If you are an art lover that has found a vacation rental in Florence, you may be headed directly to the Uffizi Gallery and it is certainly a highlight of the city for any aficionado. However, don't forget the Palazzo Pitti, which is home to several excellent museums, including the Palatine Gallery. A well-preserved historic private collection that was opened to the public, it reflects older collecting practices, tastes and methods of display, all within the beautiful palace. As a result, it is a unique, must-see art experience in the city and we have picked some of the best bits to make sure and track down when you visit. Here are more of our picks of highlights of the Palatine Gallery.
2. The Penitent Magdalene by Titian, painted around 1531
Located in the Sala di Apollo, this work was originally commissioned by the Duke of Mantua, Federico Gonzaga, as a devotional image for the famous poet Vittoria Colonna. Vittoria is said to have given the painting to Eleonora Gonzaga and it was found in the collection of her son, the Duke of Urbino, in 1631.
While the Magdalene is described as being painted as though she "is aglow with her burning passion for Christ", she is still a sensuous Titian figure. While she is painted with tears in her eyes and in a moment of repentance, she is nude with flowing golden hair, a fleshy body, and full lips. This eroticism and checklist of Renaissance beauty standards was not at odds with the religious sentiment as the two were socially acceptable to combine in works of art at the time.
A typical Titian beauty, the work is both lovely to behold and a bizarre picture of a moment in history when two ideas that seem so at odds could be seen together in one work. Be sure to read on to the rest of this series for more amazing picks like this from the gallery!
Don't forget that we are the best website for Tuscan villas to rent on the market so, if you're planning a holiday to Tuscany, be sure to check out Tuscany-villas.it!
Located in the Sala di Apollo, this work was originally commissioned by the Duke of Mantua, Federico Gonzaga, as a devotional image for the famous poet Vittoria Colonna. Vittoria is said to have given the painting to Eleonora Gonzaga and it was found in the collection of her son, the Duke of Urbino, in 1631.
While the Magdalene is described as being painted as though she "is aglow with her burning passion for Christ", she is still a sensuous Titian figure. While she is painted with tears in her eyes and in a moment of repentance, she is nude with flowing golden hair, a fleshy body, and full lips. This eroticism and checklist of Renaissance beauty standards was not at odds with the religious sentiment as the two were socially acceptable to combine in works of art at the time.
A typical Titian beauty, the work is both lovely to behold and a bizarre picture of a moment in history when two ideas that seem so at odds could be seen together in one work. Be sure to read on to the rest of this series for more amazing picks like this from the gallery!
Don't forget that we are the best website for Tuscan villas to rent on the market so, if you're planning a holiday to Tuscany, be sure to check out Tuscany-villas.it!