This is a discussion (with a couple of still photos) of Cellini's Perseus. I am not sure I agree with all of the scholarship here and I am not quite sure who is actually doing the talking, but near the end the point made about the Perseus basically turning the David and Hercules sculptures to "stone" is pretty interesting:
The tower of Palazzo Vecchio is currently open to the public until September 30th, 2012.
The tower, topping out at 95 meters over Florence from the top of Palazzo Vecchio, opened to the public for the first time on the 24th of June for the celebration of Florence's patron saint, St. John the baptist. One of the most famous images of Florence is seen above in the poster announcing this special opening - the self timed shot of the legendary Florentine Photographer Alinari mounting the final steps.
Attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio, the tower completed the first core structure of the building, which was constructed between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Up to this time it had been closed to the general public. Starting Monday the 25th, the hours will be 9 a.m until 9 p.m. (Thursday 9 to 2 p.m), and the cost of entry if €6.50 , €10 if combined with the ticket for the museum of Palazzo Vecchio.
News out tonight from the Mayor's office - covered by and translated on Florence Journal:
HAS DA VINCI'S "BATTLE OF ANGHIARI" FINALLY BEEN FOUND?
I will scream if they find it - and line up to see it. Even with all the treasures in Florence, if this painting is really there and restorable I think it would join the David as the must thing to see in Florence, which is hard to imagine.
Perhaps the most iconic and famous statue in the world, the David by Michelangelo Buonarroti was brought from the artist's studio to Piazza Signoria in 1504. The sculpture now in place is a replica however, with the original on display in the somewhat cramped confines of the Accademia Gallery since around 1873. More photos and text to come.
The Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati at night. Depending on what scholarship/urban legend you proscribe too, this is either a statue hated by Florentines or loved by Florentines and locally known as "Il Biancone" (the White Giant). The face of Neptune is that of (like many other of this period) Cosimo I de' Medici.
Here is an article about the opening of the Gucci Museum in Piazza Signoria.
This is a neat reference - the images are heavily watermarked but they offer some different historical views.
The palace was built over pre-existing structures for Giovanni Uguccioni by Mariotto di Zanobi Folfi starting in 1549 to a design possibly by (depending on what scholarship you believe) Raphael, Michelangelo, Andrea Palladio, or Bartolomeo Ammannati. No conclusive proofs exists as to the architect (and if it was one of the aforementioned you would have to believe it would have been) but the original drawing is documented to have come from Rome, and that the style was reminiscent of Raphael's or Bramante's, which were a novelty in Florence at the time. It is the only building in Florence with columns on its façade.
Below is an illustration and passage from a book about Florentine Palaces written in 1905:
The lower floors have three arcades with rustication in pietraforte, the material used for the whole façade. The upper floors have two orders of Ionic (first floor) and Corithian (second floor) columns. The latter's pedestals have sculpted coat of arms of the family. Above the entrance is a bust of Francesco I de' Medici, perhaps executed by Giambologna (this has been temporarily removed for restoration and as of this writing was still not back in place). You can see a small Ram's head above the door, which is part of the support for the bust.
The Palazzo currently is home to private residences and the Palazzo Uguccioni Luxury Suites, vacation apartments for tourists.
