One generally tends to associate Florence with the Renaissance – and for good reason, as it is widely considered the birthplace of the Renaissance – rather than with any other time or movement in art. Of course, the city was a hub for art before this period and continues to be to this very day. For art-lovers who book a villa in Florence, there is certainly a wide range of museums, galleries, and spaces in which to enjoy works art from all throughout history. Those, however, who have a fondness for the Impressionists but who also want to experience the great art city of Florence, with its particular wealth of Renaissance wonders, will be happy to note that a spring break in Florence this year will allow for both!
Until the 4th of May 2025, the Museo degli Innocenti will be hosting an exhibition called Impressionists in Normandy, that features the work of some of the best-known and well-loved artists of the period including Monet, Bonnard, Boudine, Corot, Courbet, Villon, Renoir, and Delacroix. With over 70 works on display, this wonderful exhibition comes 150 years after the birth of this artistic movement in the city that birthed another of the great and influential periods of art.
Opened back in November of 2024, this exhibition charts the Impressionist movement from its origins and notes its close physical and spiritual ties to Normandy, a region of France that would become a key mecca for artists through the period and for generations afterwards as well. With its striking landscapes and proximity to Paris, it became an easy pastoral destination to paint en plein air and capture the effect of light and weather on the scenery.
Made up mostly of the Peindre en Normandie Collection with additional loans from the Musée d'art Moderne in Le Havre as well as pieces from private collections, this exhibition brings French Impressionism and its key players to Florence in a truly unforgettable showcase. In particular, it is an opportunity to see part of Monet’s iconic first series of Water Lilies paintings.
In addition to the paintings themselves, the exhibition makes use of soundscapes, animated projections of images, interactive exhibits teaching visitors about the colours and tools used by the artists, presents an easel set up before a video of Monet's garden so that you can imagine painting there yourself, and more tactile and sensory elements to bring these works and their creation to life. To get a real sense of how the Impressionists were inspired by the movement and beauty of their surroundings and how they tried to capture fleeting moments, this is an incredibly evocative and unique experience. For those who already know and love these artists, meanwhile, the exhibition presents a wonderful opportunity to deepen and contextualise your understanding of them and their creations.
Always one of the most incredible spaces to go to in order to check out special temporary exhibitions in the city, the Museo degli Innocenti is, itself, a fascinating architectural gem. Dating to the Renaissance, it was designed by renowned master Brunelleschi (who is also responsible for the iconic dome of the city’s Cathedral that makes such a mark on its skyline) and was originally an orphanage but has been an important art exhibition space since the 19th century.
First opened to the public to display works that had been commissioned for the space itself, it then began to host temporary and guest exhibitions in recent years with showcases of the work of the likes of Louise Bourgeois and curations of monsters and fantastical figures in Japanese art from the 18th and 19th centuries recently having been displayed at the museum.
This latest showing of Impressionism is another coup for the museum and one of the must-see exhibitions for anyone who is booking a vacation rental in Florence over the next couple of months. It is particularly unmissable for art-lovers who plan on a holiday in Florence and especially for those with a keen interest in the Impressionists!
So, browse our incredible listings of villas in Florence today and start planning a dreamy spring break in this wonderful art centre while it has an even richer offering of iconic works of art to take in…
Museo degli Innocenti
Piazza della SS. Annunziata, Firenze, FI, Italia
+ 39 055 0981881
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday from 9.30am to 7pm
Tickets:
From €14 to €16
