For me the highlight of the opera’s collection are the 2 exquisite cantorie by Donatello and Luca della Robbia. Originally a part of the duomo, these beauties are preserved in the museum where they are exhibited up high as they would have appeared in the cathedral. I am in their thrall.
First up, the Donatello:
Now, moving across the room to the Luca della Robbia masterwork:
The extraordinary riches in this museum require many posts! Here is part 3 of my recent visit.
The next 2 labels deal with the custom of collecting relics some of the ones preserved in Florence:
Now on to the amazing bell tower in the duomo complex.
For more of these relief sculptures that form the program on the bell tower, see my earlier post:https://laurettadimmick.com/2020/05/25/charmed-by-the-late-medieval-carvings-at-the-museo-dellopera-di-duomo-firenze/
Another famous landmark opened in Florence this week and you can bet I was one one the first people through the door. And, I have another visit planned for this coming weekend.
Let’s just start an overview of the many works of wonder in this magnificent site.
First of all, check out the city square without the usual mob of tourists. It’s kind of amazing. I love it this way.
I begin my pictorial tour at the west wall of the church, the wall on which the main doors to the church are located.
I’ll end part 1 with a view of this to me very funny poster announcing the secular fraternity of Fransciscans. I love how St. Francis is meeting Christ mid-air.
More artworks from my continuing visits of the art museum last week. First up, some Roman art that was to be found in Florence during the Renaissance. Always a source and inspiration for new artists.
Michelangelo’s late Pieta is now undergoing restoration in the museum:
Some Medieval paintings in the museum:
San Zanobi:
3 of Florence’s special saints: Reparata, San Zanobi, and St. John the Baptist:
One of Donatello’s masterpieces: the Mary Magdalene:
There is a lot to absorb in this incredibly rich museum and I decided to take it in chunks this week. After two great visits, I still need to go back to take in more. Soon.
An elegant, Gothic period, sculptural pas de deux of The Annunciation. It has always been my favorite episode represented in Christian art.
The museum has ingeniously set up the famous bronze doors of the Baptistery so that both the front and back sides can be viewed.
Entering the room that sets up the original, 15th century appearance of the duomo’s facade. Such an impressive feat for a museum.
Great museum labeling provides context. Below, it is explained how the area between the baptistery and the facade of a church was traditionally called a “paradise.” Therefore, Ghiberti’s “Doors of Paradise” so-named by Michelangelo, can be understood in situ.
Below, Pope Boniface VIII by Arnolfo di Cambio, the duomo’s architect.
A reconstruction of the facade:
A plan of the facade:
And now, the second set of doors, for the north side of the Baptistery by Ghiberti:
Above and below, the Annunciation by Ghiberti:
The Gates of Paradise by Ghiberti:
Above you see Ghiberti’s self-portrait in the bust that extend:
The doors by Andrea Pisano for south side of the Baptistery. There were the first of the 3 sets to be done.
A view of the 3 sets of doors as displayed in the museum.
Slowly, institution by institution, Florence is reopening. This past week the entire duomo complex reopened and I visited each building, one by one on consecutive days. Some, I revisited more than once. It was wonderful to feed my eyes and mind again. They were starved.
Florence was beautiful this week, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. On a beautiful day in May a friend and I enjoyed the reopened Boboli.
That’s a real turtle! At first we thought it was a statue in bronze. But, it moved!
Taking full advantage of the open door policy for residents, today I happily visited the cathedral’s Museo. I’m a greedy little art historian: tomorrow I will pay the museum another visit. Because I can! Oh, the luxury of living in Florence! I feel so blessed.
I was beguiled by the carvings for the cathedral, created in the 1330s, by Andrea Pisano and his workshop. Please join me in enjoying their naive loveliness:
God creating Adam:
Can Eve be far behind? No!
You know what follows. Eventually Adam is going to have to go to work.
Jubal: the beginning of sheep herding. Complete with his tent and little dog.
Jubal: the beginning of the art of music:
Tubalcain, the beginning of the art of metal work:
The Drunkenness of Noah: the beginning of wine making:
The art of building:
The art of medicine:
The art of weaving:
The beginning of law making:
Perhaps, since I spend some time teaching English online to children in China, I really liked “grammatica”
Here’s “architecture”
And here is Phidias, who was the first famous sculptor:
The sacrament of baptism:
Appelles, the art of painting:
And an image that soothed my soul: “Reconciliation”
But, today, of all the stunning things I saw, I like this one best of all. The Madonna and Child by Andrea Pisano’s workshop:
I love, love, love the way the madonna seems to genuinely enjoy the humor of the Christ child, as she tickles him??!!
When in Florence, you must go see these charmers!
As if to thank the residents of Florence for enduring the 2 month long lockdown, the government has given us free admission into the complex of the duomo. As the 4 buildings of the baptistery, the bell tower, the cathedral and the museum reopen, we can, with reservations made online, visit these sites for free. Hallelujah! I am seriously in need of some artistic nourishment.
I was one of the first people to enter the baptistery on May 22 and, for a period of about 10 minutes, I had the entire place to myself. Wow. That’s an exceedingly rare experience and I’ll remember it forever.
This town and the baptistery are both dedicated to the patron saint of St. John the Baptist.
The next few pictures are of the ceiling and the altar itself in in the altar niche in the baptistery. First, Christ in Majesty in mosaic.
opposite: The Virgin and Child.
Below, the central medallion over the altar.
I really love the simple, medieval decoration of the back wall. It has not been “Renaissanced” up.
The exterior of the baptistery is so wonderful, with the striped patterns made up of creamy white and dark green veneers of marble:
Back inside, the tomb of Pope Paul XXIII by Donatello is under cover for the moment.
Below, more details of the altar space:
And now, for the outstanding mosaic cycle in the domed space above. I’ll never forget confronting the face of Jesus when I made my first visit to Florence when I was 27. I wasn’t prepared for this Byzantine visage, thinking Florence would be all-Renaissance, all the time.
A statue of St. John the Baptist above and below:
The eye wanders up to the dome again and again:
A sarcophagus that looks like it might be a recycled Roman era object, with a lid that clearly relates to Christianity.
I love looking at the gallery space, especially the inlaid ceilings:
The ceiling in the gallery space below is treated with mosaics as well.
And once more, looking up at the dome:
It is also worth looking down. The many-patterned pavement in this august building is superb:
And now for the font, the building’s raison d’être:
And now, one last look at the Baptistery with no one in it but Byzantine Jesus and me.
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Little by little, she is coming back to life.
The Uffizi is still closed to the public, but I was reassured that Cosimo I, il Pater Patriae, is still waiting for me, as is Lorenzo il Magnifico. Very nice to know!
Together these Medici gentlemen guard the Uffizi, even during a pandemic.
The nearby Palazzo Vecchio, is partially open. The museum and tours are not yet ready for visitors, but the elegant and lovely cortile is ready to be admired again. And, I am a very willing supplicant.
And a quick stop for a real cappuccino served in a real cup at the bar at Scudieri. Life is good!
get back, lauretta! 
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