I will never forget Alberto Giovanni.
It was the winter of 1988 and on our way to London to spend a couple of weeks with friends during the Christmas vacation, we planned a short visit at Florence.
Florence (Firenze in Italian) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and is the most populous city in Tuscany. The city lies on the banks of the Arno river and is known for its history and for its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered as the birth place of the Italian Renaissance. Perhaps not many of us know that from 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of Italy.
The Duomo, Florence
On December 19, we took a whirlwind tour of the famous tourist places of Florence including Michelangelo’s David and the Duomo and kept the next day free to shop around the market places of Florence and take a walk in the Florentine gardens.
The next day we were out of the hotel by 10.30 in the morning and were figuring out the map of Florence, when someone came towards us and tipping his cap said “ Buon giorno Signore (Good morning in Italian). My name is Alberto. It looks like you need some help with the directions”. On being told our plans for the day he thought for a minute and asked us if we had heard of the Pitti Palace Museum. He guessed that my answer would simply be negative and added “This largest museum complex of Florence is perhaps the best place to visit in the whole of Italy and is located nearby”. Even before I could respond, Jeet my travel companion and host in Italy asked him the time required to visit the museum and the expense involved. We were told that the museum closed by 3 P.M. and thereafter he could take us to a reasonably priced market place where lots of Asian tourists come for shopping.
As soon as Alberto’s cab reached the parking lot of the museum, he spotted someone and shouted “Hey Francisco, come quick and meet my guests from India”. Francisco seemed to be a tourist guide. Alberto asked him to tell us a brief history of the palace, while we were sipping orange juice from tetra packs, which Alberto had got for us.
Francisco showed us the ground plan of the palace, which looked something like this:
(The Palatine Gallery – Room 1-25. The Royal Apartments and The Gallery of Modern Art – Room 26-49)
Francisco told us that the construction of this largest architectural monument in Florence started sometime in 1461 at the behest of Lucca Pitti, a merchant and banker of renown and a friend of the Medici family (the de facto rulers). The construction began according to the plans of the famous architect, Brunelleschi and had progressed to the second floor, when Luca Pitti fell out with the Medicis and ran into severe financial crisis, leading to the abandonment of the project, sometime before his death in 1472. However, the palace continues to bear his name.
The palace was purchased by Eleanor of Toledo, the Dutchess of Florence (wife of Cosimo de Medici) from the descendents of Luca Pitti and thus began the splendid extension and further beautification of the palace. On moving into the palace, Cosimo engaged Giorgio Vasari, the famous painter and architect who is also known for his biographies of some of the Italian painters. It is Vasari who has provided us the most authentic account of the construction of the palace. In keeping with the new master’s taste, the palace was more than doubled in size by the addition of a new block along the rear. Vasari also built the Vasari Corridor, an above-ground walkway linking Cosimo’s old palace with the Pitti Palace. This enabled the Grand Duke and his family to move easily and safely from their official residence to the Pitti Palace. Initially the Pitti Palace was used mostly for lodging official guests and for holding occasional functions of the court while the Medicis’ principal residence continued to be the Vecchio Palace.
The Dutchess also planned and executed a large garden around the palace, which is now known as the Boboli Gardens.
The successive enlargement of the Pitti Palace by the new rulers were executed with admirable fidelity to the original plans of Brunelleschi. This resulted in a continual transformation of the interior so that today it is virtually impossible to find among the labyrinth of large and small chambers, corridors and passageways, the original apartments which were the private chambers of the Pittis for over half a century. By doubling its size and adding side wings, this bare fifteenth century building was transformed into one of the most impressive Renaissance Florentine buildings.
However, it was not until the reign of Eleonor’s son Ferdinando and his wife Cristina that the palace was occupied on a permanent basis and became home to the Medicis’ art collection. Over the centuries Pitti Palace housed two more dynasties: the Lorraine and the Savoy. The growth and enlargement of the palace represents the culture and tastes of the owners from the late Renaissance to our own days. Its sumptuous decorations, its extraordinary art collection which grew over the years, its art objects, fountains, and the rare plants in the Boboli Gardens are a testimony of the history of this spectacular building over the centuries.
Finally in 1919 Victor Emanuele III gifted the palace to the state for public use and particularly to serve as a museum.
At this point, Francisco took our leave, as he had to attend to a large bus-load of Italian – speaking tourists, who had just arrived at the far end of the parking lot.
The Silver Room
Alberto took center stage and pointing towards the three storey edifice told us that the largest gallery, the Palatine Gallery, perhaps the most famous of the galleries, a large ensemble of over 500 principally Renaissance paintings, was furnished by the Medicis and the Lorraines. The Silver Museum and the Monumental Apartments once were the residence of Cosimo III and some of the subsequent rulers.
The Tour of the palace
While welcoming us the Reception Officer gave us a brochure which told us about an important event in the history of the palace. Leopold Hapsburg Lorraine decided to open the west wing, seat of the ancient Medici apartments, to the public, so that the royal collections of the Medici family could be displayed, while the court carried on living in the east wing. The Palatine Gallery was opened to the public in 1834. It was interesting to note that clothing propriety was a must for the visitors to the gallery during those days.
The Palatine Gallery
The Palatine Gallery, contains a large collection of over 500 principally Renaissance paintings, which were once part of the collection of the Medici family and their successors. The gallery which spills over into the royal apartments, contains works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Corraggio, Pietro da Cartona and others. The character of the gallery is still that of a private collection, and the works of art are displayed and hung much as they would have been in the grand rooms for which they were intended. They are not in a chronological sequence, or according to schools of art.
The Age of Gold and Age of Silver by Pietro da Cortona
The finest rooms were decorated by Pietro da Cortona in the high baroque style. Cortona’s huge, well-received, frescoes depicting the Age of Gold and Age of Silver in the Salla della Stuffa were painted in 1637, and followed in 1641 by the Age of Copper and Age of Iron. Representing the turmoil of life, they are regarded among his masterpieces. The artist was subsequently asked to paint in frescos a suite of seven rooms at the front of the palace. The theme for these frescoes was to be the astrological influence on the life of the ruler. By 1647, when Cortona left Florence, he had finished only three rooms – Mars, Jupiter and Venus. They were to inspire the later Planet Rooms at the palace.
The first room on our left was called the Venus Room. The moment we entered the room, we were totally overwhelmed by the splendid complex, where we were surrounded by beauty on all sides, the architecture, the frescoes and the paintings were all blended into an indissoluble and interdependent whole. This astounding complex houses some of the most exquisite works of Peter Paul Rubens, Salvator Rosa, Titian and Andrea Del Sarto.
The Peasants Return From the Fields
While I was having a close look at Rubens’s “The Peasants Return From The Fields”, a gorgeous looking lady,a museum employee whispered into my ear “You might need this” – it was a magnifying glass. Of course, the detailing did require this accessory. In the picture above, please note carefully the eye contact between the girl walking towards the village and the man giving her some directions. In a single canvas, Rubens depicted about the beautiful overcast sky, the vast expanse of the open fields, the stream flowing, the fruit laden trees, the tired horses relaxing after a hard day’s work and women carrying the produce back home.
Madonna of the chair
Hesitantly, I asked her if she would be kind enough to enlighten us about the museum. We talked about Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the stalwarts of the Renaissance era. She asked us if we had seen any of the works of Raphael. I told her about the “Madonna and the child”, so she straight away took us to next room, where Raphael’s famous creation, “Madonna of the chair” was housed. She told us that this painting was done by Raphael in the year 1515-1516 and pointed out the vivid immediacy of feeling and expression in the Mother’s embrace of her son. She also urged us to look at the sweet, imploring gesture of the other child in the painting.
The veiled woman
We were told that contrary to the volatile Michelangelo and Leonardo, Raphael was a very gentle family man. Unfortunately he did not live long and died at the age of thirty two. She also explained the minute details of his other famous work “The veiled woman”, which was on display on the opposite wall. She urged us to admire the rich materials which adorn the woman, who tradition indicates as the Roman mistress of the painter. I was totally astounded by the painter’s attention lingered on the beautiful face, the folds in the sleeve, on the play of light on satin and velvet, on the necklace of agate and amber.
The Sacred Family
This painting is from the collection of Cosimo III de Medici and dated 1616. It is a delicate picture of the serene family life of the painter himself and a tribute to his affection for his wife and children .
In addition to these aforesaid famous works, The Palatine Gallery, also housed important Florentine and Venetian Renaissance paintings including several works by Tiziano. The seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries were represented by some Caravaggio masterpieces. There were works of some very renowned foreign artists, including those by Van Dyck and Murillo.
The Royal Apartments
This is a suite of 14 rooms, formerly used by the Medici family, and also lived in by their successors. These rooms have been largely altered since the era of the Medicis, most recently in the 19th century. They contain a collection of Medici portraits. In contrast to the great salons containing the Palatine collection, some of these rooms are much smaller and more intimate. While still grand and gilded, they are more suited to day to day living requirements. The Kings of Italy last used the Pitti Palace in the 1920s. By that time the palace had already been converted into a museum, but a suite of rooms (now the Gallery of Modern Art) was reserved for them when they visited Florence officially.
The Gallery of Modern Art
In 1919, when the Palace was still a Savoy Royal residence, in the rooms on the second floor the Modern Art gallery was started as an ideal cultural continuation of past traditions. The Gallery hosts Italian art from the second half of the 19th century, mainly represented by works of Macchiaoli, and other works from the start of the 20th century.
Madonna of the Magnificat
Deeply engrossed in the grandeur of the palace, we were alerted by the sound of a siren indicating that the museum was about to close. We thanked the museum staff for the courtesy extended to us. We went to admire the lush green Boboli Gardens, the mid sixteenth century garden style which incorporated longer axial developments, wide gravel avenues, a large amphitheater built of stone and the lavish statuary and fountains. Alberto took us to a nearby small restaurant and we savoured some delicious Italian wine and snacks and cheeses.
A statue of Neptune in the Boboli Gardens
After a hearty meal, we were inclined to do a bit of shopping and Alberto took us to the famous flea market of Florence located at Piazza dei Ciompi. At this market you can find not only practically everything for household use, but you can also find furniture and objects from the past, prints, coins and jewellery. You can also find affordable treasures amidst the bric-a-brac and dusty books. It’s worth a trip if only to get an insight into Italy’s past through the artifacts displayed in these cluttered stalls. I was lucky to pick up a couple of leather bound editions of “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens and Rita Gilbert’s “Living with Art”, at throw away prices. We picked up some souvenirs for friends, had a quick drink at a nearby bar and decided to call it a day, as we had to rush to the railway station to board a train to Milan, our temporary abode.
At the end of the day it felt as if we were saying good bye not to a cabbie but to a friend.
I have never been to Italy again, but whenever someone mentions Florence or Renaissance art, the smiling face of Alberto comes to my mind. May be one of these days, I will go back to Florence and bump into Alberto !
Thanks for being with me on this journey.
p.s.
This post is inspired by Smita’s beautifully narrated “Florence- Reminiscence of the Renaissance”. I was so impressed by the post that I decided to add to her splendid work, my humble submission circulated to some like minded friends in 1989. Thanks Smita
Also some of the pictures have been taken from the internet to give a better view, as those days I didn’t have a digital camera. My grateful thanks to the publishers of these pictures.
I will do the ‘Shri Ganesh’ for comments for this post.
This is 251st post at ghumakkar. I have done PageUp-PageDown many times on this post and so far I am just overwhelmed by the pictures and text. Not able to start reading. Though I read a bit there a bit here.
I am acclimatizing myself with little drops before I plunge in the pool.
The article written is very inspiring, it gives feeling as you are actually part of this journey. It is really an article which helps us to enrich our knowledge.
I will share this with my daughter and I am sure she will enjoy reading this.
Certainly I would be obliged If you keep posting such articles
Once again so brilliantly written post !! And awesome photographs. Congratulations !
One reason why I hesitate now writing for Ghumakkar is that all the writers here give me a complex. :-)
People like Alberto will always be remembered in our life. This post is very inspiring, can’t say anymore.
Thanks for sharing such an experience with us.
Cuckoo,
I am completely overwhelmed by your very sweet words. As a matter of fact, I am feeling elated. Thank you sooooo much.
Yes, given a chance, I would love to meet Alberto again, even if I have to track his whereabouts in Florence.
If you just move the cursor up and see the “Recent most visited” – What do you see on the top of the table- ” A walk in the rain” and who has authored it !!! And who created a stir by writing “Welcome Sister” ? Do you want me to go further, or that’s enough for the day !!
Now when do we expect your next post ?
Warm regards
Ram Saab, every time I read your post it becomes such a challenge to put in a response that is worthy enough of your post. I try my humble best but know for a fact that I cant do justice. I also know that what you possess is a gift that very few are blessed with. It is an awesome experience as always, where I did the journey with you. You need to preserve all these works of yours as it would become a treasure just like the art work that your explaining !!
Best Regards
Deepak
A great post and brilliant pictures ..the detailing is awesome..I really wish now that we had made the stop over at Florence..lack of time made us continue our way to Rome from venice..another good reason to tour italy again
Oooiiii!! Thanks for liking my esrlier post.
Now, I gotta reapeat my self on travelers getting seasoned and likewise the writers following the trend – but this is OUTSTANDING!
Someday, Gumakkar should come out with a book with such stories of various genres — what-d’ya-know, maybe by then we may need volumes to put it all in.
By far the best. I dont think Ghumakkar would be able to host you for long.
I can bet that there would be people who would read this kind of stuff and then get you into a exclusive agreement to write for them.
This needs tons of research and gallons of discipline. Lucky to be among the ones who read your writings.
Well, I have not completely read the post and have to leave in middle.
Outstanding description and research, amazing pics!!
will write more later. Thanks for sharing!
A fascinating read Ram!
The pictures blend beautifully with the text and yet both are individually gripping too. I mean you can just ponder over each picture and conjure up thoughts. You can also read the text standalone and be carried away in to Florence! Great work!
I suggest you think of publishing a compendium of all these articles sometime in the not too distant future. Maybe just a few personally autographed copies. The cost is not important, the appreciation is.
Thank you Ram!
May you enjoy many more such trips down memory lane as well as in the future and may we share in your enjoyment too, through your delectable prose!
Warmest regards
Terry
A mesmerizing article, written with passion. Takes you all the way to Florence virtually, and make you feel associated while you not being there ever in life.
A must read …….
A pleasant read. I must admit that it was very difficult to drag myself away from the pictures. The pics are real symbols of royalty, culture,art and architecture. They are capable of attracting ones eyes towards themselves. They are very lively. Your sincere works on this entry is clear from the text as well as the snaps.
Thank you sooooo much for your so encouraging words. :-)
Coming from you, it’s an honour !!
Thanks again, I’ll write soon.
Nandan,
Thank you for doing the Shree Ganesh. Your comment is really heart warming. I have no hesitation in saying that you are the person who inspired me to make whatever little contributions I have made. So the credit should go to you.
Thanks once again for the great support.
Sanjay Bhai,
Thank you very much for your kind remarks. Please do share this humble submission with your daughter. I will look forward to her response and I really mean it.
Deepak,
As usual, you have been very generous and kind and its always a great pleasure hearing from you.
Lakshmi,
I feel honoured getting such sweet words from one of the initial authors of the blog. You have been a constant source of inspiration to many of us. Its a great joy being associated with persons like you.
Thank you very much.
Smita,
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to put an addendum to your splendid post on Florence.
God bless you.
Aditya,
Thanks for your interim remarks.
Sometimes the Matalah of the ghazal appears very attractive, but by the time you finish, the Maqta (the closing couplet) is terrible. So, I shall await your comments on the Maqta too.
Ram,
Having been only to the present capital of Italy, to read this interesting post in such detail on the erstwhile capital and in particular about Pitti Palace that originally belonged to Luca Pitti has been an absolute pleasure. The explanation of the paintings is marvellous.
Thank your for this informative post.
As always – Great Work! The sincerity that you put in writing the articles comes across and inspires others to take the plunge and write or as Cuckoo said, may be sometimes gives them a complex :)
The research that you do is evident and adds detailing and flavor to the articles.
Keep writing and helping us know the world better!
Thanks!
Interesting comment by you but I found Matalah of the article and the Maqta both perfect in your post.
I find posts related to Italy fascinating because being in Europe i missed to visit this country. Hope, some day I will write my experience in Italy on ghumakkar.
Thanks for sharing!
Terry,
I am speechless. Am overwhelmed to the extent that I am unable to find appropriate words to express my gratitude for your such highly encouraging remarks.
May God bless you and be with you and the family, always.
Warm regards.
Vikas,
Thanks for your very sweet remarks. It gives me immense satisfaction knowing that you have liked the post.
Please do keep on visiting us share your comments and experiences.
Swastishipra,
Thank you very much. I am happy that the post came upto your satisfaction.
Daer Ram,
This is simply sublime stuff! (sorry for the slang – am short of expressions)
The other day while commenting on some other post (after reading this post partly) I mentioned that it is a challenge for people like ‘yours truly’ to remain in the vicinity of the standards being continuously set and raised by the posts like yours. Nonetheless, it is a scholastic privilege to be in such an August company.
This post is not only a collectors item for the discerning, but also a lucid initiation in art appreciation for the uninitiated. The detailing by you on the Peasant. piece unravels so many layers of details which would have otherwise gone unobserved. By the way, the detailing of crumpled cloths and satin shine is probably a gauge of the mastery of the artist, if I am right.
The layout plan of the labyrinthine palace would be of great help to prospective visitors, even if they manage to bump into an Alberto and a Francisco.
Thanks so much for this sumptuous and nutritious treat for the senses. It is a delight keeping looking forward to moreI am sure it would not be difficult for you to keep surpassing your own lofty standards.
Well, speaking of Ghazals, I would drop a Matla and a susbsequent sher
manzil na de charaag na de hauslaa to de
tinke ka hi sahee tu magar aasraa to de
maine ye kab kaha ke mere haq mein ho jawaab
lekin khamosh kyoon hai tu koi faislaa to de
And as far as Maqta is concerned: ( this one is yours trulys :))
Maqte bhi jab ayega tab dekh lenge,
Abhi to hame bas Matle pe hi tairte rahne do.
Warm Regards
Rajeev Tivari
Please pardon the misspellings (Daer-Dear, Mqte-Maqta and others if any found) – I had to re-type the whole comment as it did not go through in the first attempt.
Thanks
Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy came alive today as I went thro’ the deatils. Your writing has a knack of tuning to the correct frequency of the reader and you ceratinly know what is expected from a travelogue. Please continue writitng so as to benefit many of us who are not so lucky to visit the beautiful places like Pitti Palace.
Subash Kapoor
Rajeev,
Your remarks have touched me to the chore of my heart and am extremely grateful to you for your kind words.
Rajeev, I am a very simple and humble person and write most candidly whatever I see, observe and the information acquired. In the process, if the post is liked by someone, its simply Gods kindness.
Now about the first part of the Ghazal, About Manzil, I would like to say:
Manzil mili, murad mili, mudaa milaa,
Sab kuch mujhe mila, Jo tera daste paa mila.
Jab door tak na koi faqir- ashnaa mila,
Tera Niyaazmand tere dar pe ja milaa.
Simab ko shagufataa na dekha tamam umr,
Kambakht jab mila hamen, gam aashna milaa
Ab kya bataun main tere milne se kya mila,
Irfaane gham hua mujhe, dil ka pataa milaa.
And about Maqta:
As you know, Matlah and Maqta are synonyms to day and night,
Din Ke piche raat lagi hai, raat ke piche din,
Suraj ko bhi sar pe uthale, tu tare bhi gin
Jeevan paakar nahak tune, khoya hai sukh chain,
Thay tujh bin bhi chand sitaare, honge bhi tujh bin.
Coming back to the post, I am immensely proud of my association with all of you.
Regards and Gods blessings.
Shaguna,
Your heart warming comment is really very comforting.
Please do keep on apprising us of your views. Incidentally, after writing your brilliant post on ‘Ladakh, you seem to have gone into some sort of shell. Request that you write another post soon.
Look forward to your next post.
Celine,
Getting such gracious words from a person like you is a great honour for me. Many thanks.
Welcome back from your trips to Gharwal and Sahayadri hills. Would expect some thing great from you soonest.
Aditya,
Thanks for your encouraging comments. I have talked about “Matlah” and “Maqta” in details in my response to Rajeev.
God bless you all
Ram sir,
Great !!!!!!!!!!!
I always get something out of your article from architecture point of view.
These pictures are very clear which you wont find in any architectural books.
Hoping for more articles to come
great work sir!!!!!!!!
Regards
Sudhir Sharma
Dear Ram Uncle,
Smita’s post made me want to take the next flight to Florence. Yours reinforces my desire.
Do you think courtiers fortunate to hear Tansen’s wonderful melodies would have felt like this? I believe that a master’s composition takes off gently and rises to a beautiful heart touching crescendo and then ends with an excellent finale. Such is your story on Pitti Palace.
It is a gentle begining with the details of your visit, history of Florence, that of the royal families and construction of the Pitti Palace. Passion and awe reach the peak with the beautiful description of the magnificient paintings. You have so aptly expressed in words, that they evoke in your readers the same feeling you must have felt when you actually stood before them.
I am really really lucky to be able to read this post and experience what you have been so kind to share.
The stroll in Boboli gardens and the flea market of Piazza de Ciompi form the excellent finale. The ever present Alberto lends an earthly and real feeling to this whole experience that seems so heavenly.
Do we see you taking a bow? Uncle… can you hear us all applauding?!
Geetha,
Its early morning. The chirping of the birds is announcing the day break and arrival of the Sun God. At a distance, I can hear the ringing of the temple bells and in the neighborhood, someone is chanting the sacred Mantras. In this serenity, sighting your sweet remarks is no less than a heavenly bliss.
I just dont know how to respond to these awe inspiring words. All I can say is that I am going to cherish these inspirational remarks for a long time.
May God bless you and the family and be with you, always.
Sudhir,
I am glad that you have found the post interesting. Getting such remarks from an architect is a great joy.
Subash ji,
I am extremely grateful to you for your very kind words, which have not only added value to the post, but will also keep on inspiring me to do still better.
Thanks once again.
Dear Ram Sir,
When I got this post I was working on a very important project, I wanted a break & I am glad you stopped me! Here’s a little about this Scholar POST. I personally stand and applaud for this post. I feel every body will agree with me that with every new post we read is better then the last one & sincerely I compare you with you only. The balanced flavoured article.
Great work
Regards
Indeed a jewel, exquisitely carved.
Visit a European country just for the feel of the western world. Then sit at your homes comfort and read Rams posts on various European cities. You get a better experience than your own visit. Think Ill do just that.
I have to make a confession, however. Photograph of the artworks is so captivating, it erased almost everything else. Though heard a lot since childhood, never thought paintings can be so amazing until my visit to Londons National Gallery.
What next, Ram?
Patrick,
I think I can’t find adequate words to thank you for your such kind remarks.
Your sweet words are not only a great honour but also a storehouse of encouragement and energy for all of us.
And thanks for giving me an idea of writing something about the National Art Gallery of London, after my next visit there. I personally think that the exhibits there are simply superb.
Incidentally, I read somewhere that in the good old days owing to the low levels of literacy, the church opted for this mode of education, which undoubtedly proved to be a great success.
Now I have to make a confession. Some of the works of these great masters are so vivid and lucid that you simply can not help being carried away. The crucification of Lord Jesus Christ has been so captivatingly expressed in some of the paintings that the visitors to the galleries tend to become emotionally charged and I can be counted amongst those.
Thanks and God’s blessings.
Ram Sir,
Today I read this complete article and I am really speechless, the contents of this article are exquisitely painted like the painting of Rapheal, every line & colour gives it impression and justification.
This is a master travelouge.
Regards
Dinesh
I am amazed at the detail that you have provided sir, enabling us to not just read about a beautiful place, but be able to visit the same without any phisical travelling at all. What is exquisitely projected is not just the city or the museum in particular, but the details of the paintings (including the special mention of the eye contact).
Your ability to appreciate the finer things in life is so beautifully reflected here sir, thanks for letting us experience the same.
Bindiya
Dinesh ji,
I am indeed very grateful to you for your kind remarks. Such comments inspire me to do still better.
Bindiya,
Your sweet words always bring delight to me. I am glad that the post was to your satisfaction.
I’ve gone through this article. I really appreciate the way this has been placed in the form of language or literature. Also I feel that this has-been written by practical knowledge and the writer have sufficient practical experience. This article has given complete feed back with pictures which can capture the imagination of any reader.
Superb Ram Uncle. Your article on Pitti Palace reminded us of the peaceful evening we spent sitting outside this Palatial complex.
You enriched us with the beautiful descriptions of the paintings (drew our attention towards the details in painting of peasant women returning home …) about the painters – Raphael and also for few minutes took me on journey to the time of Medici Family.
I must say that reading it was an utmost pleasure – A soothing piece for mind.
And like all others, I too will like to acknowledge that with every other article we are discovering new Ram. Sometimes I feel that a particular travelogue is the best and then you post another one which is better than the previous one. It seems you are raising the bar for yourself.
Beautiful. We will eagerly wait for the next one.
Thanks for your very sweet and encouraging remarks.
I am glad that you were able to recall the memories of your visit to the gallery.
Hi
I was just wondering: is the Silver Room the same as the Ballroom, or Sala da Ballo?
The Silver Room also seems to be called the Hall of Giovanni da San Giovanni.
Very good blog post. I definitely love this website.
Thanks!
I enjoyed reding your blog.
Merci