Giorgio Vasari painted the great east wall of Salone dei 500, illustrating the Florentine victory of the Battle of Marciano, a very bloody battle, where finally Siena fell and Florence became the absolute power in the hands of the Medici family. On a banner at the top you can read “Cerca Trova” [Search Find]. It seems that Vasari wrote it giving a clue to look for the painting of the Battle of Anghiari by Leonardo da Vinci, which was supposed to be on the same wall, beneath his.
History of the Battle of Marciano della Chiana
The Florentines, governed by the de’Medici family in 1554, sent the army in the area of Arezzo that had rebelled, stirring up fears in Siena. Siena, which until then had been able to maintain its independence, now feared to be destroyed. Therefore Siena organized a counterattack and, occupied Lucignano and Chiusi, its troops commanded by Piero Strozzi pointed at Marciano, encircling it.
But the Florentines had provided the fortress with a garrison of a thousand troops. The commander of the fortress, Lattanzio Pichi, afraid of being defeated, surrendered to Strozzi. Shortly after, Foiano also fell. The Marquis of Marignano, faithful to the Medici, encamped at the siege of Monte San Savino, went to Marciano to attack Strozzi. On August 1, 1554 the two sides in fighting trim and both with dozens of thousands of men came to fight. The Siena troops were overwhelmed and partly destroyed. This great battle of the 16th century became known as the Battle of Marciano, because of the fortress.
In memory of the great battle that definitely defeated Siena, Cosimo I ordered Bartolomeo Ammannati to build a temple in the place of the victory, and a marble column was erected in Florence, in Piazza S. Felice. Fidelity to Florence was rewarded by giving the permission to insert the same lily of Florence in the municipal coat of arms. Marciano remained under the domain of Florence until 1860.
Giorgio Vasari, painter and architect, belonging to that eclectic season that marks the transition to Mannerism, was born July 30, 1511 in Arezzo and died in Florence in 1574. More than for his artistic production, Giorgio Vasari is primarily remembered for his work as a historian and art critic for the “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, sculptors, and architects” of which a first edition dates back to 1550 and a more expanded edition to 1568. Although very young, he became apprentice of G. de Pierre de Marcillat, a very skillful painter in making stained glass. After that experience, he moved to Florence to continue his studies. In 1529 he visited Rome, where he studied the works of Raffaello and other artists of the Roman Renaissance; the study and the inspiration to the art of Michelangelo and Raffaello are evident in his paintings. His best paintings are in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, where Cosimo I de ‘Medici appointed him Minister of Cultural Heritage and ordered him, as an architect, to magnify the power of the Medici. He designed the Uffizi, the Corridoio Vasariano, and especially transformed the interior of Palazzo Vecchio in a magnificent residence, starting from the creation of Salone dei Cinquecento with the ceiling fresco of the Triumph of the Prince, and the frescoes on the walls to celebrate the victories of Cosimo over Tuscan cities. Then in 1570 by request of Francis, son of Cosimo I, designed a private space in Palazzo Vecchio for the arts and alchemy. Here the genius of Vasari gave birth to a small space but of huge artistic impact. This room is on the first floor of Palazzo Vecchio, and it is shaped like a treasure chest. Painted by the best painters of the time, the paintings hide secret drawers and doors used to contain the material for the experiments. Having amassed a considerable fortune, both as a painter as an architect, Giorgio Vasari returned to Arezzo in 1547 where he built a beautiful home. The artist decorated the walls and vaults with paintings. Today, this house has been turned into a museum.
Sandro Botticelli, was born March 1, 1445 in Florence and died there on May 17, 1510. He began his apprenticeship in the workshop of Filippo Lippi and together, they painted in the Cathedral of Prato.
During the time spent at the Lippi’s workshop Botticelli painted many Madonnas with the style of his master. On the death of Lippi in 1469, he opened his workshop and began his personal production of paintings influenced by Pollaiuolo and Verrocchio. In 1472 he joined the Compagnia di San Luca, the brotherhood of artists in Florence. In 1475 he began working for the Medici family, who commissioned many works to beautify their homes.
In 1478 the series of allegories and myths began: “The Spring” of 1478, “Pallas taming the Centaur” of 1482, “Venus and Mars” in 1483 and “Birth of Venus” in 1484. In this same period, 1481-82, he was called to Rome to work on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. These are the only works that he realized far from Florence. In the following years he continued painting remaining loyal to his style based on refined elegance and charming ethereal figures, the choice of the subjects instead underwent a change, returning to prevail religious subjects on mythological themes. This change coincided with the death of Lorenzo de ‘Medici (1492).
From 1490 to 1497 he painted the illustration of the Divine Comedy (preserved partly in the Prints and Drawings of Staatlische Museen in Berlin and partly in the Vatican Library).
The Santa Croce complex has always been closely connected with the Franciscans, who established themselves here around about 1227. Soon after the death of St. Francis, they built a small church on the site of the present-day Santa Croce, which they enlarged in 1252. The remains of this first building came to light in 1967. In May 1294, work started on the new church designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, who managed to produce the Florentine ideal of the beauty of simple forms in a vast space; in fact, Santa Croce is 115 metres long and its central nave 195 metres wide, about the same size as the first church of St. Peter’s in Rome. Building was completed in 1380. After the collapse of the first bell tower in 1512, another one designed by Niccolò Baccanti was finally erected in 1842. The marble facade of the church was built by Niccolò Matas between 1853 and 1863, and was apparently based on a 15th century design by Cronaca. Santa Croce is the richest Florentine church in terms of works of art; inside, for example, there are wonderful frescos by Giotto, a marble pulpit by Benedetto da Maiano, the Vittorio Alfieri monument by Canova, and Donatello’s high-relief Annunciation… The rich 13th century Florentine families donated vast sums of money to the Franciscans in order to obtain the privilege of burying their family members in the chapels of the choir, and thus to display their family stems. At the end of the 14th century, the church also became a burial place for illustrious figures. There are also monuments to Dante Alighieri, Galilei, Machiavelli, Foscolo, and Rossini. In the Santa Croce complex there is also a museum including such masterpieces as Cimabue’s Crucifix, frescos by Orcagna, and a bronze by Donatello. The basilica of Santa Croce faces onto a vast piazza, which was built to complement it; it is known throughout the world because for centuries it has hosted the traditional “calcio in costume” competition. At Piazza Santa Croce, 21, one can admire the Palazzo dell’Antella, the facade of which was frescoed in 1629 in just twenty days by a team of skilled painters commissioned by Niccolò dell’Antella. It subsequently became known as the “Palazzo degli Sporti” because spectators used to watch the “calcio in costume” matches from the windows.
Inside Inferno, following Langdon’s footsteps in Florence, Venice and Istanbul – Florence
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Battaglia di Marciano della Chiana
Giorgio Vasari painted the great east wall of Salone dei 500, illustrating the Florentine victory of the Battle of Marciano, a very bloody battle, where finally Siena fell and Florence became the absolute power in the hands of the Medici family.
On a banner at the top you can read “Cerca Trova” [Search Find]. It seems that Vasari wrote it giving a clue to look for the painting of the Battle of Anghiari by Leonardo da Vinci, which was supposed to be on the same wall, beneath his.
History of the Battle of Marciano della Chiana
The Florentines, governed by the de’Medici family in 1554, sent the army in the area of Arezzo that had rebelled, stirring up fears in Siena. Siena, which until then had been able to maintain its independence, now feared to be destroyed. Therefore Siena organized a counterattack and, occupied Lucignano and Chiusi, its troops commanded by Piero Strozzi pointed at Marciano, encircling it.
But the Florentines had provided the fortress with a garrison of a thousand troops. The commander of the fortress, Lattanzio Pichi, afraid of being defeated, surrendered to Strozzi. Shortly after, Foiano also fell. The Marquis of Marignano, faithful to the Medici, encamped at the siege of Monte San Savino, went to Marciano to attack Strozzi. On August 1, 1554 the two sides in fighting trim and both with dozens of thousands of men came to fight. The Siena troops were overwhelmed and partly destroyed. This great battle of the 16th century became known as the Battle of Marciano, because of the fortress.
In memory of the great battle that definitely defeated Siena, Cosimo I ordered Bartolomeo Ammannati to build a temple in the place of the victory, and a marble column was erected in Florence, in Piazza S. Felice. Fidelity to Florence was rewarded by giving the permission to insert the same lily of Florence in the municipal coat of arms. Marciano remained under the domain of Florence until 1860.
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari, painter and architect, belonging to that eclectic season that marks the transition to Mannerism, was born July 30, 1511 in Arezzo and died in Florence in 1574. More than for his artistic production, Giorgio Vasari is primarily remembered for his work as a historian and art critic for the “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, sculptors, and architects” of which a first edition dates back to 1550 and a more expanded edition to 1568.
Although very young, he became apprentice of G. de Pierre de Marcillat, a very skillful painter in making stained glass. After that experience, he moved to Florence to continue his studies. In 1529 he visited Rome, where he studied the works of Raffaello and other artists of the Roman Renaissance; the study and the inspiration to the art of Michelangelo and Raffaello are evident in his paintings.
His best paintings are in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, where Cosimo I de ‘Medici appointed him Minister of Cultural Heritage and ordered him, as an architect, to magnify the power of the Medici. He designed the Uffizi, the Corridoio Vasariano, and especially transformed the interior of Palazzo Vecchio in a magnificent residence, starting from the creation of Salone dei Cinquecento with the ceiling fresco of the Triumph of the Prince, and the frescoes on the walls to celebrate the victories of Cosimo over Tuscan cities. Then in 1570 by request of Francis, son of Cosimo I, designed a private space in Palazzo Vecchio for the arts and alchemy.
Here the genius of Vasari gave birth to a small space but of huge artistic impact. This room is on the first floor of Palazzo Vecchio, and it is shaped like a treasure chest. Painted by the best painters of the time, the paintings hide secret drawers and doors used to contain the material for the experiments.
Having amassed a considerable fortune, both as a painter as an architect, Giorgio Vasari returned to Arezzo in 1547 where he built a beautiful home. The artist decorated the walls and vaults with paintings. Today, this house has been turned into a museum.
Botticelli – Mappa dell’Inferno
Sandro Botticelli, was born March 1, 1445 in Florence and died there on May 17, 1510.
He began his apprenticeship in the workshop of Filippo Lippi and together, they painted in the Cathedral of Prato.
During the time spent at the Lippi’s workshop Botticelli painted many Madonnas with the style of his master. On the death of Lippi in 1469, he opened his workshop and began his personal production of paintings influenced by Pollaiuolo and Verrocchio. In 1472 he joined the Compagnia di San Luca, the brotherhood of artists in Florence. In 1475 he began working for the Medici family, who commissioned many works to beautify their homes.
In 1478 the series of allegories and myths began: “The Spring” of 1478, “Pallas taming the Centaur” of 1482, “Venus and Mars” in 1483 and “Birth of Venus” in 1484.
In this same period, 1481-82, he was called to Rome to work on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. These are the only works that he realized far from Florence.
In the following years he continued painting remaining loyal to his style based on refined elegance and charming ethereal figures, the choice of the subjects instead underwent a change, returning to prevail religious subjects on mythological themes. This change coincided with the death of Lorenzo de ‘Medici (1492).
From 1490 to 1497 he painted the illustration of the Divine Comedy (preserved partly in the Prints and Drawings of Staatlische Museen in Berlin and partly in the Vatican Library).
Santa Croce
The Santa Croce complex has always been closely connected with the Franciscans, who established themselves here around about 1227.
Soon after the death of St. Francis, they built a small church on the site of the present-day Santa Croce, which they enlarged in 1252. The remains of this first building came to light in 1967.
In May 1294, work started on the new church designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, who managed to produce the Florentine ideal of the beauty of simple forms in a vast space; in fact, Santa Croce is 115 metres long and its central nave 195 metres wide, about the same size as the first church of St. Peter’s in Rome.
Building was completed in 1380. After the collapse of the first bell tower in 1512, another one designed by Niccolò Baccanti was finally erected in 1842. The marble facade of the church was built by Niccolò Matas between 1853 and 1863, and was apparently based on a 15th century design by Cronaca.
Santa Croce is the richest Florentine church in terms of works of art; inside, for example, there are wonderful frescos by Giotto, a marble pulpit by Benedetto da Maiano, the Vittorio Alfieri monument by Canova, and Donatello’s high-relief Annunciation…
The rich 13th century Florentine families donated vast sums of money to the Franciscans in order to obtain the privilege of burying their family members in the chapels of the choir, and thus to display their family stems. At the end of the 14th century, the church also became a burial place for illustrious figures. There are also monuments to Dante Alighieri, Galilei, Machiavelli, Foscolo, and Rossini.
In the Santa Croce complex there is also a museum including such masterpieces as Cimabue’s Crucifix, frescos by Orcagna, and a bronze by Donatello.
The basilica of Santa Croce faces onto a vast piazza, which was built to complement it; it is known throughout the world because for centuries it has hosted the traditional “calcio in costume” competition.
At Piazza Santa Croce, 21, one can admire the Palazzo dell’Antella, the facade of which was frescoed in 1629 in just twenty days by a team of skilled painters commissioned by Niccolò dell’Antella. It subsequently became known as the “Palazzo degli Sporti” because spectators used to watch the “calcio in costume” matches from the windows.
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