“. . .All Aboard!!!”

The Train

I took a day off the other day to go into Florence, something that is getting to be rare for me. What I mean is that I went into the city just for me, just to wander around. . . to window shop . . .and to meet a friend. Its fun just to do nothing in particular and let things happen without a plan.
The idea was to go to the flower market that’s held every Thursday in the center. It turned out that we went to an art show instead and then on to a long, chatty lunch.

A visit to Palazzo Medici Riccardi, a museum that features temporary exhibitions,  was  the real surprise of the day. We found three exciting exhibits, each totally different. One was the show by an Irish sculptor, Paddy Campbell, whose large bronze statues were in the courtyard as well as in the garden. But the pieces that struck me most were three realistic and funny Scenes placed in a small room off the main gallery: the Train,(see foto above) the Market, and a Bedroom. They were scenes of daily life populated by wax figures 1/3 of the natural dimensions, including hundreds of small objects, accessories and costumes of the period, all narrating  stories of normal, everyday people. The largest scene represented the Market of Sant’Ambrogio, Florence’s bustling central market place, full of stalls, customers buying, the salespeople hawking, plus all the natural surrounding caos; dogs barking, babies in buggies, etc., etc.

Sant'Ambrosio Market (part.)

Sant'Ambrosio Market (part.)

Sant'Ambrosio Market (panaramic viiew)

                                           Take a close look at these photos to see the details

          The second show was a three room exhibition  by an “unidentified” artist.

mixed media on paper, wood panel

tempera on paper, wood panel

     That is, the artist had refused to put his name on the exhibition forcing us to go back to the bookshop for info. Armodio is his name, an artist of international fame.(He participated in the 2011 Biennial in Venice) His work has an aura of metaphysical silence and whimsical irony that is incredible and fascinating.

Then the third show. Not a “show” as such because it is a visit to the second floor of the Medici Riccardi Palace which is always visible.  I  just hadn’t been for years.
The highlight, after seeing the decorative rooms and  furnishings, was seeing the frescos in the chapel done by Benozzo Gozzoli entitled “The Procession of the Magi”. Breathtaking!! really. (visit the web site to see all)

Will do this more often.

detail of the fresco

fresco in the Magi Chapel

http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/it/index.php
http://www.palazzo-medici.it/