The Medicean Villa dell'Ambrogiana might become part of the "Uffizi Diffusi" project

A new and interesting possibility has arisen recently as part of the "Uffizi Diffusi" project in which works stored at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence will be displayed at other locations throughout the Province. The idea is to make more works of art easily accessible to the public as well as to enhance the touristic attractiveness of the new sites. The Villa Medicea dell'Ambrogiana, which is a splendid Renaissance villa located near Montelupo Fiorentino, might become a major location forming part of the project. Historically, the land and farm buildings, presumably including a villa, belonged to the Ambrogi family (hence the name) and were acquired by the Medici family prior to 1574. The latter built a huge hunting lodge on the site and this later became one of Cosimo III's favourite rural retreats. However, in the 19th Century, the Grand Duke Leopoldo II decided to transform the already crumbling villa into a remand home and then into a psychiatric prison, and this contributed substantially to its decline.

Villa Medicea dell'Ambrogiana

During November 2021, a government minister visited the villa and appeared to support the idea of central government funding to restore the Villa dell'Ambrogiana in order to house there paintings currently mostly in storage at the Uffizi, including some of those recently removed from the Vasari Corridor. The minister noted that "There are at least 100 works that today lie in the deposits and were historically here in the Medici villa dell'Ambrogiana, from the still lifes by Bindi, to the religious paintings by Cinqui that decorated that 'brother' of the Corridor Vasariano that we have right here at the Ambrogiana." There was even a suggestion that restoration could begin as early as 2022. The gardens are already in good condition and the building needs basically to be earthquake-proofed and given a coat of paint.

Montelupo Fiorentino is already well-know for the production and sale of Italian majolica, and is anyway well worth a visit for that reason.

More about Montelupo Fiorentino.

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Author: Anna Maria Baldini

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A preliminary drawing and a final painting by Filippo Lippi in Florence

I want to present here an example of how a bit of enjoyable homework can help art-lovers gain some extra insight into how a masterpieces were created by Renaissance artists. Before a recent visit to the Palatine Gallery at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, I was idly looking through a book of Renaissance drawings held in the Gabinetto dei Disegni e delle Stampe at the Uffizi Gallery. Among them was a very delicate, three quarters sketch of a female head, surely intended to be a Madonna, depicting an absorbed and very sweet expression, and, among other features, a refined hairstyle embellished with veils. At the same time, I had a look at a catalogue of the holdings at the Palatine Gallery, and - lo and behold! - the Madonna in the wonderful Tondo Bartolini turned out to be the final version of the Uffizi sketch.

Both the preliminary drawing and the final painting are by Filippo Lippi. The Tondo has long been thought to have been commissioned from Filippo, who was Carmelite friar, by the ambitious and wealthy Florentine merchant, Leonardo di Bartolomeo Bartolini. More recent investigation by Jeffrey Ruda interprets the coat of arms on the reverse of the Tondo as that of a member of the Martelli family and re-dates the painting to between 1465 and 1470 based on similarities to Filippo's final frescoes in the Capella Maggiore at Prato Cathedral.

By looking at a good reproduction of the drawing, one can see that Filippo used first a silver point on paper prepared with a warm, yellow ochre ground, and then refined the silver point outline with thin and light lines of white lead applied with a brush, giving the physiognomy and hairstyle a lovely softness.

The preliminary sketch matches the painted figure down to the most minute folds of the cap and in the ribbon that holds and twists the hair at the top under the veil. One can also see that Filippo was experimenting on the ochre paper with the effects of the light coming from the left, by applying a white wash. 

However, my aim here is not to argue the fine details of art history and connoisseurship, but rather to encourage visitors to Florence who plan to tour the galleries, to spend some time with some art books as a preparation to seeing the works themselves. You never can tell what serendipitous insights will strike you!

Don't forget to visit my Tuscany Travel Guide! Up-to-date news on what to see and where to stay in Chianti and all of Tuscany. Tuscany Travel Guide

Author: Anna Maria Baldini

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Chiesa di San Leolino at Panzano in Chianti

One of the many gems of the Chianti countryside is the Chiesa di San Leolino at Panzano in Chianti, a parish church and cloister dating from mediaeval times. The church is documented from the year 985 and has undergone two major restorations since that time.

During the late middle ages in Tuscany there was a burst of church construction that coincided with - indeed, was caused by - an increase in population and a rapid rural economic improvement. The latter was interrupted more than once by the Plague, but in essence both derived from and drove urban economic expansion - the rise of the rich city states such as Florence itself. The Pieve di San Leolino is not only beautiful in architectural and artistic terms, but enjoys magnificent views out over the Chianti countryside, with spectacular lighting at sunset.

The fine exterior consists of a Renaissance facade preceded by an imposing five-arched sandstone portico. The stone-framed portal leads to the extraordinary interior which is divided into three naves which house a number of splendid works of art, notably a beautiful triptych depicting the Madonna and Child flanked by saints, some wonderful glazed terracotta tabernacles near the altar and a beautiful plaster reliquary bust of Sant'Eufrosino in the left aisle. A portal in the right aisle leads to the small but charming cloister with a well, with a portico supported by brick columns and a wooden roof.

More about Romanesque parish churches of Chianti. 

More about Panzano in Chianti.

Don't forget to visit my Tuscany Travel Guide! Up-to-date news on what to see and where to stay in Chianti and all of Tuscany. Tuscany Travel Guide

Author: Anna Maria Baldini

All content copyright © ammonet Italian Web Site Promotion 2021. All rights reserved.