COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 13 FRIDAY MARCH 30, 2012
Uffizi Treasures Come To Bucks Co. or the first time ever, a achievement of Western civiliza- prelude to Resurrection. The exhi- Magdalene (circa 1395-1400), with Descent from the Cross and the selection of forty-four tion.” bition will be supplemented with its pious figures and gilt back- Resurrection. The Uffizi Gallery is one of paintings and tapestries Curated by the director of the seven Italian Renaissance paintings ground that are a hallmark of the from the famed Uffizi Gallery in Uffizi, Antonio Natali, “Offering of from the John G. Johnson Late Gothic style. Luca Giordano the oldest and most famous art museums in the world, with 1.6 Florence, Italy, is million visitors a year. The struccoming to the James ture was erected between 1560 A. Michener Art and 1574 by Cosimo I de’ Medici Museum in and served as the judicial and Doylestown, government offices of the Tuscan Pennsylvania. state. Giorgio Vasari, a friend of “Offering of the Michelangelo who coined the Angels: Treasures term Renaissance, was its archifrom the Uffizi,” contect. The Uffizi officially opened taining works by such to the public in 1765 and houses Renaissance and one of the greatest collections of Baroque masters as paintings and tapestries in the Sandro Botticelli, Il world - many of which were origParmigianino, inally commissioned or owned by Lorenzo Monaco, Il members of the Medici family. Guercino and Named by Smithsonian Cristofano Allori, is Magazine as one of the “top 28 on view April 21 to places to see before you die,” the August 10 at the Uffizi has the largest collection of Michener. This is the Botticellis in the world, including only northeast venue Birth of Venus, and Leonardo da for the exhibit, which Vinci’s Annunciation. Even those is sponsored by Louis who have visited Florence Della Penna. numerous times may, in fact, be “Offering of the unfamiliar with the works assemAngels: Treasures bled in “Offering of the Angels.” from the Uffizi” Many have not been on display to brings to the Michener Art Museum and the public; the holdings of the Southeastern Uffizi are so rich and so varied that even works of extraordinary Pennsylvania a wealth merit sometimes have had to of tapestries and old remain out of view, simply master paintings that because of the lack of space in the are rarely, if ever, seen Fabrizio Boschi (Florence 1572-1642), The Miracle of the Manna, circa 1594-1597, oil on canvas, height 56.7 by width 90.2 inchgalleries. Visitors to the Uffizi in this region,” says es, Collection of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. wait up to five hours to get in to Michener Art Museum Direc-tor/CEO Bruce Katsiff. the Angels” examines classical art Collection of the Philadelphia (1634-1705), a leading figure of the museum! (For those who buy “We welcome the generosity of as an expression of spirituality. The Museum of Art, one of the most the Late Baroque period in Italy, is a ticket online to “Offering of the the Uffizi Gallery in allowing path to redemption is illustrated, renowned Renaissance collections represented by the moving Climb Angels” at the Michener, there’s these treasures to travel here. The from the Old Testament to the New in America. to Calvary (1685-1686), a large no waiting time.) “Il Pane degli Angeli” exhibition’s impressive works of Testament, from the creation of The works from the Uffizi, canvas that depicts an emotional which until this tour have never left encounter on Christ’s ascent to his (Offering of the Angels) was such Europe, embody the diversity, styl- crucifixion. A featured work is the an enormous success in Florence istic evolution, scale and technical recently-restored Madonna with that the Uffizi’s curators decided to make it available mastery of art from Italy to an international and Northern Europe audience. The exhiover nearly 400 years, bition opened the and represent a survey following year in of European art at an Spain; first in important moment in its Madrid in 2008 and history. The artists in later, in Barcelona in this exhibit were, in 2009, where it was essence, employed by visited by a half milthe Church, and created lion people. work that illustrated and The exhibition is promoted official coming to the United Church doctrine, work States through the that was meant to be efforts and encourplaced in churches and agement of the influence the faithful. Amici degli Uffizi, The modern practice of established in 1993 art making is, of course, by a group of convery different, with art cerned Florentine being seen as a comcitizens, following a modity and generally terrorist bombing having little or no conthat damaged the nection with organized Gallery and some of religion. “Offering of its impressive artthe Angels” presents an works. Immediately opportunity for dialogue embarking on the about the nature, history loving restoration of and practice of art, as the building and the well as a dialogue between different faith Livio Mehus (Oudenaarde 1627-Florence 1691), Annunciation, damaged objects, traditions about the con- late 17th century, oil on canvas, height 30.7 by width 27.2 inch- the Amici degli es, Collection of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Uffizi adopted as its cept of redemption. mission maintaining Among the exhibition’s paintings is Madonna and Child and Saint Catherine, an oil the artistic heritage of the Uffizi. Bartolomeo Schedoni (Modena 1578 - Parma 1615), The Infant Jesus Child (circa 1466-1467) by Sandro on canvas from the Workshop of In 2006, the Friends of the Uffizi Points Out Some Passages of the Holy Scriptures to the Virgin Mary, begin- Botticelli (circa 1445-1510), which Titian (circa 1550). These canvases Gallery, Inc., was established in ning of 17th century, oil on panel, height 9.9 by 8 inches, Collection of the reveals the spirit and lyricism for will be installed in the company of Palm Beach, Florida, as the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. which the artist is best known. One three large and elaborate tapestries American sister organization to of the earliest works is Lorenzo from the 16th century that depict the Amici degli Uffizi. Its sole art reflect, in their fullest expres- Adam and the Original Sin to the Monaco’s The Crucifixion with the scenes from the life of Christ, purpose is to support the sion, the high points of artistic Passion and death of Christ, as a Virgin, Saint John and Mary including The Last Supper, The (Continued on page 2)
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