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The Most Important Artworks at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The Uffizi Gallery, one of the most visited museums in the world, was built in 1560 by order of Cosimo I de Medici, based on a project by Giorgio Vasari.
The destination of the unusual building, which provides for a “U” plan consisting of two lateral corridors or “wings” resting on two long loggias and a short facade looking towards the Arno river, was initially for civil and functional use: from here the name “Uffizi”, to underline the function of the new seat of the offices of the Magistrates, placed under the direct control of the Grand Duke who lived opposite, in Palazzo della Signoria.
When Cosimo’s son, Francesco I, decided to set up a small octagonal room inspired by his alchemical research linked to the four natural elements on the second floor of one of the corridors, the first nucleus of the collection of works of art was soon transferred here of the family.
Currently, the Gallery, which is part of the Florentine State Museums circuit, houses a collection of works ranging from antiquity to the contemporary age, with a focus on the Florentine painting of the 15th and 16th centuries, and which include masterpieces such as Giotto’s Maestà, the Birth of Venus and Spring by Botticelli, the Doni Tondo by Michelangelo, the Adoration by Leonardo Da Vinci and the Medusa by Caravaggio.
The gallery houses one of the world’s most important collections, including works such as Botticelli’s ‘Primavera‘ and ‘Birth of Venus’.
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Skip-The-Line Uffizi Gallery Timed Entrance Ticket
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Enjoy priority entry to Italy’s greatest art treasures with a reserved entrance ticket to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
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Visit the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest in the world. Learn all about the inside stories behind some of the most notable art masterpieces in the world from your guide.
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Explore Florence on a small group tour with an expert local guide. See Michelangelo’s David, the Duomo and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.
Primavera (Spring )di Botticelli
The “Spring” is one of Sandro Botticelli’s masterpieces. Painted between 1477 and 1482 amid the Italian Renaissance, it is an allegory of spring. The work, which measures 2.03 x 3.14 metres, was commissioned by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de Medici.
There are different interpretations of this work in Botticeli’s career, which is distinguished by the elegance of the figures and the impeccable use of colour. But most agree that the central figure is that of Venus, who represents the harmony and balance between nature and spiritual values (left of the painting) and civilization and material values (right)—a fascinating work.
I duchi di Urbino Federico da Montefeltro e Battista Sforza
The diptych “The Portrait of the Dukes of Urbino” was painted by Piero della Francesca between 1465 and 1472 and is one of the most important works of the Italian Renaissance.
It portrays the dukes and spouses Federigo da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza in profile, as was customary in the classical period, even if the choice of this shot was more of an obligation because Federigo da Montefeltro lost his right eye in a tournament. In the background of the paintings is a wide and deep landscape, reflecting the court’s power. One of the curiosities of this work is that it is also painted on the back.
The Birth of Venus by Botticelli
Painted between 1482 and 1485, “The Birth of Venus” is another of Botticelli’s great works. It is notable for its large size, 278.5cm by 172.5cm, and is one of the earliest examples of painting on canvas. It is one of the first examples of painting on canvas from the Tuscan region. It is characterized by the technique and the quality of the materials used, among which the alabaster powder stands out.
This work has several meanings and depicts a naked Venus in a shell by the sea in the centre of the painting as an allegory of the birth of love, as well as spiritual beauty. To her left, the wind blows flowers, and to her right, a servant covers her with a cloth.
Sacra famiglia, detta “Tondo Doni”
Created by Michelangelo after his first stay in Rome, the Doni Tondo or Holy Family dates from the same period as David, between 1506 and 1508, and is considered one of the great works of Italian art of the 16th century, as well as one of the few paintings by the artist next to the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. It was commissioned by the banker Agnolo Doni and measured 120cm by 120cm.
The work depicts Mary, Joseph, and the Child in an extraordinary wooden frame carved by Michelangelo himself, with a series of nude figures in the background. It is a painting that marked a turning point in history. It laid the foundations for the mannerist style that great artists would widely use and advocated unnatural postures that gave the work a characteristic movement. It is precisely this strange position that can be seen in the figure of Mary.
Madonna col Bambino in trono, angeli e santi (Maestà di Ognissanti)
Giotto revolutionized the history of painting and the way of representing men, being one of the leading artists of the Renaissance. The Maestà di Ognissanti” is a large altarpiece, 204 cm by 325 cm, which he painted for the Ognissanti church.
He painted it for the Ognissanti church in Florence around 1310. Mary is shown seated on a throne within arm the child and the angels in the foreground. The space is very well-defined, and the folds of the clothes define the figures in the scene.
Madonna col Bambino e San Giovannino detta “Madonna del Cardellino”
The Virgin of the Goldfinch is one of Raphael’s key works in which one can notice the traits that characterize his painting: the gentle faces of the figures, the magnificent use of color, the intimacy of the characters, and the naturalistic representation of the landscape. The painter was also greatly influenced by Leonardo da Vinci, who adopted some characteristics of his painting, such as the soft light, the dialogue between the figures, and the pyramidal arrangement of the figures.
This work, measuring 107cm by 77cm, has been badly damaged since the 16th century. The painting, badly damaged since the 16th century, has been restored on several occasions, but it was only with the last restoration in 2008 that it reached its full splendour.
Bacco” di Caravaggio
Caravaggio was a turning point in the history of art. Warm colours, realism, and the representation of humble figures characterize his painting.
Painted at the end of the 16th century, the “Bacchus,” an oil-on panel measuring 98 cm by 84 cm, was a gift from Cardinal del Monte to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando I. In this painting, Bacchus is depicted as a humble young man of a country reflecting humanity. In his left hand, he holds a wine glass that stands out for its transparency, and there are other common objects, such as a fruit basket.
Madonna col Bambino e due angeli
Painted around 1465 by Filippo Lippi, the “Madonna with Child and Two Angels” is one of the most popular works of the Italian Renaissance and hides a curious story. Lippi was a Carmelite friar who fell in love with the nun Lucrezia Buti. They had a secret relationship until they gave up religious life and had children, including Filippino, a famous painter, and friend of Botticelli.
In ‘The Virgin and Child with Two Angels,’ 100 cm. for 71 cm. The Virgin Mary is depicted in an elegant hairstyle decorated with a veil and pearls. She is in profile and prays in front of the child, who two angels support. Behind them is a landscape inspired by Flemish-style paintings. The peculiarity of this work is that many interpret the face of the Virgin as a portrait of Lucrezia.
Pala di Santa Lucia de Magnoli’ di Domenico Veneziano
This work by Domenico Veneziano was executed between 1445 and 1447 and depicted the Madonna and Child in the centre. Next to her, St. Francis and St. John the Baptist to the left and St. Zenobio to the right. The altarpiece is the oldest without a golden background, rectangular in shape, and bright colours. It is also notable for using a bright light as a fundamental element, which enters from the upper right edge.
Venere di Urbino
The Venus of Urbino” is a work by Titian that dates back to 1538 and was commissioned by the Duke of Urbino, Guidobaldo II della Rovere, as a gift for his wife. Identified by many as an allegory of marriage, it stands out for its sensuality, even if it has other significant characteristics such as eroticism, motherhood, and fidelity.
The painting, measuring 1.19m by 1.65m, depicts Venus, the goddess of marriage. Venus, the goddess of love, is depicted sensually and erotically, attracting the viewer. At her feet is a dog as a sign of fidelity to the marriage. In the background, a servant watches a girl rummaging through a drawer as a symbol of motherhood. It stands out for its excellent use of colour and contrasts.
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Leonardo da Vinci, Annunciazione
In the luxuriant garden of a Renaissance palace, the Archangel Gabriel greets the Virgin by offering her a lily, a symbol of purity: we are facing the Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci (about 1472), one of the very first commissions of the Master dating back to the period in which he was still in Verrocchio’s workshop.
The Angel has just landed; his wings are still spread through his robe and fall heavily to the grass; he doesn’t have peacock wings as tradition would have it but birds of prey. Opposite the Virgin, behind a refined marble altar on which a lectern is placed, intent on reading the Holy Scriptures, a crepuscular light illuminates Maria of her, who raises her left arm as a sign of acceptance of her destiny.
The perspective of the Virgin’s right arm, which appears too long, is curious; a probable solution used by Leonardo to remedy the perspective view of the work.
Giuditta che decapita Oloferne” di Artemisia Gentileschi
The first female member of the Accademia di Arti del Disegno in Florence, Artemisia Gentileschi was a renowned and progressive 17th-century Italian painter. The depiction of strong women characterizes her paintings. In “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” the biblical heroine is depicted beheading her enemy, the Assyrian leader Holofernes.
Caravaggio, Medusa
On a parade shield, a look of terror accompanied by a chilling cry surrounds a mass of tangled snakes that adorn the head of a woman: it is the Shield with the head of Medusa by Caravaggio (1595-1598), an oil painting, mounted on a shield, commissioned by Cardinal del Monte for Ferdinando I de’ Medici. The Cardinal wanted to give Ferdinando an extraordinary work to enrich his collection of weapons and, simultaneously, make Florence known about the extraordinary talents of his protégé, Caravaggio.
The chosen theme is symbolic, the Gorgon, an allegory of prudence and wisdom.
The Shield looks like a condensation of the pictorial skills of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, capable of canceling the convexity of the support; the light illuminates the freshly severed head of Medusa; her face is caught in the moment of her bloodcurdling scream, and her eyes are still vivid and wide with terror. Her snakes move terribly in the braiding of her hair; a splatter of blood comes out of the severed neck, telling in an image of the act performed by Perseus.
Simone Martini e Lippo Memmi, Annunciazione tra i santi Ansano e Massima
A phrase in relief on a gold background announces to the Virgin the mystery of Jesus’ incarnation: the Annunciation between Saints Ansano and Massima by Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi (1333). A wooden triptych painted in tempera, a masterpiece of the Sienese school, made for a side altar of the Cathedral of Siena.
AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM, says the Archangel Gabriel suddenly appearing to Mary; the young woman, seated on a richly inlaid high seat, is disturbed by her sacred vision and modestly withdraws wrapping herself in her cloak. Above, crowning the scene is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, surrounded by a host of angels.
Archangel Gabriel has just landed; his dress, adorned with a refined arabesque, is still moving. Golden letters emerge from Angel’s mouth in a forerunner of modern comics that runs towards the Virgin, announcing the happy event.
L’Adorazione dei Magi” di Gentile da Fabriano
Also known by the title of Pala Strozzi, this large altarpiece with a carved wooden frame dates back to 1423 and is the work of Gentile da Fabriano. Commissioned by Palla Strozzi, it is one of the paintings of the International Gothic style, characterized by sophisticated shapes, refined clothes, and courtly poses. It depicts the procession of the Magi and the portrait of Palla Strozzi behind them.
Join our Uffizi Gallery Tour for skip-the-line access with an expert guide to make the most of your visit!
Skip-The-Line Uffizi Gallery Timed Entrance Ticket
From € 20.00 per person
Enjoy priority entry to Italy’s greatest art treasures with a reserved entrance ticket to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Skip-the-Line Uffizi Small Group Tour
From € 39.00 per person
Visit the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest in the world. Learn all about the inside stories behind some of the most notable art masterpieces in the world from your guide.
Uffizi & Accademia Small Group Walking Tour
From € 119.00 per person
Explore Florence on a small group tour with an expert local guide. See Michelangelo’s David, the Duomo and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.
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