The Uffizi

I was travelling to Florence in April 2023, so I spent the month of March online trying to book a ticket for one of the days I was there. It was all booked out. I wasn’t going to book through one of the websites that charge exorbitant prices for tickets, so I resigned myself to the fact I wasn’t going. It was very disappointing because I wanted, in particular to see Artemisia Gentileschi. The last time I was in The Uffizi she was in the Vasari Corridor and was not being celebrated as much as she is today. 

Strolling around the Ponte Vecchio trying to avoid the rain, we walked beside the Arno under the Vasari corridor and my daughter noticed there was a short queue for the Uffizi. Intrigued I asked, “will we join”. This was too good to be true, so I approached the security guard, “is this for the Uffizi”, he nodded. So, 10 minutes later we were at the ticket desk. €25 for an adult €2 for a student (make sure you have Student ID). Closing time for tickets 17:30 and you must be out of the museum by 18:30. You buy your ticket at the ticket office and then you cross the street to the entrance. We were in. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe our luck.

There is obviously a lot of construction work going on with the new proposed entrance but take your time and you will get there. We snaked through a lot of corridors on the ground floor and then you are greeted by the entrance stairs. There are a lot of stairs so be prepared.

The East Corridor
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

You arrive at The East Corridor faced with Roman Busts throughout. I am sure it is very interesting for students of Roman Art and history but for me I just want to head for the Giotto room. Now for those of you who love Art you will know the importance of Giotto. The story goes that Cimabue was out walking and saw a ten-year-old Giotto drawing on a stone and he was so surprised with his talent he asked him to come train with him, Giotto’s father allowed this and he was apprenticed to Cimabue.

Below is Madonna and child Enthroned with Angels and Saints, 1306-1310, The Panel was taken from the Umiliati Friars Church of Ognissanti in Florence. And when first seen by the public it became a source of Inspiration for Florentine artists over the century. I particularly love the face of the Angel handing the Virgin her Crown. This is what set Giotto apart from Artists that went before and also what gave him the title as the father of the Renaissance

Giotto
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

In the next room we find Piero Della Francesco another famous masterpiece Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, The Duke and Duchess of Urbino, the painting is partly famous for The Nose, Federico’s nose was broken in a tournament and the reason for the side view is because he lost his right eye.

Duke and Duchess of Urbino by Piero Della Francesco
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

In the same room is another masterpiece, as a matter of fact I should probably stop saying this as they are all masterpieces in this article, The battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello, Uccello was a master of perspective, as can be seen by the Horse and soldier lying down in the centre of the painting. Note: try and not be deceived as there are a set of three of these paintings you may have seen before, One in The Louvre and one in the National Gallery London.

The Battle of San Romano
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

Many people come to The Uffizi for The Botticelli room which is amazing, and his works are a must see, The Birth of Venus, and Spring It is usually quiet busy, but for me I love his little painting in the corner. The Calumny of Apelles 1495, it is a picture inspired by the ancient Greek Artist Apelles. On the right King Midas, poorly counselled by Suspicion and Ignorance, prepares to judge the victim of slander, who is dragged by the hair by Calumny and accompanied by Fraud, Deception and Spite. On the left, Repentance looks at the naked truth, who raises her eyes to Heaven.

Spring by Botticelli
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill
The Calumny of Apelles
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

I used to struggle with the question is The Uffizi the greatest Art Gallery in the world?, and for a time I believed this to be true as this was my fourth visit. I came as a young apprentice Electrician infatuated with all things Florentine. It certainly is in the top ten but for Art Lovers it is a must see because it does have some of the most beautiful and important works of Art in the world and I suppose it could be an unanswerable question,

What is the Greatest Art Gallery in the world…….

Moving a long there is a beautiful Rogier Van Der Weyden here, The Deposition circa 1450,

The Deposition by Rogier Van der Weyden
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

Do not forget to stop and take a look at the Ponte Vecchio and The Vasari corridor. So much history here and I stand corrected, but I believe that the Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Europe that both allied and axis forces agreed not to bomb given the history it contained as one of the oldest gold merchant bridges in the world.

The Ponte Vecchio and The Vasari corridor
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

Of course, the Leonardo da Vinci room is amazing, we see Andrea del Verrocchio and his apprentice Leonardo Da Vinci who painted the Angel on the left. It was said that after Verrocchio saw his student Leonardo’s handling of the Angel, he became embarrassed and he put down his brushes and vowed “I will never paint again”.

Leonardo’s angel
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

Leonardo’s Annunciation is something to behold, it is truly beautiful. The Archangel Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary is set in the Garden of an elegant Renaissance Palazzo. The Angel’s wings owe a debt to Leonardo due to his study of Birds in flight. There are certain anomalies in the painting such as Mary’s excessively long right arm which disappears if you look at the painting from below and from the right which would suggest the painting graced the side Altar in the church of San Bartolomeo in Monteoliveto in Florence, its original home.

Leonardo the Annunciation circa 1472
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

The Raphael and Michelangelo room, where to start, it can be overwhelming but in fairness to the Curators and staff of The Uffizi this room is exquisite. Beautiful bright and spacious. The works are restored perfectly, and they look as if they were painted yesterday. The colours are vibrant in every work. Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo circa 1506 is magnificent. The bright pinks and yellows and blues. Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch is simply perfection but the star of the room for me is Raphael’s St john The Baptist painted in 1517, St John is depicted as a half-naked young man set against a brown rock in full light. His raised right arm pointing towards the small cross above him and his left arm lowered holding a scroll announcing Jesus’ coming are reminiscent of the Laocoon. The painting used to hang in The Tribune room as a mark of its quality and importance. For me dare I say it looks Caravaggesque which I know is silly as Caravaggio was not even born but you know what I mean. The darkness and the look on St John’s face.

St John The Baptist by Raphael
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill
Doni Tondo by Michelangelo
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill
Madonna of The Goldfinch by Raphael
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

So, I am new to the works of Jacopo Pontormo but I heard the famous Art Historian Waldemar Januszczak speak so passionately about his work and he is a huge fan of Pontormo so I said if he’s good enough for Waldemar, I will check him out. I know many of his works were damaged or lost. Vasari did not paint a nice picture of Pontormo in The Lives of the artists, but many believe this is because he would have been a contemporary fighting for commissions but let’s face it Vasari wasn’t really that good and Pontormo was excellent. Like many painters Pontormo fell out of favour over the years but thankfully now he is appreciated for how good he really was . His Madonna and child with the young Saint John is superb. The figures stand out against the dark background. The close up view emphasises the drama of the scene. The Virgin hugs the child and the young saint John holds a serious expression aware of the sacrifice to come. The elongated bodies, the unnatural curve of the Virgin’s torso, and the twisting poses are typical of 16th century Florentine mannerism

Pontormo Madonna and child with the young Saint John
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

So one of the many reasons I came here is Artemisia, like many in The Art world I am fascinated with all things Artemisia and in particular her Judith beheading Holofernes. I am not disappointed. As I said earlier the last time I was here her work was in the Vasari corridor and I did not see it. The painting is signed bottom right “Ego Artemitia/ Lomi Fec.”, It was painted for probably Grand Duke Cosimo II de Medici. Some scholars argue that in painting it, the artist was letting off steam after winning a trial for rape against the painter Agostino Tassi. In fact, the theme of Judith seducing and beheading the General Holofernes to relive her besieged city was not rare in the 17th century and had also been painted by Caravaggio. What is thoroughly unique is the energetic way the heroine accomplishes her task. There is blood everywhere.

Artemisia Gentileschi
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

Peter Paul Rubens and his beautiful portrait of his first Love, Isabella Brant. I honestly don’t think the photo I took does it justice. It is an absolutely stunning painting. The painting portrays his first wife Isabella Brant who died at a very young age leaving Rubens Heartbroken. Some say the painting was painted after she died from a drawing Rubens made some years earlier now at the British Museum in London. It made it to the Medici collection after Cosimo III bought it around 1667. When I look at it, I see a young woman very much in Love, and very sensitively painted by Rubens

Rubens, Isabella Brant
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

There are two stunning Rembrandts, Portrait of a young man and A Rabbi. I especially was looking forward to seeing The Van Dyck’s, his Equestrian Portrait of Emperor Charles V and Portrait of Marguerite Lorraine Duchess of Orleans. I observed two curious statements by The Uffizi, A portrait attributed to Van Dyck, now I am no expert but even I can see this is not by Van Dyck, so my question is Why does the Uffizi do this. Surely at this stage it could be cleaned and restored and x-rayed and remove it or state it categorically who it is from also in The Equestrian portrait they State “If this painting is indeed by Van Dyck” what? make up your mind. It is or isn’t by Van Dyck.

Self portrait of Anthony Van Dyck
PHOTOGRAPH BY Alan O’Neill

So, I am going to leave it there my apologies for not covering Caravaggio as I was too engrossed in Artemisia, I also didn’t cover El Greco and Bronzino and Titian and probably many more but you know what, You’ll just have to visit yourself…….

Incidentally you would have to take out a mortgage to eat in the Café. Only joking but it is expensive as are nearly all Art Gallery Café’s in Europe. So make sure you have a good breakfast or dinner before you go in there

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Alan O’Neill

Alan is an avid Art Gallery visitor here in Europe. I would think I have visited approximately 33 Art related galleries(churches with works of Art also) in Europe. He has a bucket list of approximately 14 left to visit (obviously there's always more).