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 Tombs and viewing of Michelangelo drawings in the underground vaults.
• A visit to the Museo del Opera del Duomo, where Michelangelo’s David was originally carved, led by historian Monsignor Timothy Verdon.
• A private visit to the Orsanmichele including a concert.
• A special visit to the quarries of Carrara, source of extraordinary white marble since Roman times. Michelangelo chose his marble from this site.
• Lunch at Villa Salviati hosted by Duke Forese and Duchess Grazia Salviati.
• Hands-on instruction from sculptor John Taylor on how to work with marble with the tools similar to those that Michelangelo used.
• A private visit to Casa Buonarroti to view Michelangelo drawings and for a special reading of Michelangelo’s poetry recently published by Dr. Jonathan Nelson.
• Dinner in Villa i Collazzi, hosted by Marchesa Bona Frescobaldi, Friends of Florence Board Member.
• A private visit to the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor.
• A visit to the restoration of the Niobe Room in the Uffizi, a project recently undertaken by Friends of Florence.
• Lunch hosted by Count Simone and Countess Natalie Rucellai in their villa. Simone Rucellai is a Friends of Florence Board Member.
• The premier viewing of the Friends of Florence DVD documenting the restoration of the David, followed by a private dinner in the Galleria dell’ Accademia in celebration of the completed David Project.
