Johann Zoffany painted the Tribune

Johann Zoffany painted the Tribune of the Uffizi Gallery

 

The Tribune of the Uffizi gallery was built by Bernardo Buontalenti. Francesco I commissioned an octagonal room which became the first core of the gallery. In fact the Grand Duke moved here all his private collection of jems, medals, vases he collected in his Studiolo in Palazzo Vecchio. His display became public and from 1584, when the Tribune was completed, the Uffizi gallery became the first museum to be opened to the public!! Obviously a selected public! Francesco I wanted an area very similar to his studiolo in fact the four elements are represented inside the Tribune:
 

Fire: red velvet on the wall
Water: motherpearl shells all around the ceiling
Air: the lantern at the top pf the room
Earth: the floor
 

A wind rose is painted on the ceiling: a flag moved out of the lantern  highlighting the direction of winds: theconnection to the "Torre dei Venti" in Athens is clear!

If you want to know the paintings and the statues situated in the XVIII century inside the Tribune look at the painting below! You can recognize the "Madonna della Seggiola" and the "Madonna del Cardellino" by Raphael the precious Etruscan "Chimera" a V century bronze statue, the "Venus" by Titian and so on...!!
 



 

Altri articoli
A giraffe in Palazzo Vecchio
A giraffe in Palazzo Vecchio

The animal was a gift the Egyptian sultan offered to Lorenzo in 1487 to obtain his support.

Stefano Bardini
Stefano Bardini

Bardini was a promoter of the Renaissance myth in fact he contributed to the re-discovery of Florentine art.

Domenico di Jacopo di Pace, Beccafumi
Domenico di Jacopo di Pace, Beccafumi

Influenced by Florentine culture, he studied in Rome from 1510 to 1512, where he was inspired by Michelangelo and Raphael.

Michelangelo and his friend Lorenzo il Magnifico
Michelangelo and his friend Lorenzo il Magnifico

Christ is represented here as a young man!