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The Art of Tuscany

The Art of Tuscany

Posted by April Bargout On August 28 2019

Appreciating the universal language of art makes us fully human. Some of the most timeless art in the world can be found in Italy’s Tuscany region.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is where the birth and maturation of the Renaissance from the 14th to the 16th century occurred. It was here that the mighty Medici family nurtured young artists who are now considered old masters. There are at least three major types of art you can see in Tuscany that will put the cares of your daily life to rest.

Galleries and Museums

Uffizi gallery Florence Italy

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence contains some of the most important works of art in the world, housing Renaissance masterpieces in painting and sculpture. Botticelli’s Primavera (Allegory of Spring) is here and also his The Birth of Venus. Other works include those of Rembrandt and Leonardo Da Vinci.

As with New York’s immense Metropolitan Museum, you can spend all day here and still not see everything. A new German-born director was appointed in 2015, according to Uffizi.org, “the first foreigner to run the Uffizi.”

Another development at the Uffizi is a new webAPP, Visitor’s Guide to the Uffizi Gallery, that has been enabled by the installation of free Wifi throughout in 2015.

The Palatine Gallery in Florence features major artworks collected by the Medici dynasty, which are displayed in sumptuous rooms of this palace. The Bargello Museum contains works by Donatello and Cellini.

The Accademia is still another repository of great art, including Michelangelo’s David. Florence is renowned for its Last Supper tradition, with multiple murals in the city depicting Jesus’ last meal with his 12 disciples. Da Vinci’s version is the most celebrated, but there are others depicting this historical subject that are well worth seeing.

For admission to these museums, it’s highly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance of your trip, especially if traveling with a group. If you are on a tour, this should be taken care of after you book.

Landmarks, Monuments and Towers

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, in the city of Pisa, is the world-famous Tower with a tilt. Its lopsided, tipping nature was unintended, but don’t worry when you visit. The tower was renovated and structurally strengthened in 2001. That doesn’t stop tourists from taking pictures every day of themselves ostensibly holding up the famous building.

A true jewel of the Renaissance is the main cathedral in San Gimignano. Its medieval towers rise high into the sky. Inside you can admire works of art that tell stories from the Old and New Testaments. Still another Renaissance treasure in the city is the Chapel of Santa Fina.

Cathedrals and Basilicas

In the city of Siena is one of Tuscany’s most awe-inspiring Gothic cathedrals, the Cathedral of Siena. Its tile floor has been called one of the greatest works of beauty ever created. The Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence is yet another of Renaissance architecture’s greatest riches.

Brunelleschis Dome

You must see Brunelleschi’s Dome, the Duomo, in the Florence Cathedral as well. It took him 16 years (1420-1436) to complete this masterpiece, the dramatic story of which was expertly chronicled by Tom Mueller for National Geographic in “Brunelleschi’s Dome.”

Whatever your level of art knowledge, Tuscany’s magnificent landscapes and works of art will leave you with a deep sense of enchantment and wonder.

Artists from everywhere continue to visit this region to try to capture the beauty of its rolling hills on canvas. In visiting all the treasures of Tuscany, you are sure to both find yourself and lose yourself at the same time.

April Bargout

Written by April Bargout

Managing Partner BellaVista Tours