Florence
October 17, 2019
On Thursday it was time for us to leave Florence, having already stayed longer than originally planned. But since there are plenty of trains during the day, we didn't need to be in any rush, so we had time to visit the Pitti Palace. It was not the place to have a Pitti party, though. We put our luggage in a storage room at the hotel and checked out. The hotel proprietor saw my Rick Steves guide book and said she had known him for 25 years, and that he had stayed there several times. So when he recommended the hotel in his book, he knew what he was talking about.
Built by a banker named Luca Pitti, the Pitti Palace was sold to the Medici family in 1549, and they moved across the Arno from what they then called the Palazzo Vecchio. It was later used by Napoleon, and still later became the royal palace for the newly united nation of Italy. It is the largest museum complex in Florence. We had time to visit the 28-room main gallery and the 14-room royal apartments. I also had a quick look in the modern art gallery on the top floor. There are four other museums and two gardens we didn't visit at all.
This was too reflective to show up well in a picture, but I hope you get an idea of the lovely design.
The building was great for my interest in photographing ceilings.
In the background is Fra Filippo Lippi's Madonna and Child.
Raphael and assistants: Madonna dell'Impannata
And here's another Caravaggio: Cupid Sleeping
Napoleon's sister lived here for a while, and she did a lot of redecorating. She created this bathroom for Napoleon. Rick Steves says, "But Napoleon was not destined to meet this water loo."
Raphael: Madonna with Child and St. John the Baptist
Rubens: The Four Philosophers
The Room of Mars: The large painting is Rubens's The Consequences of War.
The White Hall, once the ballroom of the palace
The Royal apartments feature rooms of different colors and decorating styles. Many feature portraits of various Medici.
The Throne Room, where Grand Prince Ferdinando held audiences. It was redecorated for Victor Emmanuel II.
Ferdinando's Music Room, later a dining room
Ferdinando's state bedchamber was converted to a chapel in 1765.
Camera del Re
King Umberto I's study
Another view of the White Hall
Orchestrion: a mechanical organ
Giovanni Dupré: Dying Abel
After I finished seeing the apartments, I headed upstairs to the "modern art" gallery. The art is mostly Romantic and Neoclassical. I didn't find it particularly interesting, but then I didn't have a lot of time to browse. I did like the statue of Victor Hugo. There were some nice views of Florence from up there.
By then it was after 12:30, and time to catch a cab to stop by the hotel to retrieve our luggage and ride on to the train station. Our next stop was Assisi for a couple nights.