(click display composite for a 1600 x 1348 version in a second window)

This is a comprehensive Portfolio of Decorative Art, Sculpture and Fresco
shot at the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Pitti’s Boboli Gardens in Florence, Italy.
I have included information on the Art and the venues for folks who may use this as a reference.
 

click an image to open a larger version
use your back button to return to this page
Composites will open in a second window.

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Florence Collections page where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 11 Galleries in the Photoshelter Florence Collection

Medici Crest 4324

The Medici of Florence were a powerful trading and banking dynasty in the 14th
through 18th centuries. Their wealth originated in textiles, but they spread to banking
and became one of the most successful and respected institutions in Europe. Eventually,
they dominated city government and in 1537, Cosimo I de’ Medici became the Grand Duke
of Tuscany. They were great art patrons, and the Medici were especially responsible for starting
the fire in the fields of art and architecture (through his patronage) that led to the Renaissance.

Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, the first powerful family member (who started the Medici Bank)
commissioned Brunelleschi to redesign and rebuild the Basilica of San Lorenzo. His work
in this church with Donatello led directly to a revolution in architecture. Giovanni di Bicci’s
son Cosimo the Elder was the major patron of Donatello and Fra Angelico. Cosimo the
Elder’s son Lorenzo the Magnificent was one of the major patrons of Michelangelo,
giving him the opportunity to study the family’s collection of Classical sculpture.
Lorenzo also served as patron to Leonardo da Vinci. The story continues,
and during the 400+ years of the Medici dynasty some of the world’s
 finest art was created and a revolution in the art world was begun.

Palazzo Vecchio

The City Hall of Florence, and until acquisition of the Palazzo Pitti,
it was the court residence of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici.

Arnolfo di Cambio's Tower 4157

Palazzo Vecchio 5321

Originally called the Palazzo della Signoria
(for the ruling body of Florence), it was built
beginning in 1299 by Arnolfo di Cambio.
 

Note that the tower has Ghibelline (swallow-tailed) merlons (extensions of the wall
behind which defenders sheltered from fire), and the Palazzo has Guelph (square) merlons.
These reflected changes in city allegiance between the Holy Roman Emperor and Pope respectively.

We’ll start in the Hall of 500, where Cosimo held Court, and move to his apartments from there.

Clement VII Crowning Charles V
Hall of 500 Palazzo Vecchio 5378

These two sculptures were created by
Bartolomeo (Baccio) Bandinelli.

Leo X Hall of 500 Palazzo Vecchio 5380

On the raised audience stage (Udienza) created by Bartolommeo Bandinelli, where Cosimo I
received citizens and ambassadors, are several niches he filled with sculptures. The major
works include these two: “Leo X” (the Medici Pope) and “Clement VII Crowning Charles V”.

Bartolommeo (Baccio) Bandinelli created a number of superb small-scale sculptures, but
he was obsessed with the monumental-sized sculptures as he decided they were his only
means of gaining equality with Michelangelo, his great rival. Unfortunately, his large works
never achieved the recognition given those by his rivals Michelangelo and Cellini. He later
tried to sabotage Benvenuto Cellini’s career. That didn’t work out all that well either...

Leo X Hall of 500 Palazzo Vecchio 5372

Bartolommeo Bandinelli was the sculptor and painter who trained Giorgio Vasari. He created
numerous sculptures, including these two and the large sculpture of Hercules and Cacus in
Piazza della Signoria. He created the copy of Laocoon in the Ufizzi Gallery and many
other works, but he never was able to achieve his goal of equality with Michelangelo.

The sculpture of Leo X was finished after Bandinelli’s death by Vincenzo de' Rossi.
Vincenzo de’ Rossi was one of Bandinelli’s apprentices, who became a superb sculptor.
The six sculpture groups in the Hall of 500 on the Labors of Hercules are by Vincenzo de’ Rossi,
as are the bust of Cosimo I de’ Medici and the Helen and Paris in the Grotto of Buontalenti below.

Ceiling Panel Hall of 500
Palazzo Vecchio 5362 (517kb)

There are 39 of these panels on the ceiling,
created by Giorgio Vasari and assistants,
depicting Great Episodes from the Life of
Cosimo I, and scenes of Florence.

To the right is an oblique of an entire
section of the ceiling, and below is a
tight shot of a single ceiling painting.
These are both very detailed images.

Ceiling Hall of 500 5392
(this is a highly detailed file of 595kb)

Ceiling Panel Hall of 500
Palazzo Vecchio 5408

Vasari Frescoes Hall of 500 Palazzo Vecchio XXL
(1798 x 900 Composite will open in a second window)

The Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of 500) was built to house the Grand Council, which had 500 members. It was enlarged by Giorgio Vasari so that Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici could hold court there, but unfortunately this destroyed the unfinished ‘Battle of Cascina’ by Michelangelo and ‘Battle of Anghari’ by Leonardo da Vinci. The walls were eventually covered by Vasari’s own frescoes depicting battles and military victories by Florence:

• The Taking of Siena
• The Conquest of Porto Ercole
• The Victory of Cosimo I at Marciano in Val di Chiana
• Defeat of the Pisans at the Tower of San Vincenzo
• Maximillian of Austria Attempts the Conquest of Leghorn
• Pisa Attacked by the Florentine Troops

This image is available as an
XXL Signed Composite (5075 x 2540)
and SXXL framed (6273  x 3626)

click here for more information on Portfolio images

Vasari Frescoes Hall of 500 Palazzo Vecchio 5396, 5402 XLsigned
This is a 2910 x 975 XL Signed Composite image (900kb)
(Composite will open in a second window)

These frescoes are on opposite sides of the room. I quite carefully processed them to match
the color of the very different light on the frescoes on either side of the room, then I even
more carefully post-processed to get angles and sizes right so they can match up.
I thought it might be neat to be able to put them together as if they were on
opposing walls on a corner... it makes a cool print. So I did it for you.

I had everything all set up to post two separate images here at 900 pixels vertical, perfectly matched so you could make a two-shot panorama for a personal print if you wanted to. Then, I figured you might want to see what the pair looked like so I set up the thumbnails so they were perfectly aligned on the page so you could see. Then I figured you might want to see what the pair looked like at a size that allowed at least some examination of detail, so I created a 1600 pixel composite pair and thought I was done with this little part of the page.

Then I realized that with the two separate images being about 400kb each, and the 1600 pixel image pair at 340kb (the individual images were 500 pixels high, plus the text block), it totaled out at over 1.2Mb plus thumbnails. I thought “this is nuts... I’m posting three large images and they still have to composite the images themselves.” So I started over, created the composite for you (at 900kb), and made a single thumbnail.

This is a LARGE image at 2910 x 975 pixels, an XL Signed Composite
 (although I used my web compression rather than my Portfolio compression).

Personal Use Only. Please.

This is my gift to you, for personal use only, of course.
It is the only large image on this page that I left clean
(without the watermark I am required to use now).

If you’re interested in the XXL image (6246 x 2100)
stop by www.digital-photo-stock.com where you can
order many of the images on this website (and others).

I do post fairly large images as I think most people are working on higher resolution
monitors these days, and would like to examine detail, and I realize that folks can easily
make composites themselves if they know how, but I usually don’t post composites this large.

Corner Detail Hall of Leo X Palazzo Vecchio 5404
(Composite will open in a second window)

A composite of the full-frame image (upper left) and two large detail crops
of the ceiling panel (Pope Leo X delivering a blessing) and the Papal Arms with Putti.

Barrel Vault Studiolo Hallway 5412

Studiolo Hallway Ceiling Detail 5413

Detail of a large roundel in the Studiolo Hallway.
I’ve put this up at 1488 x 1045 to allow detailed
examination of the unusually shaped characters
and the grotesques that are around the figures.
I have provided information on the artistic style
of grotesques at the bottom of this section on
the Studiolo Hallway in case you are curious.

It’s an interesting story.

Barrel Vault Studiolo Hallway 5417

Vault Dome Studiolo Hallway 5423

The dome at the entrance to the Studiolo. The
use of grotesques along with geometric figures
and human subjects blended with the Medici
coats of arms in this hallway is very creative.

By the way, the etymology of the word grotesque is interesting.
It resulted from an accident at Nero’s party house, the Domus Aurea.

In the late 15th century, a young Roman fell through a cleft in the Aventine hill
and found himself in a strange cave (or grotta) filled with painted figures. The young
artists of Rome were soon letting themselves down on ropes to see for themselves. Nero
had several of the best fresco artists in the Empire apply frescoes to nearly every surface that
was not more richly adorned (he had ivory veneers, plastered jewels and semi-precious stones,
and gold leaf (thus the name Domus Aurea or House of Gold) applied to many of the walls, as well
 as marble veneers covering other walls, which were made of concrete). Since the Renaissance
was just arriving in Rome, when Raphael, Michelangelo and Pinturicchio let themselves down
in the cave to study the paintings and to carve their names in the walls (Renaissance graffiti),
this revealed for them what painting was really like in antiquity. Raphael and others started
to apply the techniques immediately (for instance, Raphael’s loggias for the Vatican).

The Romans who found them originally thought them very strange, especially
because they were ‘a part of the underworld’. Since they were found in what
seemed to be a cave (grotta), this style was called grottesche (grotesque).

Apartment of the Elements

This is the suite of rooms that were used by Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo while they lived at Palazzo Vecchio. They are ornately decorated in grand Renaissance style. Giorgio Vasari took over the decoration of these rooms upon the death of Battista del Tasso. This was his first commission for the Medici, beginning a long and very profitable relationship.

The Apartment of the Elements consists of five rooms that were the private quarters of Cosimo I.
The walls contain allegorical frescoes depicting Fire, Water, Earth and (on the ceiling) Saturn.

Vulcan’s Forge Birth of Venus 5425

This is the corner of Fire and Water. To the left is the Allegory of Fire,
 with Vulcan’s Forge and Daedalus Making Achilles’ Weapons as the transitional fresco,
and to the right is the transitional fresco Offerings to Venus and then Birth of Venus.

Cristofano Gherardi did the Vulcan’s Forge and the two transitional frescoes,
and he also assisted Giorgio Vasari on the Birth of Venus fresco.

Daedalus Making Achilles’ Weapons, Offerings to Venus 5425 detail

This is a 1488 x 750 detail crop from the master of image 5425 (the image just above).
It shows the transitional frescoes and parts of the main frescoes on each wall for reference.

On the left is the transitional fresco Daedalus Making Achilles’ Weapons,
and on the right is Offerings to Venus, both by Cristofano Gherardi.

Vulcan’s Forge Cristofano Gherardi 5433

Above the marble fireplace designed by Ammanati (with its inscription to Cosimo),
is this fresco covering part of the wall dedicated to Allegories of Fire. This one depicts
Vulcan at his Forge, and this fresco is entirely Cristofano Gherardi’s work. You can see
how horrendously lit the frescoes are. In many cases, I took detail shots to avoid washout
but in this case I would have missed too much of the peripheral action, so we’ll deal with it.

Because of lighting like this, I didn’t even bother trying to take shots of the sculptures in the
Salone dei Cinquecento (e.g. Michelangelo’s Victory and de’ Rossi’s Labors of Hercules).
You can see what it does to these frescoes... imagine what this would do to white marble.
To make matters worse, they have two high power flood lamps close to each sculpture.

(sigh...)

Birth of Venus Vasari Gherardi 5439

Part of the wall depicting Allegories of Water, this was primarily by
Giorgio Vasari with the assistance of Cristofano Gherardi (Doceno).

Fruits of the Earth Offered to Saturn Cristofano Gherardi 5430

This image shows the entire fresco of Fruits of the Earth Offered to Saturn.
I cropped the partial transitional frescoes out of the left and right sides.
There are detail shots of the center and right sides below.

Fruits of the Earth Offered to Saturn Cristofano Gherardi 5444

This fresco, on the wall depicting Allegories of Earth, was primarily by
Cristofano Gherardi with a little assistance by Vasari. The difference in
the character of the fresco is readily apparent when comparing this one
with the fresco of Birth of Venus (this is a detail shot from the center).

Fruits of the Earth Offered to Saturn Cristofano Gherardi 5441c

This is a detail crop of about half of an image taken of the center and right sides.
It shows details of the right side of Fruits of the Earth. Since I took a dedicated
detail shot of the center of the fresco, I cropped the rest to show this part larger.

Mutilation of Uranus Vasari 5506

The centerpiece on the ceiling of the main room of the Apartment of the Elements shows
the Mutilation of Uranus by Saturn, painted by Giorgio Vasari and Cristofano Gherardi. It is
surrounded by ten allegorical panels by Vasari, a few of which can be seen further below.
Shooting the ceiling panels was very difficult, as I had to shoot overhead (of course),
while attempting to shoot from a position that gave the best perspective and angle
and keeping the reflections to a minimum. Often, the best shooting angles had
some of the worst reflections, so I had to adjust the angle until the reflection
was in a spot that impacted the image as little as possible. Very tricky.

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Florence Collections page where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 11 Galleries in the Photoshelter Florence Collection

Palazzo Vecchio Cabinet 5452

Some of the inlaid and superbly figured
cabinets of the style developed in the 15th
century called studiolo or stipo cabinets.

Palazzo Vecchio Cabinet 5477

Palazzo Vecchio Cabinet 5479

Cabinet Apt of the Elements
Palazzo Vecchio 5532

This cabinet is inlaid with mother of pearl,
lapis lazuli, jade, agate and other stones.

The woodwork is masterful.

In case you were wondering why I shot
at such a low angle... the light was reflecting
off of the inlaid panels so strongly that I couldn’t
get any contrast at a normal height, or even at
a further distance than this. Look at the shot
of Cabinet 5452 and you’ll understand.
(the image above on the left)

Putto with Dolphin del Verocchio 5467
(Composite will open in a second window)

This is the original of Putto with Dolphin by Andrea del Verocchio, a sculpture in the round
(viewable from all sides) originally installed at the Medici Villa, Careggi. Andrea del Verocchio
is ranked second only to Donatello of the early Renaissance sculptors in Italy, and produced
most of his important works in the last 20 years of his life. His prominence was due primarily
 to the Medici family patronage, which he achieved only after the death of Donatello in 1466.
His most famous students were Leonardo da Vinci and Perugino (who trained Raphael).

Ceiling Hercules Room
Palazzo Vecchio 5463

Painted by Marco Marchetti da Faenza, this is
Hercules fighting Cerberus, the Hellhound.
 

Vasari Allegory of Night
Room of the Elements 5494

The light in the room often caused difficult
reflections... in this case I used the reflection.

Vasari Allegory of Justice
Room of the Elements 5483

to allude to the light of the moon. It was the
only way to avoid having it ruin the shot.

Giorgio Vasari did a number of allegorical
panels on the Room of the Elements’ ceiling,
which was dedicated to the Element of Air.
Four of these are grouped here (Minerva’s
Owl; Justice; Night; Chariot of the Moon).

Vasari Chariot of the Moon
Room of the Elements 5486

Allegory Minerva’s Owl 5497

Sabine Women Palazzo Vecchio 5537

At one time this room was used by ladies in waiting at the court of Eleanora di Toledo. The room is
named for the ceiling decorations, which like this are showing scenes from the Tale of the Sabines.

Painted by Giovanni Stradano (Flemish).

Vases Marchetti Apartment of the Elements 5488, 5491
(Composite will open in a second window)

These vases are mounted in facing corners of the room with a terrace overlooking Florence.

Marco Marchetti created many of the grotesques in the Apartment of the Elements
and he was also called upon to create decorative pieces like these vases.

Madonna and Child with Infant St. John the Baptist
Jacopo del Sellaio Palazzo Vecchio 5456

A pupil of Fra Filippo Lippi, del Sellaio was friends with (and influenced by) Sandro Botticelli.
He often painted decorative wedding chests (there is one at the Uffizi), and there are a number
of his small paintings in the genre shown above, such as a very similar painting sold recently:
Madonna and Child with the Infant, Saint John the Baptist and Attending Angel, also 1485.

This genre was popular with Raphael a few years later, and with Lanfranco in the 1630s.
Sandro Botticelli did a tondo version and a regular canvas about 10 years after del Sellaio.

There are versions by Bugiardini (c. 1520), Bronzino (c. 1540s), Francia (c. 1500), da san Fraiano (c. 1560s) , Veronese (1560s), da Verona (early 16th c.), Ubertini (1530s), Beccafumi’s (1542), etc. The earliest may be Pesselino’s from the early 15th century. Jacopo del Sellaio did several different versions over the years.

—  The small plaque on the wall called it Natività and attributed it to “Master of the Tondo Miller”. —

It’s obviously not a Nativity scene, and the presence of the infant St. John the Baptist (he is identifiable by the cross-shaped staff) puts it into the genre I researched. During the research, I came across several dissertations within which Nicholas Pons identified the “Master of the Miller Tondo” (the name Everett Fahy grouped all of his work under before the artist was identified) as Archangelo di Jacopo del Sallaio. An artist who has not yet been identified is often associated with a significant work by calling the artist: “Master of the ...”, as in “The Master of the Bardi St. Francis”.

You can see the sort of research involved in identifying the artwork.
It would be a lot easier to name an image “Cool Painting in Palazzo Vecchio”.

Del Sellaio UFO 5456c
(200% upsample/crop from VLG)

An interesting aspect of this painting is that it is one of several depicting a UFO.
A number of medieval paintings have flying objects of one sort or another. Objects
can be seen in some Annunciations, Nativity scenes, and other medieval paintings.

The VLG version of the Del Sellaio Madonna and Child is available here:

Madonna and Child Del Sellaio Palazzo Vecchio 5456 VLG.jpg
(the text link above leads to the Photoshelter page where you can buy this image)

Pieta Palazzo Vecchio 5541

This painting proved impossible for me to identify. I’m including it anyway because of the
technique the artist used to achieve exceptional dimensionality. I’m not sure if the artist
first created a low relief, then painted it, or if the artist used thick oil paint to create the
height he has achieved. Considering the height and shape of the raised knee area, I
am inclined to believe this is a painted low-relief, but regardless, it is spectacular.

I just wish I could have found out who did it.

Penelope at the Loom Palazzo Vecchio 5544

This image is of the primary panel in the Room of Penelope. Penelope was a major
character in Homer’s Odyssey. The wife of Odysseus, (who was away at the Trojan War
for 10 years, and then on his journey home for 10 more years), she kept a herd of 108 suitors
at bay by telling them she had to weave a burial shroud for Odysseus’ father before choosing
one of them. She undid everything she wove every night for three years until an unfaithful
maiden betrayed her to the suitors. Finally, she tells them that anyone who can string
Odysseus’ bow will win her hand. Of course, Odysseus has come back by now
(in disguise), finds she has been faithful, and hears her say this. None of
the suitors can string the bow (except Odysseus, of course) who then
proceeded to slay the suitors (who had abused his hospitality).
That Homer... he always came up with a moralistic story.

Bronzino Chapel of Eleanor Palazzo Vecchio 5530

Directly off of the Sala Verde is an entrance to this Chapel. Agnolo di Cosimo (Bronzino),
whose portraiture would influence European court portrait technique for a century after his death,
was the official court painter for the Medici for most of his career. Between 1540-41, he frescoed the
walls and ceiling of the Chapel of Eleanora di Toledo and really outdid himself. The color is striking.

This is directly above the Pieta shown next, which was also painted by Bronzino.

Pieta Bronzino Chapel of Eleanor Palazzo Vecchio 5526

This magnificent Pieta scene is painted over the altar,
with the previous image on the ceiling above it.

Coffered Ceiling Sala della Udienza Palazzo Vecchio 5562

This carved, coffered ceiling is laminated
with pure gold. It is in the Hall of Justice, and
was created by Giuliano da Maiano, 1470-76.

This is a radically detailed file of 700kb

Coffered Ceiling Sala della Udienza
Palazzo Vecchio 5566

A section of the ceiling taken while I was lying
on the floor... this was so unbelievable that I
wanted to have a stable position to be able
to get clean results at the 1/50 @ f/2.8 that
the exposure required. It was worth it...

To the right, the ceiling in the Hall of Lilies is
laminated gold fleur-de-lys coffered onto a blue
background. At the time, Florence was in a rare
accord with the King of France (it didn’t last long).

Ceiling Hall of Lilies Palazzo Vecchio 5576

Fresco Chapel Signoria Palazzo Vecchio 5565

This fresco is outside the Chapel of the Signoria, the other small chapel on the 2nd floor, dedicated to St. Bernard. This chapel was for the use of the ruling body of Florence (the Signoria). Its nine priori would get their spiritual guidance here. This was also the chapel where Girolamo Savonarola said his last prayers before being burned at the stake (an apt ending for the man who carried out the Bonfire of the Vanities).

Directly above the door is Christ’s monogram IHS, an inscription, and a plaque in honor of Christ.

Frescoes Hall of Lilies Ghirlandaio 5574

The Apotheosis of St Zenobius with frescoes of famous Romans over the doors
was executed on a background that imitates gold mosaic by Domenico Ghirlandio.

Note the perspective created in the vaulted ceiling painted above St. Zenobius.

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Florence Collections page where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 11 Galleries in the Photoshelter Florence Collection

Judith Holofernes Donatello Palazzo Vecchio 5571

This bronze was created by Donatello at the end of his career (1460). It is one of the first
sculptures of the Renaissance to be created ‘in the round’... (it was designed to be viewable
from all sides, rather than being placed in a niche). It depicts the assassination of the Assyrian
general Holofernes by Judith. It stood in Palazzo Medici-Riccard with Donatello’s David
originally, the two original free-standing Renaissance statues in one place.

Medici Roman Busts

The Medici acquired a large number of sculptures, buying up anything ancient
that they could get their hands on. The sculptures shown here are ancient Roman
busts, many of which were found around Rome when construction was done in the
ruins of villas and around the city. The Medici had the word out that they would buy.

(These are titled Roman Bust in the Stock portfolio. Shot numbers are the same).

Medici Bust 5501

Medici Bust 5446

Medici Bust 5503

Medici Bust 5448

Medici Bust Dining Room Palazzo Vecchio 5542

This bust is one of my favorites. I like the style used as well as the fact that by
cutting it off at the chest it seems to be growing out of the table. I have often wondered
if this was a damaged complete statue that was restored by cutting it and turning it into a bust.

Roman Bust Palazzo Vecchio 5599

Antinous Palazzo Vecchio 5587

The bust above left is quite interesting for several reasons. First, note the head position
and the pensive look. This is quite unusual in my experience for a statue from ancient Rome.
Then, note the work on the drapery, and compare it to that on the statue of Trajan from the Medici
Corridor of Statues in the Uffizi Gallery, where young Michelangelo studied the techniques of
the ancient Roman and Greek sculptors. These two busts are rare in this respect.

The bust above right is one of the busts of Antinuous. A member of Emperor Hadrian’s entourage,
Antinous was found as the result of Hadrian’s search for the most beautiful youth in the Empire.
He drowned at the age of 20, and was deified by order of Emperor Hadrian. Cities were
founded in his name, medals struck, and a vast number of statues were made.

Trajan 4756

This image pair is not from the Palazzo
Vecchio, but from Corridor of Statues in the
Uffizi Gallery next door. I’m posting these
two images because they tie in to the story
told earlier regarding Michelangelo and
also because the stonework creating
Trajan’s drapery is similar to the
Roman bust shown above left.

Trajan detail 4756c
(a large detail crop of the drapery)

This is one of the most beautiful ancient busts
I have ever seen. The stone used for the
drapery is exquisite, as is the style
and technique used to create it.

Cosimo Medici de’ Rossi 5591

Vincenzo de’ Rossi worked on a number of
projects for Cosimo I de’ Medici, including
sculptures for the Palazzos Vecchio and Pitti.

Cosimo Medici de’ Rossi 5589

This simple bust was probably created about
the time he was sculpting the statue group
Hercules and Diomedes for the Hall of 500.

Niccolo Machiavelli 5581, 5583
(Composite will open in a second window)

Santi di Tito’s stucco bust of Machiavelli in the Old Chancellerie of the
Palazzo Vecchio (Machiavelli’s office when he was Secretary of the Republic).

Both this bust and the famous portrait of Machiavelli (hanging in the Palazzo Vecchio)
that Santi di Tito painted were likely created using his death mask as a model.
(Santi di Tito was born 9 years after Machiavelli died in 1527).

Cortile Pierino da Vinci Samson 4138

Michelozzo’s Cortile (courtyard) with its
spectacular columns and frescoes, and
the sculpture Samson and the Philistine
by Pierino da Vinci peeking through the
archway. Processed for the natural light
(image at right processed for the floodlight).
 

Samson and the Philistine
Pierino da Vinci Palazzo Vecchio 5611
 

Pierino da Vinci was Leonardo’s nephew (1529-53). He studied under Baccio Bandinelli
and Niccolo Tribolo, and produced some exceptional work, some having at one time been
attributed to other sculptors (his putti were often attributed to Tribolo, and some of his other
sculptures were attributed to Michelangelo). This piece was made in the last few years of his
life when he was working in Pisa. It is now in Michelozzo’s Cortile (Courtyard), Palazzo Vecchio.
 

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Florence Collections page where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 11 Galleries in the Photoshelter Florence Collection

Boboli Gardens, Palazzo Pitti

Palazzo Pitti got its start in 1458, when it was built by Luca Pitti, a friend of Cosimo Medici the Elder. The Pitti family spent a huge fortune in the construction, but it was finally bought by the Medici family in 1549 when Eleanor of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici, decided to acquire it as a summer retreat. It became the principal residence of the Medici after her death.

Land on the Boboli Hill was acquired in order to build the Boboli Gardens. The formal garden was started by the Medici Court Artist Niccolo Tribolo, but he died the next year and the work was taken on by Bartolommeo Ammanati, a student of Bartolommeo Bandinelli who closely followed the style of Michelangelo (which might have annoyed Bandinelli, who was fiercely jealous of Michelangelo).

It was Ammanati who created the Neptune Fountain in Piazza della Signoria. He also created numerous other major sculptures, and was an architect of note as well. He created the courtyard behind the palazzo (shown below) to link it with the gardens. The channeled rustication in the stone facade which he created for the courtyard has been widely copied for other monumental buildings, such as the Palais Luxembourg in Paris.

Pitti Palace Lion 5630

The lion is a symbol of Florence. This one is over a small fountain outside of
the palace. It looks as if it may have been intended to provide water for horses.

Pitti Palace Fountain 5647

The imposing Garden (rear) facade of the Palazzo Pitti, with its channeled rusticated stone
and numerous arched windows frames one of the many attractive fountains in the Gardens.

Fontana del Carciofo
(Fountain of the Artichoke)

Designed by Giambologna’s former assistant Francesco Susini and completed in 1641, it is
on a raised platform and stands at the level of the piano nobile windows of the garden facade.

Hercules Pitti Palace 5639
 

Jupiter Boboli 5730
 

Two more of the Medici’s ancient statues. They placed larger statues at their
palazzos and villas, and several were moved to the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens.

Boboli Garden Path 5649

Head Fragment Boboli Gardens 5655

This head is about 15 feet tall.

Fountain of Neptune Boboli Gardens 5659

Stoldo Lorenzi’s masterwork (1565-68).

Neptune Boboli Gardens 5661

Lorenzi was a pupil of Giambologna.

Abundance Giambologna Tacca Salvini Boboli 5666

There are a great number of statues scattered around Boboli Gardens, quite a few of which were created by Giambologna. This one was in progress when he died in 1608. Pietro Tacca, his chief pupil and assistant (who took over his shop) finished the sculpture (in 1637) with Sebastiano Salvini da Settignano. The statue was modeled after Johanna of Austria, the (rather short) wife of the Medici Grand Duke Francesco I, and was originally intended to be placed on a column in Piazza San Marco. It was moved to Boboli in 1636 and finished in 1637.

Modesty Boboli 5697

Andromeda Boboli 5695

Roman Senator Boboli 5693

This Roman Senator is one of several ancient
Roman statues sprinkled among the 15th-16th c.
statues that line the paths through the Garden.

Autumn Giovanni Caccini Boboli 5688

Caccini was best known for restoring
fragmentary antiquities, such as Hercules
and Nessus (Uffizi), but he also created the
statues of the Seasons at Boboli (1590).

Players Boboli 5699

Giovanni Francesco Susini, the creator of the Fonana del Carciofo shown earlier,
assisted Orazio Mochi in the challenge of turning a genre subject suitable for painting
into a sculpture for the Gardens: two players at the roughhouse game Sacchomazzone.
He turned Mochi’s model into a bronze on an oval plinth. This is the stone version.

Sacchomazzone literally means a bundle of sacks.

Two players had to keep one hand on a stone placed between them. Both were blindfolded.
They had to try to hit each other with a knotted cloth or sack in one hand (missing from the
sculpture above, it should be in the upper hand). Both ducked to avoid the blows.

Susini also created a number of other sculptures in the garden.

David with Head of Goliath Boboli 5705

Another Susini piece. He did several statues with
David and the Head of Goliath as his subject.

Oceanus Giambologna Boboli 5717

The Fountain of Oceanus was created by
Giambologna (Jean Boulogne) 1571-76.

Triton Boboli 5715

One of the Tritons that are part of Fontana dei Tritoni. Fontane dei Tritoni is part of the
Isolotto Fountain surrounding the small island (isolotto) in the middle of the basin in which
resides the Neptune Fountain seen earlier. The island itself has about 200 lemon trees.

Napoleon Bonaparte Palazzo Pitti 5684

In the Casino del Cavaliere, Boboli Gardens, there is a fabulous collection of porcelain
china from many of the best factories in Europe. A large number of these were gifts to
the Medici from other European royalty, and others were commissioned by the Duke.

Mounted on the rear wall of the porcelain museum is this painting of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon used the Palazzo Pitti as a base of operations while he was in control of part of
Italy from 1797. Francois Gerard was a superb portrait painter of the early 19th century.
It’s not suprising that he painted Napoleon here, as he did many portraits for the Emperor.

Grotto of Buontalenti

Grotto of Buontalenti 5634

Flanked on both sides by statues of
Apollo and Ceres in niches, created by
Baccio Bandinelli (Ceres is shown below).
The grotto is often closed, but I snuck in with
a group that was being led by a docent.

Grotto Buontalenti Facade 5769

The Grotto houses several Mannerist sculptures
and an extremely creative depiction of a natural
grotto, complete with stalactites. This is without
doubt the most unusual work of art in Florence.
The photos really don’t do it justice (sigh...).

Built in 1583-88, it contains three connecting grottoes, the first with copies of four of Michelangelo’s Prisoners (originally created for the Tomb of Julius II, seen  on the Roman Church Interiors page. The originals were moved to the Academia) and some  truly surreal sculptures seemingly extruded from the walls. The second grotto contains Vincenzo de’ Rossi’s Helen and Paris, and the inner grotto houses Giambologna’s Bathing Venus.

Ceres Baccio Bandinelli Boboli 5738

This sculpture by Bartolommeo (Baccio) Bandinelli is
in one of the niches in front of the Grotto of Buontalenti.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5759

Bernardo Buontalenti worked exclusively for the Medici as a painter, sculptor, architect,
and as a military engineer. He was involved in all aspects of the decoration of the Palazzo Pitti
and the Boboli Gardens, and created the Buontalenti Grotto in collaboration with several famous
artists, including Giambologna and Giorgio Vasari. This is the entrance, with two of Michelangelo’s
Prisoners (copies) embedded in the walls. To the rear is Vincenzo de' Rossi’s Helen and Paris.

Michelangelo Prisoner
Grotto of Buontalenti 5818

Detail of Michelangelo’s Bearded Prisoner.
The originals are in the Galleria dell'Academia.

Helen and Paris Grotto of Buontalenti 5777

Vincenzo de Rossi’s Helen and Paris, centered in
the entry to the small grotto where Giambologna’s
Venus Bathing is mounted over a fountain.

Helen and Paris Grotto of Buontalenti 5774, 5807
(Composite will open in a second window)

This sculpture is interesting in that it is designed to be looked at from only two angles: the
front (from the entrance) and the sculpture’s left, which is the side you would see when leaving the
small grotto. It’s a dramatic piece of work. (I used a chiaroscuro approach to the right image).

Grotto of Buontalenti 5828

The first chamber of the Grotto, frescoed to
resemble a natural grotto and brimming with
Mannerist sculpture created with a technique
made to resemble dripping molten rock.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5821

Natural grottos were often used by shepherds
to shelter from wild animals in antiquity. The
Mannerist sculptures are made to resemble
shepherds and peasants lounging in the cave.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5764

Grottos are usually either near water or are flooded at least part of the time. The Grotto of Buontalenti used to have waterworks and extensive vegetation. It was the one of the first of many Mannerist grottos which were built in Italy and later in France and elsewhere (Nicolo Tribolo, who designed the Boboli Gardens just before he died, created the grotto at the Medici Villa Castello near Florence. Yet another instance where the Medici were first in the institution of an art form that spread throughout Europe after being seen by visiting dignitaries.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5758

The grotto was begun by Giorgio Vasari
(who laid out the design), then taken over by
Bartolomeo Ammanati, who succeeded as the
designer of the Gardens after Tribolo died. The
sculptures were designed by Buontalenti.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5835

The architecture of this grotto is also by
Buontalenti, as was the concept for the visual
interplay of sculptures and the grotto itself. He
continued the stalactite motif down into and as
a part of the sculptures, creating a masterpiece.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5761

This is my favorite scene from the first cavern (additional details are in the composite below).
You probably recognize several of the characters from earlier images in this set.

Grotto of Buontalenti 5824, 5838
(Composite will open in a second window)

My favorite character from the first cavern is the shepherd.

Bathing Venus Giambologna Grotto of Buontalenti 5779
(Composite will open in a second window)

Another of Giambologna’s masterpieces, Bathing Venus is one of a series of sculptures he
created using Venus as his subject. Giambologna (Jean Boulogne) was the court sculptor to the
Medici and created numerous works of art, quite a number of which are in the Boboli Gardens,
including the Fountain of Oceanus, the monumental Bust of Jupiter, Abundance, and others.

Dacian Prisoners Boboli 5844, 5851
(Composite will open in a second window)

Next to the entrance/exit to the Boboli Gardens is this magnificent surprise.

Two ancient Roman statues of prisoners from Trajan’s Dacian Wars, brought to the
Boboli Gardens by the Medici. Originally from Trajan’s Forum, the statues are of porphyry,
a highly sought material for prestigious sculptures in Rome (the heads and hands are of marble).
There was restoration done (the right lower arms, the necks, and the right foot of the statue on the left).

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
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