Florence and Siena were bitter enemies for centuries. In 1559 the proud Sienese republic fell and became a part of the Duchy of Florence, due to the political skills of Cosimo I de' Medici. Or rather, due to a debt the Holy Roman Emperor was not able to pay Cosimo. Siena simply became a part of the payment, which obviously didn't sit well with the ( Read more... )

What would you have said if say the Spanish royal family commissioned a painting with family members depicted as saints? Sacrilegious? Blasphemous? Awesome? Tasteless? Pious? I'm sure all these thoughts rushed through the heads of the citizens of Florence when the Medici family presented this painting to the world:


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After waiting for this book for months and months it was finally published, and shortly after it arrived at my door step. It took a full day (the pain!) before I could gorge in it, but I immediately understood it was worth the wait. This book is fantastic ( Read more... )

Our study trip to Florence meant seeing the monumental frescoes and paintings of the Renaissance. Which I thought was awesome, of course. But I hadn't thought about all the standard "costume" depictions I got to see because of this. Alas, as we were a study group of around 12 people I didn't want to delay the group by constantly photographing ( Read more... )

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Palazzo Pitti in Florence: if you're into 16th century portraits and Medici clothes, like I am, Pitti is heaven.

I was there yesterday, and apart from dying of joy from finally seeing the Medici clothes, I was happy to see two works of art having been restored. Namely Tiziano's "La Bella", and an hithero forgotten portrait of Giovanni dalle Bande ( Read more... )

I'm in Rome. I've had the best Lazio style pizza you can dig up. The temperature is perfect. And now I'm reading about Bronzino. In other words, life is good.

Excpect many rambling updates... Like this one: two interesting notes about some of Bronzino's portraits:


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October 15. 1534
Duke Alessandro de' Medici informs Chiarissimo de' Medici about the latest news from Rome. The Cardinals gathered for the conclave, and it appears that Cardinal Farnese has the best chance to become the next Pope.Read more... )

...and prostitutes

February 4. 1548
Cosimo I petitions Andrea Doria to free Bernardino Maltacchini d'Arezzo. Ten years earlier he and seven of his fellow soldiers, all serving on Doria's galleys, went ashore in Messina, entered the home of a courtesan, and raped her. All eight were imprisoned for the crime but the others served only two months; ( Read more... )

A combination of having taken pictures of many rare and random works of art in my studies + being highly inspired by the fantastic Bronzino doublet peteyfrogboy is completing these days, I've finally made some 16th century galleries for men ( Read more... )