Palazzo Medici Riccardi Sala Luca Giordano

Dear Art-loving friend,

Once I was inside the PalazzoMedici Riccardi in Florence, Italy, I decided to take the opportunity to see more than the exhibition I came to see.  So, upstairs it was then.

The Sala Luca Giordano is not to be missed!  The transparent uncolored plastic chairs lined up on the floor served to radiate light from the space and I wondered what sort of presentations were given in this room that is commonly known as the Galleria.  The walls are “hung with mirrors painted with putti, animals, and vegetable motifs [note my self-portrait in one - haha] alternated with cupboard doors featuring elegant inlays in gilded wood, while above  runs a frieze of figures in white and gold stucco (1691 ca.). “  [says the sign just outside of the room]

The ceiling sports a masterpiece in Florentine Baroque art, a fresco designed and executed by Luca Giordano (Naples 1631-1703).  I find the compositions beautiful and creative, lovely and intriguing shapes, with mostly soft, peaceful colors.  I really enjoy the animals too, such as the ostrich and the flying goat.  I admire the perspective challenges well met, and I am curious about lots of the stories conveyed.  And what is up with the putti with the woman’s breasts, a tail, and club-feet?  I really enjoy color of fresco, especially the blues.  And I love it that one can actually SEE the design without glare.  That is one advantage of fresco over oil painting!  I hope you enjoy these images of the Sala Luca Giordana in Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

Here are some images.  

And in case you missed my lastest art newsletter, please click here:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2014_11_ArtNews-PisaBaptisteryNicolaPisano.htm

Thank you.

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Blatant Promo:  Give art or at least an art book as a Christmas gift – more unusual and personal than many other choices.  Check out my site for options:  http://BorsheimArts.com

If you are enjoying this blog, the writing and/or the images, it would help me continue if you could send a donation my way.  Just go to the blog online and on the right column there are PayPal links for making a donation.  Choose any amount you desire, even five bucks helps! 

Or further down the page, you will see a more indirect way to help:  Go shopping online via the search window under “Support This Blog Via Amazon”  Your author is an affiliate and clicking here first sends a donation with each purchase you make on a click-through. 

A third way you may help is to forward this blog to someone you think may appreciate it.  The more readers, the more comments online, and wallah… lovers of art and Italy unite.

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Palazzo Medici Riccardi

Dear Art-loving friend,

There was an art exhibition for artists from Belarussia recently  in Florence.  It was held at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.  I went to see friends and art, as well as to get a gander at the Palazzo itself.  Here are some images. 

And in case you missed my lastest art newsletter, please click here:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2014_11_ArtNews-PisaBaptisteryNicolaPisano.htm

Thank you. 

++++

Blatant Promo:  Give art or at least an art book as a Christmas gift – more unusual and personal than many other choices.  Check out my site for options:  http://BorsheimArts.com

If you are enjoying this blog, the writing and/or the images, it would help me continue if you could send a donation my way.  Just go to the blog online and on the right column there are PayPal links for making a donation.  Choose any amount you desire, even five bucks helps! 

Or further down the page, you will see a more indirect way to help:  Go shopping online via the search window under “Support This Blog Via Amazon”  Your author is an affiliate and clicking here first sends a donation with each purchase you make on a click-through. 

A third way you may help is to forward this blog to someone you think may appreciate it.  The more readers, the more comments online, and wallah… lovers of art and Italy unite.

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Carlo Dolci Uffizi Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

One of my Florentine friends asked me to join him as his guest to the Galleria degli Uffizi last Saturday morning.  One of his friends works at the famous museum here in Florence, Italy, and gave him a pass for two that he may use anytime he likes.  No queue!  And free!  

One of the perks for those who live here (and have the Uffizi Card) is that if it becomes easy to visit a museum, one does not feel the “pressure” to see or even try to see the entire collection on exhibit.  So, while we actually sat down in the Botticelli room for a bit and peeked our heads into a few favorite areas, in general we dodged the tourists in an attempt to visit some of the latter rooms.  My friend said that he is often visually exhausted by the time he gets close to the end and does not often spend much time there.

Well, as we wandered around, noting that several rooms we hoped would be open were not (renovations), we stumbled upon an exhibit of which neither of us had been aware!  The exhibit is titled, “Il Gran Principe Fernando de Medici (1663-1713)” and features some truly marvelous works of art in the private Medici collection.

In my book about my experiences street painting in Italy, I shared with you that my first street painting was “The Blue Madonna” by Carlo Dolci.  I had seen the original portrait years before in Florida and never forgot it.  So, perhaps you can imagine my joy when I saw Carlo Dolci’s portrait “St. Mary Magdalen.”

I do not really know how to explain my emotional response to Sig. Dolci’s paintings.  In general, I am not fond of portraits, religious ones or not (although in truth the religious topics often strike me as more dramatic and well done than secular subjects).  There is a quality to the painting that moves me.  The face is softly lit, softly modeled; the figure perfectly posed for her expression.   The jewelry on the dress, the round container that she is holding, the eyebrows, the delicate lips, the hands, the skin itself:  absolutely breath-taking!

Apparently the Grand Prince felt something similar.  Upon his death, the museum card read, twelve works by Carlo Dolci were found in his collection.  This Magdalen portrait was in his “private chamber” (and I do not think that refers to the bathroom - ha!).  I apologize for the glare on each of these snapshots.  I could not find a position without one.  Also, the book for this exhibition is wonderful (40 euro price tag).  However, the image of this Carlo Dolci painting in the book was too light and more than usual, lacked some emotional quality of the original. The darker background in my shots is more like the experience one had in the museum standing right in front of this work of art.  I hope you can find a painting that moves you and teaches you as well.  I was glad that I received this little gift of a trip to the Uffizi!