MICHELANGELO’S DAVID
First off, a detour from the Medicis to Michelangelo. The Chief Penguin got us tickets to the Accademia for Saturday to see David. Saturday morning was lovely, but it poured in the afternoon, which resulted in a long soggy walk there. Our tickets were for 4:45 pm, but at 4:30, we weren’t sure we wanted more time standing in the rain, so we departed. On Sunday, thanks to our guide Sasha, the CP got more tickets and then actually got in. He reminded me that the real David is very impressive in this well-lighted setting!
MEDICI FAMILY
Yesterday morning was devoted to the Medici family and its generations of dukes and grand dukes, a powerful merchant family with strong ties to the church. Two members of this family became popes, Leo X and Clement VII.
Most people think of the Medici men like Cosimo and Lorenzo Medici, but in the 17th century, one woman ensured that the Medici art collection, with only a few exceptions, would remain in Florence forever. That woman was Anna Maria Luisa de Medici. She was the last lineal descendant of the main branch of Medicis. She had no children and was a patron of the arts. She’s represented in an impressive seated sculpture with a book on her lap in the lower level of the Medici Chapel.
Our guide Sasha, a native of Denmark, but a resident of Italy for more than 30 years, was excellent with a lively manner and a sense of humor. We put a lot of miles on our feet over several hours to visit the Medici Chapels, the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, and the San Marco Church.
MEDICI CHAPELS
The Medici Chapels were our first stop, and there are two of them dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. They are extensions to the Medici family’s official church, the Church of San Lorenzo. Many might say that the décor of the huge church-like Chapel of the Princes is over the top. Its colors are dark and somewhat somber, but the marble and and inlaid precious stone work is elaborate and very detailed.
This chapel celebrates the grand dukes of the Medici family each with its own sarcophagus. The men are actually buried elsewhere. Only two of the sarcophaguses have statues in the alcove above, that of Ferdinand who killed his younger brother and wife, and his son’s alcove. The other alcoves remain empty and incomplete.
This chapel was created in the 1600’s, but the intricate mosaic floor work wasn’t begun until 1874 and only completed in the 1960’s. The yellow marble is particularly striking.
The second chapel or mausoleum, called the New Sacristy, was designed by Michelangelo as a cube with a dome at the top. He oversaw its construction from 1520 to 1534. It is a complete contrast to the Chapel of Princes, in only black and white with sculptures of white marble.
On opposite walls are two groups of marble statues. In one, the Duke of Nemours , brother of Pope Leo X, is shown above his sarcophagus in military garb, while below are two reclining nudes, one a male representing day or awakening, and the other a female representing night. These are powerful sculptures and dominate the space.
On side wall is a Madonna grouping; Michelangelo sculpted the Virgin and child, but not the other two figures.
PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI
From here, we walked on to Palazzo Medici Riccardi. This 15th century palace was the home of the Medicis and later bought by the Riccardi family, hence the name.
It was designed by Michelozzo di Bartholomeo. We stopped here to see the Magi Chapel with frescos by Benozzo Gozzoli and art by Flippo Lippi. The colors on the frescos are vibrant even today.
SAN MARCO CHURCH
Our last stop was San Marco Church. Originally founded in 1267 as a Benedictine monastery, it became home to Dominican monks of Fiesole some 150 years later due to Cosimo of Vecchio’s intervention. Here we came to see the fresco, The Last Supper, by Domenico Ghirlandaio, painted in the late 15th century. Jesus is in the center with all but one apostle seated along his side; Judas is on the other side of the table facing Jesus. Despite what is to come, the scene is serene. (The photo below shows most, but not all of the fresco.)
We enjoyed our art-filled morning and came away with a greater appreciation for the Medicis’ power and influence and for the rich paintings and frescos they inspired.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is the garden at Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
I’m curious what company your guides worked for and how did you get them. My guides in Florence & Rome worked for a company called Context Tours and were quite expensive but highly educated.
Chris, we arranged our trip with Tuscany Tours. The two women who run this company are an American and an Italian. They booked all our hotels, etc. and arranged the guides in each place. It was presented as a package so the guide costs were not broken out, but all our guides have been excellent! Well educated and knowledgeable. Also believe based on their comments, that the exam they must pass to be licensed is quite difficult. See tuscanytours.com for more info.