- Duration
- 3.5 hours
- Location
- Florence
- Visits Casa Buonarroti, Bargello and Accademia Gallery, including Michelangelo's Statue of David
- Led by an art historian
- Casa Buonarroti, Museo del Bargello, Accademia Gallery, Michelangelo's David, and Michelangelo's Bacchus
This tour is designed to give us a chance to explore in-depth the work and artistic legacy of Michelangelo, whose impact on the Florentine Renaissance and art history in general cannot be overstated. We’ll begin at the Casa Buonarroti, a house purchased by the artist for his family, now converted into a small museum of drawings and early sculptures. Here, in this relatively unknown museum, we will spend some time laying out the important themes that resonate through his work. Next, we move to the Bargello Museum, a former Medieval-era prison, which contains one of the most important sculpture collections in the world. We’ll pick through the vast holdings to view several of Michelangelo's works, including the Bacchus. We will also spend some time with the works of other, related artists, in order to try to develop the context that surrounded Michelangelo's work.
Lastly, we will move on to the Galleria dell'Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's masterpiece and consummate symbol of the Florentine Renaissance, the Statue of David. As we bask in its aura, we’ll examine this important statue and related works and wrap up our tour by discussing Michelangelo's later career in Rome, culminating in the painting of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
FAQ
Jane first came to Florence as an undergraduate art student at the Maryland Institute of Art. She fell in love with the city, the region, and an Italian man. Soon after her BA she returned to continue her graduate studies at the University of Florence and settle in the area. She spends a lot of her time outside of the city, leading groups on trekking holidays through Tuscany, and as such has gained a broad knowledge not only of the art and artistic traditions of Tuscany but of the entire cultural context of the region. She lives with her husband and their two children in the Mugello area north of Florence.
Cornelia has a PhD in art history from Columbia University and wrote her dissertation on Renaissance city planning. She is especially knowledgeable about Medici patronage. In addition to her research and teaching, Cornelia, a mother of a disabled child, runs an association dedicated to barrier-free travel in Florence and is author of "The Accessible Guide to Florence."
Elizabeth recently received her MA in Florentine Renaissance art from Syracuse University in Florence. Her interests include women's history and women artists, particularly by women in convents. In addition to leading walks, she also lectures at various universities and institutions in Florence.
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