Eighteenth-Century Art rediscovered at the Uffizi
The 18th century marked the
transition of the Uffizi from a dynastic collection to public museum, the
first in Europe. It was Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici who bequeathed the family's
artistic heritage to Florence in 1737, and later, Pietro Leopoldo opened the
museum to the citizens.
The
exhibition Florence and Europe. Eighteenth-Century Arts at the Uffizi, open
until November 28, recounts this period of transformation through approximately
150 works, including paintings, sculptures, porcelains, prints, furniture, and
tapestries.
Some of these works have been removed
from storage for the first time, exclusively for the occasion.
The
exhibition begins with Baroque works
from the period when the Medici still reigned, when religious themes and
the celebration of the greatness of the sovereign dynasty were still prominent.
The exhibition continues with art from
the Lorraine era, more "enlightened" and less official, such as
the portraits of Goya, Nattier, Mengs,
and Vigée Le Brun. Interest began to focus more on the representation of
reality than on the ideal.
Then
attention is given to the production of
the Italian schools, with works by Canaletto,
Guardi, Ferretti, and Crespi. The room dedicated to sketches is dominated
by Anton Domenico Gabbiani's work for the dome of the church of San Frediano in
Cestello, depicting the Glory of Saint Mary Magdalene Carried to Heaven by
Angels.
The
18th-century rediscovery of medieval
Primitives and the fashion for the exotic are also documented, with works such as Jean-Étienne Liotard's
Young Woman Dressed in Turkish Style and Giovanni Gherardini's Portrait of the
Kangxi Emperor of China.
Among
the major new features, and perhaps the
exhibition's greatest attraction, is a real-time restoration of Pierre
Subleyras's Mystic Marriage of Saint
Catherine de' Ricci, a large-scale painting being restored before the
public's eyes.
A room is dedicated to
sculptures, nudes, and erotic marbles, inspired by the imaginary
erotic cabinet described by the Marquis de Sade in his novel
"Juliette."
The
second half of the century is then explored through works depicting waterfalls,
mountains, and ruins, reflecting the new aesthetic of the Sublime. The final section features works inspired
by the Grand Tour, including Canaletto's spectacular views and a dramatic
eruption of Mount Vesuvius by Thomas Patch.
The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to see a portion of the
collection not usually exhibited and to recall how the Uffizi took on the
modern form we know today, beginning in the 18th century.