarola emerged as the new leader of the city, combining in himself the role of leader and priest. He set up a republic in Florence.
Characterizing it as a “Christian and Religious Republic”, he made many laws previously punishable by fine, into capital offences. He encouraged people to spy and report on neighbors, and young boys to spy and report on their parents.
He is known for carrying out the Bonfire of the Vanities – the collection and burning of items associated with low morals: mirrors, cosmetics, lewd pictures, pagan books, immoral sculptures (any statue not of saints and modest depictions of biblical scenes), chess pieces, musical instruments, fine dresses, women’s hats, and the works of immoral and ancient poets. Many Florentine Renaissance artworks were lost in Savonarola’s bonfires.
In 1498 he was charged with heresy, uttering prophecies, sedition, and other crimes, excommunicated by the Catholic Church and executed in the same place where the Bonfire of the Vanities had been lit, and in the same manner that Savonarola had condemned other criminals during his own reign in Florence. On the day of his execution he was taken out to the Piazza stripped of his clerical vestments, degraded as "heretic" and given over to the secular authorities to be burned. He was hanged in chains from a single cross and an enormous fire was lit beneath him.