Nearby Ponte Vecchio, laid down next to the Arno river, there's a astounding place which being collected amount of unique masterpieces of world 15s - 18s century artist — calls "The Uffizi Gallery"
I rather brings you to Firenze, the spectacular city in Italy – the place that art wasn't unharmed by time, my Toscana trips was occurred after a spread of pandemic in Lombardy, I'm a captive in home quarantine for 4 months in Milan and quite itchy about travelling after self-quarantine state so I'd managed to propel my needed of travelling after summer appeared by catch up Italo train for four hours to Firenze Centrale station. Succinctly the annual visitor in The Uffizi Gallery.
2018 – with 2.235.328 visitors
2019 – with 2.131.696 visitors
Which be the most visited museum in Italy.
Galleria degli Uffizi also known as Galleria delle statue e delle pitture degli Uffizi functioning as a prominent art gallery which basically established in 1560 by the commission of Cosimo I de'Medici with Giorgio Vasari as a successful architect, the space itself was sophisticated so I'd attempt to wrap up the topic, Galleria degli Uffizi was part of the Palazzo degli Uffizi which its appearance explicitly U-shape building — allow courtyard corridor through in the middle of U shape, both two wings of Palazzo degli Uffizi heading to the Arno river. In the palazzo, there's plenty of masterpieces dwelt — regarding Italian Medieval, Renaissance to Modern periods. The building contain about 3 floors — the entrance started from the top floor then we visit lower floor by scheduled.
The top floor has large corridor circulation flowing traffic so that allow a visitor shuffling one to another — the hallway also displayed in U-shaped area, it seemingly Italian artist had all must study or even provide a least statues in their artwork , mainly consist of ancient Roman and Greek statues also called "Gallery of Statues"
Are you wondering about 'Uffizi' means ?
Uffizi or Office in English, this name comes in a very first place for the first person Cosimo I de' Medici, the Duke of Tuscany — he intended to design a new office building for the magistrates of Firenze.
My suggestion we should attend the gallery — it's a rich timings, otherwise you might waiting on the long line, but neither if you have fast track ticket for shorter line. After leisurely stroll in the corridor I entranced to the Room 42 or Sala della Niobe, an frame created due to the Neoclassical period in 1781, the ancient Greek myth statues of "Niobe" exhibited in each corner of a room, Niobe is a Greek myth character – she is a daughter of Tantalus and Dione and a mother of fourteen children.
The 17 statues were displayed in a particular room, the statues depict scenario of Mother Niobe who the witnessed of murdering her children by the hands of god and goddess – Apollo and Artemisa, Dione holding her youngest daughter while begging the twins for mercy towards her child, one lying on a cloak in front of her (Dying Niobid) – surrounded by her children, with Selene and Psyche's presence. Apollo killed all Niobe's sons and Artemis killed all her daughters. The walls behind each spot statues in Sala della Niobe also displayed painting canvas; 1. Henry IV’s Triumphal Entry into Paris (Peter Paul Rubens) and 2. Henry IV Triumphal Entry into Paris (Peter Paul Rubens) and The Senators of Florence swearing Allegiance to Ferdinando II de’Medici (Justus Sustermans)
Step to the next room – appears a famous statue "Ermafrodito" or "Sleeping Hermaphroditus" read the description; The character portrayed comes from Greek Mythology. The youth is lying on a lion pelt, his existence both as a man and as a woman, the bisexuality Hermaphroditus is based on its union with the nymph Salmace or Salmacis, who asked the god to keeps both their body unified for everlasting love. They have not permission towards visitor entranced in a particular area, we only must visiting her from front on the room through the barricade.
In the new arrangement on the top floor in 2018 ( halls 35 and 66) – there's a place of three constellations like young Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and Raffaello Sanzio's masterpiece being displayed, Uffizi remains painting preservation under climate controller display which protecting from humidity and temperature also the glass are UV and anti-glare protection if you take a look closer they're vacuum sealed each of window display secured and with a white plain classy frame display surrounding around the painting which make a masterpieces distinctive.
The new lighting design system designed by Targetti brand with the guidance of designer Massimo Larussi – lighting design was an important project since a traditional lamps vanished and replaced by the uses of LED.
Since the mentioned area has occurred seemingly the crowds flock to gallery just wanted to feel the authentic – also their reputation propelled me visited here.
Next in line (hall room 41) I met Sacra famiglia con San Giovannino also known as – Tondo Doni or Doni Madonna was an old traditional painting for the artist challenged their creativity provides for their owns version but also maintained the tradition of the scenario depicted. This version is only finished by Michelangelo without the aid of assistants, The painting remained panel frame as the original appearance – which believed he was the only one participated the painting completely.
Foreground composition is a Holy Family members (Mary, Jesus, Joseph) – in the background's group of nude young men. Mary sits on the ground which interpreted the relationship between her and mother-nature, Joseph and child Jesus were upon Mary, she appeared between his legs and positioning into the central as distinctive spot – holding Jesus that about transforming from Joseph and Both of them gazed at Jesus. By far, the five figures of adolescent men on background were varying interpretation. Intrigued, in the background recall classical sculptures, apparently imitate ancient model figures. The attention of fore-background divided by vivid colors technique – no harmony infusion coloring them together. Tondo Doni was commissioned by Agnolo Doni to celebrate his marriage with Maddelena Strozzi which was a powerful family.
— As depicted on the frame;
“The moons are bound together with ribbons that interlock with the lions,” possibly referring to the marriage of the two families.
In the end of the corridor, you're obviously seen the famous statue "Laocoön" (Laocoonte in Italian) by BACCIO BANDINELLI – statue was sitting in the end of corridor narrating us about the father and his sons, at a very first time I'd met the statue I assumed it's from Michelangelo Buonarroti but apparently Laocoön has several versions copied from time to time period and artist repeated it following the original tales of Laocoön respectfully. Its narrative about a Trojan priest of Poseidon and his two sons (Antiphantes and Thymbraeus) being attacked by sea serpents.
“One beaten, one suffering, and one perhaps escaping.”
— The University of Cambridge's Museum of Classical Archaeology.
The statue completed in 1525 during the reign of Pope Clement VII and the following state says: He decorated the pedestal front with a naturalistic open scroll with folding lines, and the sides with the emblem of pope Clement VII: a transparent globe crossed by a ray of sun that sets fire to a tree, and the pope’s motto “Candor illaesus” ("Innocence Inviolate"). The mentioned version of Laocoön was created with three blocks of marble commissioned in 1520 by Pope Leo X until completed in the reign Pope Clement VII.
“It is difficult to imagine how a Humanist could envision an ancient sculpture only through the descriptions handed down by Pliny. But in a season when the ancient was a model for the present (and even for every day’s life) those stories must have caused vivid dreams.”
— Antonio Natali, Director of the Galleria degli Uffizi, Firenze
The original Laocoön and his sons was found in Roma, 1506 and being displayed towards the public in Vatican where it belong and became a prototype of human agony. Due to my researching there's the Pliny's hearsay describing about Laocoön and his sons apparence in Natural History (XXXVI, 37) says : “It being impossible to award it in due proportion to the names of the several artists combined. Such is the case with the Laocoön, for example, in the palace of the Emperor Titus, a work that may be looked upon as preferable to any other production of the art of painting or of statuary. It is sculptured from a single block, both the main figure as well as the children, and the serpents with their marvellous folds. This group was made in concert by three most eminent artists.”
This sequence is my favorite paintings "Adoration of the Magi" (Adorazione dei Magi in Italian) also remarkable and proceeded Italian Renaissance artist Domenico Ghirlandaio impeccable reputation once again. Adoration of the Magi has been painted for several times with many remarkable artists depend on whose period of time, also in Uffizi gallery revealed 2 versions of Adoration of the Magi which from Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Gentile da Fabriano in Medieval period.
Domenico Ghirlandaio's Adoration of the Magi has hidden a symbolic interpreted as noticed is The Madonna holding her child (Sacred heart) are dwelling into the central composition of the painting and created a pyramidal composition to foreground figures. Ghirlandaio remains the crowd scenes background between a classical building is a simple shelter with cow and ass stable for holy family only from the Virgin has a circle empty space from the crowd which the composition influenced by the form of the panel.
La Primavera (Spring) (room 10-14), another masterpiece of Sandro Botticelli A painting that conveyed a greeting to prosperity, love and peace.
The scenario represents seven figures among the garden and settling before spring period occupied we already known there's spring coming because up front on the right of the painting's Flora; the goddess of the flower and the spring session surrounded by the celebration and welcoming of the season. A women figure represented Venus stand slightly back as keeping her a bit distances in between two sides of each groups, she wearing white dress with red draped in blue on her shoulder – stable standing under her arch while blindfolded Cupid upon her head aiming an arrow towards the middle Grace, she appeared to be on the central positioning but not exactly that central with her eyes gazed towards the viewer as a favor returned.
"One of the most written about, and most controversial paintings in the world" — Fossi, Gloria (1998).
On the left there's Three Graces joined hands and coquettishly dancing in circle turns, they are accompany of Venus. The Three Graces were basically nude women in this version of Botticelli they wearing diaphanous white. Mercury was on the left with his posture raises a caduceus on his right hand with a sword and a helmet, he barely interacted with other figures but one of The Three Grace from the middle seemingly observed him, on the right is Flora, Chloris and Zephyrus.
"An elaborate mythological allegory of the burgeoning fertility of the world."
Flora – the Goddess of Floral and Spring wearing transparent gown's floral laces details all over her dresses – she's scattering flower on the ground in actions and gazed towards the viewer while Zephyrus (the wind of March) pursuing her, Chloris and Zephyrus looking to each other – Zephyrus abducts the nymph Chloris and possesses her transformed to Flora which in the painting revealed a scenario by Chloris overlaps Flora – Chloris becomes a deity and marries Zephyrus afterwards , The garden scenario contains five hundred identified plant species included in the painting – the details that Botticelli about to left inside as an exquisite mythological depicts the burgeoning fertility of the world.
Aside from his painting's La Primavera, a finale one of the most iconic Italian Renaissance (room 10-14) – La Nascita di Venere, Sandro Botticelli, a scenario was taken from the writings of the Homer's poet. It depicts the goddess “Venus” born from the sea foam, blown by breeze of Zephyrus landing to Cythera island as her homeland. She stands nude postures with hand covered her breast and lower body, she's dwelling into the central position with massive scallop shell beneath her feet carries her along to the seashore.
I believed that Botticelli gave attention on her remarkable face looks flawless with elongated neck, shaded her face to differentiate a lighter side, and floating hairs were blown oppositely direction to Zephyrus position. Her pearl skin was emphasizing – her hair's gently caressing along with her body. To the left has two figures represent Zephyr embracing the nymph, Chloris. The breath of Zephyrus was considering as a to fertilize and create new life along with the roses blessing Venus – his actions embracing Chloris symbolizing act of love. At the right – the woman who about waiting and covering Venus was thought to be “The Hora of Spring” the natural cycle of the seasons. She holding a floral cloak waits for covering Venus naked body. Floral pattern on the cloak represents a birth and the white bloom with tipped gold myrtle around her neck was dedicated the status of Venus as the deity. The environment was mixed with green shaded excludes Venus figure. The outline was gold shared he revealed gentleness and flawless in each figures either Zephyrus's wings, laurel trees and grass were golden highlighted, Botticelli seldom created the environment and background in his painting as deep perspective. The blues of the sea and sky have also lost their brightness — Hemsoll, 2:50
“ Her differences from antique form are not physiological, but rhythmic and structural.”
— Kenneth Clark
The Birth of Venus is the first large-scale example in Toscana of a painting on large canvas. He prepared his own tempera pigments with very little fat and covered them with a layer of pure egg white in a process unusual for his time. His painting resembles a fresco in its freshness and brightness. The painting was commissioned by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici – a member of the Medici family. But the painting was not definitely famous of all time. His works about being ignored some sources told the painting was about rediscovered in 19th century.
“ Perhaps the most beautiful example of ecstatic movement in the whole of painting. The suspension of our reason is achieved by the intricate rhythms of the drapery which sweep and flow irresistibly around the nude figures. Their bodies, by an endless intricacy of embrace, sustain the current of movement, which finally flickers down their legs and is dispersed like an electric charge.” — Kenneth Clark
Uffizi Gallery is now the most visited place (Museum category) in Italy and the eighth in Europe region. If you're craving to visits Uffizi Gallery you better check on their official website for opening hour and further information due to pandemic of COVID-19.
Location : Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
Address : Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Open duration : 8:15 am – 6:30 pm
©2021 Published & images by Nadtanit Bukkavesa