Il Bargello

Art History is pretty fun right? Here's an overview of the Bargello, one of Florence's state museums where we had class last Wednesday. The Bargello is all sculpture and a very nice manageable size, so it's really great just to go for an hour or two.

This is the inner courtyard covered in coats of arms left by past governers who lived there when it was housing provided by the state for those in charge at the moment. Later it was converted into a prison and then a museum. Logical of course. (says Spock)




When you go into the room on the first floor it's kind of chock a block full of sculptures and all the Michelangelos are in there. Logical. This is Michelangelo's Bacchus, which is one of his earliest pieces, and it was highly prized because people felt he had captured the true essence of Bacchus. He's pretty drunk which Michelangelo caught in his off balance stance and dumb look, and he's got a little paunch from too much drinking. I agree with all these things, but I still don't think it's the greatest sculpture. We'll cut him some slack because we're nice like that.


This is a much much later Michelangelo and now he's got it more together. Scholars argue about whether this is Apollo or David but basically they're not really sure who this is or whether there was a commission or not. There's a lot of reasons why they think it might be one of these two but basically, he's standing on a lump that hasn't been carved which some argue could be Goliath's head and others say could be the sun, as Apollo was the sun god, and he could be reaching for a sling or a bow (with arrows).


This is a terrible picture of an awesome clay sketch of a personification of a cave by Giambologna. I really really love how crazy and bedraggled and swamp monster he looks.


Here's Donatello's original St.George from the facade of Orsanmichele. Charming as usual.


and Donatello's David! which was so so so so fabulous as always.


Verochio's David is all right too. We'll give him some credit.


I love Renaissance busts, so here's one of Battista Sforza, who was married to Federico da Montefeltro who was the duke of Urbino and Piero della Francesca painted their portraits together. even though she was already dead.



and so concludes my deep and intellectual sum up of Il Bargello skipping over most of the pieces and not really giving anyone a comprehensive analysis of the works. Excellence, no?