Ceiling of Uffizi Museum

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Some years ago one of my local friends told me that you could always spot the tourists in Florence, Italy, because they are always looking up. I say “Peccato!” (It is a sin!) But it must be the same for many people the world over: when you live in a place, sometimes you do not see it. I look up, down, and all-around. There are treasures everywhere.

Today I share something with you about il soffitto della Galleria degli Uffizi (the ceiling in the Uffizi Museum/Art Gallery). This first image is of only one room in the museum. It looks like many of the really fancy interiors in Europe, to me. I only include it here to show you that not all the ceilings in the Uffizi in are the same style.


The Uffizi Gallery is laid out in a square-shaped U. The latter leg has frescoes more in the style of realistic, large figures and I have not shown these here. But in the first leg you will see there is a lighter feel, since the graphics are thin, delicate, fanciful, and permit much of the white background to be seen. I love the imagination in these patterns – people morphing into animals and architecture.





So, I hope you like those. This next is a ceiling painting to look as if birds and plants are covering a glass lid. I do not know how old this is, but I do know that contemporary artists have used this idea time and time again. Perhaps they were inspired by the Uffizi?


For these last two images, how could I not show you some sculpture. And THE sculpture that inspired Michelangelo so much: Laocoön This marble in the Uffizi is a copy of the original one in Vatican City. That was discovered during Michelangelo’s lifetime and one can make an easy connection between the two.



I hope that you enjoy these images – I was not supposed to take any of them. Sneaky artist! But without flash, I fail to see the damage I have done, especially when my intention is the entice you to see some of these beauties yourself. So, chin up!

Official site for the Uffizi Gallery (click on the “eng” link in the upper left corner to read the site in English)

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Il Pane Degli Angeli Exhibit Uffizi Gallery

Occasionally, the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy, will put on a temporary exhibit (in this case with free admission) of artworks in their collexion that are not normally on display. These are not necessarily lesser works, only works they cannot fit into their current spaces. This exhibit is titled “Il Pane Degli Angeli” or The Bread of Angels.

I met my friend Lisa outside the famous gallery and we also saw our friend Harry there. I liked several of the paintings in this fairly small exhibit and made some brief sketches, an image of which I include here.



The composition on the left is from an olio su tela (oil on canvas) by Pietro Liberi (Padova 1614-Venezia 1687). She is called “Annunciazione” and was painted around 1670. I like the subtle, not quite vertical sweeping curve of the figure on the lower left. And how the angel above’s curling form lead the eye back into the lower figure. There is a wonderful diagonal that gives movement and interest with a beautiful balance of light and dark.

The sketch on the right was done from another, smaller painting with the same title. This artist is Livio Mehus (Oudenaarde 1627-Firenze 1691). It was very interesting to see the same subject handled in similar, yet different ways. It is a good reminder that although artists may influence one another (I do not know if these artists knew each other or not because I forgot to read the background information on the wall), each has his own voice.

If you find yourself in Firenze subito, go see this exhibit. She ends on 3 Febbraio.