trompe l'oeil

A contemporary sculpture in front of the palace...

The Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens was the get-away "home" of the Medici family. It is across the River Arno from Florence downtown. A group of us took an extended stroll/climb in the vast Boboli Gardens that spread up the hills and on the west side behind the Pitti palace ---investigating arched pathways, discovering unfamiliar plantlife, and gazing at the view of Florence from several locations.

There are numerous exhibits in the Pitti Palace. Our tickets gave us access to several. One was Russian jewelry and artifacts....I am not a jewelry and knick-knack fan, but it was incredible nonetheless. Another was a history of costume/dress. We initially thought this exhibit was going to be dress from the time of the Medici..and it was in part, but it spanned centuries.

We could not take pictures in parts of the palace. I'm not sure why we are prohibited in some places, no flash in others, and anything goes in others. For instance, in Rome at St. Peter's there are no limits on photography, but no pictures are to be taken in the Sistine Chapel (some cameras did go off but the crowd was way too large to discover the transgressor). Allowable noise or talking is another enigma. In St.Peter's nothing was said about talking or laughing...no "silencio!"... but in the Sistine the guards were contiually reminding visitors to be quiet. In the Pitti Palace our group discussion about a strange looking 19th century dress led to some elevated noise and a stiff rebuff from the guards reminding us where we were. (St Peter's? no..a dress show).

The part of the palace that most resonates with me is a painted room. The 17th century painters, Colonna and Miteili, worked in partnership for 20 years. Between 1637 and 1639 they created a room in the palace for the wedding of Ferdinand II. It represents a palace within the palace. The work of "quadrajura" is the creation of illusionistic space. In this room it is difficult to discern whether the ceiling and walls are painted or sculpted. It was here where I received my second scolding..."do not toucchhh de wulls". I was not touching the walls...I was looking closely to decide what was real and what was painted...a trompe l'oeil masterpiece!