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It would be impossible (and probably naive) to even attempt to summarize or encapsulate the rich and very complex history of any of the renowned museums here in Italy (or anywhere for that matter).
My intention, therefore, is to share my experience with you. I try to present enough interesting content accompanied by lots of compelling photos in the hope that you will feel enriched and possibly even inspired.
This week I want to share about still another of Florence’s distinguished museums; Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace).
The Pitti Palace Museum actually consists of several collections: the Palatine Gallery, the Modern Art Gallery, the Royal Apartments, the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, the Porcelain Museum, and the Boboli Gardens.
Yes, it is massive so today I’m only going to focus on highlights of The Palatine Gallery (Galleria Palatina) which I recently revisited. (In the future, and as they open to the public, I will be sharing much more about the other museums of Palazzo Pitti!)
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♦ Where You Will Find Pitti Palace
Pitti Palace is situated on the south side of the River Arno in Florence, what is referred to as the Oltrarno, and a short walk from Ponte Vecchio. Three times its original size, it is the largest palazzo/museum complex in Florence. (Would you believe almost 350,000 square feet?)
It’s impossible to miss it as just the exterior and entrance are dramatic, if not a tad intimidating! One can almost imagine arriving by private coach or carriage… Quite grand indeed! And the backstory is equally impressive and grand.
Pitti Palace Courtyard…
As with so many of these monumental palaces and historical sites, photos can hardly do them justice – the size and scale are certainly imposing (as they were intended). We also have to remember that, constructed hundreds of years ago, they are incredible feats of engineering.
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->>Welcome to Palazzo Pitti! A View of the Courtyard…<<-
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♦ A (Very) Brief History of Pitti Palace
Well, what was going to be a “brief history” turned out to be a frustrating and frankly exasperating attempt to untangle the complicated 500 year history and saga of the three (3) “dynasties” that inhabited the Palace.
It is a fascinating albeit complicated chronicle whose cast of characters includes the Medici, the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and, finally, the House of Savoy. All were powerful and enduring influences leaving their indelible imprint on what we see today.
However, trying to keep track of the “family trees” and lines of inheritance and succession, especially when progeny were often named after their father or revered ancestor, is enough to make your head spin! There are multiple generations of Cosimos (I, II, III), Ferdinands (I, II, III), and Leopolds (I, II, III) and finally a King.
Then, of course, the pre-arranged marriages contributed other influences and intrigues. Romantic love was seldom (ever?) the motivation but these alliances were typically made for political advantage and expediency (i.e., security, strategic alliances and allegiances, dowries, title/position, etc.). Occasionally “love” did enter the picture albeit typically by chance after the vows were taken.
Ultimately, after spending hours on it and then realizing I had to recheck and revise again..and then again…well, it’s going to be a very brief overview. Then I’m going to move on and focus on sharing some of the exquisite highlights that, one day, I hope you will have the opportunity to experience firsthand…
♦ As I Was Saying…
The story and history of Pitti Palace, like so many other palaces and historical structures, is a very long and elaborate one. I have tried to distill over five centuries for you (but I invite you to research and delve deeper).
The earliest formal documentation attributes the architecture (possibly) to Brunelleschi. We do know that the palace was started in 1461 by Luca Pitti, a wealthy Florentine merchant at the foot of Boboli hill and near the Arno. Pitti died in 1473 and although the palace was left unfinished it remained in the Pitti family until 1550.
Portraits of Cosimo I and Eleanora di Toledo
It was Eleonora di Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de’Medici and Duchess of Florence, who purchased the Palace and began the undertaking of major expansions, extensions and renovations, including adding two wings and an internal courtyard, under the supervision of Bartolomeo Ammannati. Unfortunately the Duchess and two of her sons died from malaria in 1562, barely living long enough to see it completed.
Over the next 300 years, the story (perhaps I should say saga!) of Pitti Palace is a complicated history of the Medici (notice their frequently displayed coat of arms) and their strategic marital alliances which continued to enhance the prestige of the Medici family (and, of course, add to their rich collection).
The Pitti Palace Reliquarie was originally a Chapel.
In fact, for much of its history Pitti Palace was not an official residence but only occasionally used for special occasions as well as to lodge important guests.
Originally an ante-chamber, renovated and renamed several times, this is now Sala Bianca, the spectacular White Room…
Part of that history is an ongoing story of continuous construction, modifications, additions, and renovations dating from Cosimo III (son of Cosimo I and Eleonora) to Ferdinand I, II, III and eventually (with the death of Anna Maria Louisa, the last Medici heir) to the Grand Duke of Lorraine and son of Leopold (the House of Habsburg-Lorraine) in 1737. (This is dynasty #2!)
Eventually, the first floor was converted from private apartments to a gallery in 1815 and the apartments moved to the the second floor. In 1828, the first floor was opened to visitors.
Entering The Palatine Gallery via Gallery of the Statues…
The third and last dynasty would the Kings of Italy from the House of Savoy, who inhabited the Palace from 1865 until 1919, when it was donated by King Victor Emanuel III to the Italian state, together with the piazza and the gardens.
Interestingly (and I would guess that Luca Pitti would be pleased), throughout the Palace’s history, it has retained the Pitti name. Today Pitti Palace is administered under the umbrella of the Uffizi Galleries which also includes: the Uffizi Gallery, the Boboli Gardens, and the Vasari Corridor.
♦ Galleria Palatina, The Palatine Gallery
The Gallery was named “Palatina” because it was “of the palace” of the ruling family. And palatial certainly describes this spectacular gallery and prestigious collection.
In the Room of the Allegories, a charming statue of a Young Michelangelo by Zocchi
The gallery consists of 23 lavishly appointed and “themed” rooms adorned with luxurious wall coverings, marvelous decorative frescoes and stucco work which provide a perfect setting for the extensive artwork collection.
Richly frescoed and decorated ceilings and walls…(I had to take a few selfies!)
Rooms are thematically designated such as Music Room, Room of the Fine Arts, Justice Room and many refer to allegorical or mythological figures such as Hercules Room, Iliad Room, Jupiter Room, Mars Room, Venus Room, etc.
↓↓ Please CLICK FOR VIDEO ↓↓
->> Movie Pitti Palace – Jupiter Room <<-
Examples of ornate decor (click on any photo for details)
In addition to the over 500 paintings collected by the Medici, there are stunning sculptures, porcelains, tapestries, and furnishings (including beautifully executed examples of intarsiato, inlay craftsmanship).
Some of the superb intarsiato craftsmanship.
Unlike conventional art museums and galleries, the collections are not exhibited according to any particular chronological order or grouped according to the artist or school. Instead, they are arranged according to the taste of the ruling family. They are also displayed in the style of 17th century picture galleries, called quadreria, where the paintings covered the walls up to the ceiling.
A riches of masterpieces! (The Mars Room)
What we are presented with is one spectacularly appointed and astonishingly gorgeous room after another filled, literally, floor to ceiling with artistic works and masterpieces!
Feast your eyes on the likes of Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Canova, Botticelli, Signorelli, Lippi, Veronese, Perugino, del Sarto…
↓↓ Please CLICK FOR VIDEO ↓↓
->> Movie Pitti Palace – Venus Room <<-
Raphael’s Powerful Madonna & Child, Ulysses Room
Portrait Masterpieces by Titian, Tintoretto (top row L to R) and Rubens (bottom row)
Raphael: Self Portrait, Madonna del Baldocchino, Young Man with Apple, and Portrait of a Cardinal
Bronzino’s Portrait of Cosimo I’s favorite dwarf, Morgante from both sides!
♦ Raphael Restored
On display for a limited time is the recently restored Raphael portrait of Pope Leo X, the first of the Medici Popes, second son of Lorenzo de’Medici (Il Magnifico) and Clarice Orsini.
Commissioned in September 1518, it was to be placed over the main banquet table at the wedding celebrations of Leo X’s nephew, Lorenzo de ‘Medici, Duke of Urbino with Madeleine de la Tour d’Auvergne. The work depicts the pontiff together with two cardinals, both belonging to the Medici family: his cousins Giulio de ‘Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi.
Detail of the Restored Portrait
The extensive restoration, which began in 2017, was undertaken by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, and in this special exhibit you can follow the painstaking process of bringing Raphael’s painting back to its original richness and beauty.
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I sincerely hope that I have been able to capture the magnificent beauty of Pitti Palace for you. It’s quite a task to cull and choose from over 150 photos, then to put them in an appealing format with just enough content to please YOU! And, of course, to make that dream of coming to bella Italia a reality!
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♦ All Photos are My Own ©
♦ Click HERE for More About Pitti Palace
♦ Click HERE for More About the Restoration
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Please CLICK HERE for more about “off the beaten track” and well-known museums!
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Wouldn’t you love to visit this exquisite museum and so many of the other sites of Florence…Tuscany…Italy???
Of course you would! And when you are able and ready, we are HERE for you!
Si, we are ready to help YOU plan your fabulous trip to Italia!
