Archive for 'Renaissance'

  

Friday, April 21, 2017
Brancacci Chapel
The Brancacci Chapel is one of the chapels within the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. In fact, it is the shining jewel of the building as much was lost in an 18th century fire, leaving the church otherwise very plain.

Miraculously, this great artwork survived and is even often referred to as the “Sistine Chapel of the Early Renaissance” due the wonderful frescoes that adorn its walls. Just find a luxury villa near Florence and you can discover these extraordinary paintings for yourself!

In 1424, frescoes were commissioned by Felice Brancacci, a wealthy Florentine merchant and statesman, to decorate the chapel and to illustrate the life of St. Peter. They were designed by Masolino da Panicale and he was aided in their production by his pupil, Masaccio. Masaccio then took over in 1428 but, sadly, passed away that very year at just 27 years of age.     Read More
Posted in: Architectural Gems, Churches & Religious Buildings, Florence, History, Localities, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Donatello's David
Donatello, or Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, is one of the most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance and one of the most well-known names in art history. An Early Renaissance sculptor and one of the representative artists of Florence, he was born in the city around 1386 and worked prolifically there his entire life, bar a period in which he worked in Padua for the heirs of the recently deceased and famous condottiero Erasmo da Narni. Due to his long life and career and strong connection to his home town, a large body of his works still exists in the city to this day.

Exploring Florence allows one to accurately and closely explore the breadth and width of this great artist's life and career. While his name stands above many other artists in fame, his specific artworks are less well-known and most people would be hard pressed to name one, unlike the ouevre of some of the other big names of the Renaissance, such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and get familiar with the potentially unfamiliar works of this familiar name.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, History, Important People, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
The Birth of Venus
If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning to take in the art and culture for which the city is so famous, you have, no doubt, pencilled in a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi Gallery, or Galleria degli Uffizi, in Piazza della Signoria is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in Europe and the world and was originally begun under Vasari for Cosimo I de' Medici in 1560. The name comes from the Italian word for “offices” which is what the building was intended to house when it was first constructed.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, November 11, 2016
There are many stunning buildings and other architectural gems in Florence and each has its own unique traits and histories that make them all the more interesting. One of the most striking and memorable in its comparatively simplistic theatrics, however, is the Laurentian Library.

Just browse our rentals and find the perfect luxury villa in Florence so that you can explore this amazing and stunning building for yourself.

Located on the first floor of Brunelleschi's cloister, you will find an entrance to the Laurentian Library, a library that is home to the most important and prestigious collection of antique books in all of Italy and one of the greatest scholarly legacies left behind the Medici family that is still in existence.     Read More
Posted in: Architectural Gems, Florence, History, Important People, Localities, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Ospedale Degli Innocenti
The Ospedale degli Innocenti, in Florence, was established in 1419 as the first lay institution in the world dedicated to infancy and childhood thanks to donations from Francesco Datini, “the merchant of Prato”. It became home to children abandoned by their families for various reasons, generally extreme poverty and those children then received the surname Innocenti. The prevalence of this name today indicates the importance and scale of the institution's work. However, the building that was home to this service, so ahead of its time, is one of the city's major attractions for more than its social and historical importance; it is also an architectural gem designed by the great Renaissance master, Brunelleschi. Now, a new museum is also being opened on the premises this summer that looks to both the past and the future. If you are interested in history, social issues, culture and art, this sight is a must-see as it manages to cater to all of these interests. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and you can visit for yourself.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions