Special Treasures of Tuscany IV – Dante: Circles of History
Our fourth winter educational program in Florence explored the world of Dante and the Divine Comedy. ITINERARY Friday, February 18th Welcome meeting at the Hotel Lungarno, followed by a lecture by Dr. Bill Cook on Dante’s Divine Comedy at the Palazzo Tornabuoni. During the day, various visits to the Baptistry of Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio, and other areas […]
The Celebration of the Completion of the Restoration of the Loggia dei Lanzi
Program highlights include: • Private visits to the Baptistry and Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. • Luncheon in the Palazzo Frescobaldi, hosted by Marchese Ferdinando and Marchesa Rosaria Frescobaldi, Friends of Florence Board Members. • A private visit to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure Restoration Laboratory in Fortezza da Basso. • Private visits to […]
On the Michelangelo Trail in Florence
Program highlights include: • Visits to the Church of San Lorenzo, the Sacristy, and Medici Tombs, including a special private visit to underground vaults. • A visit to the Medici Palace followed by a walk to Laurentian Library for a private viewing of unique manuscripts and to discuss Michelangelo’s architectural design there. • A private […]
A Celebration of the “David”
A selection of the program highlights included: • A private visit and dinner in the Bargello Museum. This visit focused on Michelangelo’s works at the museum, as well as Donatello’s and Cellini’s approaches towards the same subject matter. • A lecture on The Theme of the David in Renaissance Art. • A private visit to the Medici […]
The Birth and the Rise of the Renaissance
Program highlights included: • A lecture and afternoon itinerary by historian and writer Ross King on Brunelleschi and his innovative architectural works in Florence, including a private visit to the terraces of the Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore, designed by Brunelleschi, and a visit to the Opera del Duomo, and the Ospedale degli Innocenti […]
A Celebration of the Medici Collections
Program highlights include: • A lecture on the Medici family in Florence and the creation of the Uffizi Gallery. • Unveiling of Alessandro Allori’s portrait of Ortensia dei Bardi di Montauto, a completed Friends of Florence restoration project, in the Church of San Piero Scheraggio. • A visit to the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli […]
Special Treasures of Tuscany I – Last Supper Cycles
In 2007, Friends of Florence introduced its first winter program. Florence is lovely in the wintertime, as there are essentially no tourists and the city returns to the Florentines. There is a magic to the city at this time of the year that is quite unique. Program highlights included: • A lecture by William Cook, […]
Leonardo da Vinci: On the Wings of Genius
Fall 2007 Program in Florence, Milan, and Paris While in Florence, highlights included: • A lecture program historian, Prof. Gary Radke on The Mind of Leonardo, followed by a visit to the to the Natural History Museum of the Specola. • Lunch in Artimino at the lovely Da Delfina restaurant with its unique view of […]
Donatello: The Renaissance of Sculpture
Highlights included: • A lecture by Dr. John Paoletti, program historian, on Donatello and Florence at the beginning of the 1400s. • A day trip to Siena to view Donatello artworks and related works by Jacopo della Quercia and other artists. • A private visit to the Bargello Museum in Florence followed by Cocktails and […]
Special Treasures of Tuscany II – Annunciations and Pulpits
Program highlights included: • A visit to San Marco to view the Annunciation cycles there, as well as the restoration of the south wall of the San Antonio Cloister, a Friends of Florence project, followed by lunch at the Cantinetta Antinori • A visit to the Church of Santa Croce and cloisters to view the […]