https://www.uffizi.it/en: The link to the Uffizi Gallery website
Continuing on my joy of traveling series, one of my favorite stops on my tour of Italy was the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. In fact, even before I started officially planning out my trip to Italy with my family, I had explicitly stated that I wanted to check out the gallery as soon as we set foot in Florence.
What drew me to the gallery with such burning curiosity? Was it the inner artist in me? Was there a certain artwork that was begging me to go, like the Mona Lisa attracts so many visitors at the Louvre?
I think it was a mix of all of these urges. As an avid artist, of course the extraordinary art intrigued me. But at the same time, there was one piece in particular that caught my eye. And this is the piece that we will begin this blog post with.
Carvaggio’s Medusa
All photos belong to their respective owners
Carvaggio was commissioned to paint Medusa to symbolize the Grand Duke of Tuscany’s courage in defeating his enemies. Medusa was from a famous Greek myth about Hercules and a woman with snakes for hair who turned people to stone with her gaze.
Interestingly enough, Carvaggio painted the Medusa onto an actual wooden shield, and based her face off of his own as a self portrait!
I can never look away from this fascinating painting; it always brings me a swirl of emotions from awe, disgust, horror, to sadness for the miserable fate of Medusa as her head is severed by the hero Hercules.
Just for fun, I made a photoshop piece back in the summer juxtaposing Marilyn Monroe and Medusa!
All original photo materials/sources belong to their respective owners.
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus
All photos belong to their respective owners
Such a famous, cliche, yet masterful painting. The painting portrays the goddess of love (Venus), as she emerges from her birth in the sea, “as pure and perfect as a pearl.”
This painting takes my breath away as it emanates the aura of love, and both physical and spiritual divine beauty. This quote from Art Dependence encapsulates the symbolism and the feelings The Birth of Venus brings me: “Venus and her scallop shell demonstrate an embodiment of beauty and grace that defies expectations by managing to maintain a sense of great power and majesty.”
Titian’s Venus of Urbino
I’ve chosen to include only a snapshot of the whole painting for the sake of censorship though I encourage you to check out the full painting!
This is yet another beautifully painted Venus. From the languid manner in which Venus lies to the lucid smile on her face, the piece seems to provoke an air of beauty and romance. This piece is actually quite controversial given the conservative time period it was created in, though in modern times it is widely considered as one of Titian’s and the Uffizi’s most notable artworks.
Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck
This painting is of the beautiful Virgin Mary with unnaturally elongated forms with angels surrounding her. Her elongated features bring out a sense of elegance and sophistication. Parmigianino (Francesco Mazzola) wanted to finish the piece within 5 months, but he died in 1540, leaving the piece unfinished. Two years later, it was decided to place the painting on the altar with the inscription: “adverse destiny prevented Francesco Mazzola from Parma from completing this work.” Its beauty still shines through despite its unfinished state.
And ending with this piece of Madonna with the Long Neck, we conclude our short tour of a few of my favorite pieces of the Uffizi Gallery! There were so many pieces I would’ve loved to introduce, but I hope that nevertheless, this Joy of Traveling blog post has inspired you to consider your own trip to the Uffizi Gallery, and once more appreciate the art of traveling, and artwork.
Including a picture of me at the Uffizi Gallery 🙂
Photo credits go to their respective owners.
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