Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino

by Piero della Francesca

Oil on Wood

1467-1472

One of the most celebrated works of the Italian Renaissance

Inspired by the design of ancient coins, two figures shown in profile

The background with rolling landscape represents the area that the Duke and Duchess ruled over

"On the back of the panels, the Duke and Duchess are featured being carried triumphantly on

ancient wagons" according to the write up on the Uffizi Gallery website.

All of these paintings spoke to me

The brilliance of their colors, the brightness of their gold

Everything centers around the Madonna

This one is very interesting once you know it's story...do you see on the left side

near the front of the painting the monk looking towards the artist? With his hand on his face? Looking a little bored

That is a portrait of the painter himself

&

Do you see the man praying on the right side of the painting? How he appears faded or off color? 

This is a portrait of the man who commissioned the artist but did not live to see it completed

 

I thought this one was quite stunning

Most of the paintings up until this point in time only showed 

one 'layer' of life.

 This one shows everything around it. Including people and animals in the distance

A vanishing point

Madonna and Child with St. Nicholas, St John and St. Benedict
refer to the write up below

Madonna enthroned with two Sainted Martyrs

Madonna and Child enthroned with Angels

Uffizi Gallery

To show the grand building and the sheer amount of people waiting to get in

The first upstairs corridor with elaborate ceilings.

Each section painted by different artists 

"Grotesque" motifs

1580

This is the famous Ponte Vecchio covered bridge which crosses the 

Arno River in Florence

The bridge to believed to have been built first in Roman times.

in the year 996. 

Original bridge was destroyed in a flood in 1117, re built and destroyed again in 1333

Re built in 1345

Consists of three segmental arches

During the Second World War, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by the Germans as it was 

considered to great of importance by Adolph Hitler

From the second story of the gallery

Showing all the other bridges that were destroyed

in the war and had to be re built along with most of the city

This is a panoramic view of the Arno River

Medici Lion

1576

The kidnapping of the Sabine Women

1574-1582

Three full figures carved from a single piece of marble

Perseus with the head of Medusa

Bronze sculpture

1545-1554

(Copy) of Michelangelo's marble statue

DAVID 

1501-1504

Stood at the entrance to town hall from 1504 to 1873 when it was moved to the Accademia Gallery

Original statue is 17 feet tall 

Walking from the Duomo of Florence to the Uffizi Gallery

We passed the Town Hall on the Piazza della Signoria (Public Square)

& 

many statues

Fountain of Neptune

completed in 1565

The statue on display here is a copy created in the 1800's

when the original was moved to the National museum

Hercules and Cacus

By Baccio Bandinelli

(1525-1534)

Hopefully this photo gives you the sense of the 

shear number of tourists all hoping to take "that perfect picture"

The doors of the Baptistery

'Eastern' Bronze doors

Carved 1330

Depicting scenes from St. John's life

Every surface is covered with carvings topped by

a intricate mosaic