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Loggia dei Lanzi

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artslover
artslover
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Editor Pick

Loggia dei Lanzi

  • October 9, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by paolo1899 from Naples, Italy
Loggia dei Lanzi

Built between 1376 and 1382 to house the assemblies of the people and hold public ceremonies like, for example, the swearing into office of the gonfaloniers and the priors, stands on the right hand corner of Palazza Vecchio, where Piazza della Signoria meets the square of the Uffizi. It was in fact originally called the loggia della Signoria or Orcagna, from the name of the artist who designed it. During Cosimo I's reign, it was used to house the duke's Lasquenets or German mercenary troops, from whom it eventually took its name.

After the construction of the Uffizi, which was built onto the rear of the Loggia, Bernardo Buontalenti transformed the terrace into a sort of hanging garden from which the princes could watch ceremonies or performances in the square. The first intervention of restoration was carried out by Pasquale Poccianti between 1837-40. The medallions on the facade of the Loggia contain the allegorical figures of the virtues by Agnolo Gaddi. Two lions stand beside the steps, one of them dates from Roman times while the other is Flaminio Vacca. Today we can admire a series of a classical and Mannerist sculptures, as well as a 19th century Rape of Polyxena, beneath the elegant and early Renaissance style arches of the Loggia. The classical sculptures include a group of six female figures, considerably touched up, and the Menelaus holding up the body of Patroclus. The Mannerist group of sculpture are particularly important: these include the extremely beautiful Rape of the Sabines and Hercules fighting the centaur Nessus, both of them by Giambologna. However, the Persus with the head of the Medusa is the finest work there, Benvenuto Cellini's extraordinary masterpiece in bronze.

From journal loggia dei Lanzi

Editor Pick

Loggia dei Lanzi

  • May 28, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by artslover from Calgary, Alberta
Loggia dei Lanzi

In the movie, "A Room with a View", Judy Dench's character sets a scene of her novel in the Loggia dei Lanzi. I've always imagined it is because the name sounds so romantic. The reality is romantic as well - a open air gallery of classical and mannerist art available to every visitor to Florence.

The Loggia dei Lanzi, also called the Loggia della Signoria, is on a corner of the famous and popular Piazza della Signoria. The name dates back to the reign of Grand Duke Cosimo I, when it was used to house his formidable landsknechts (In Italian: "Lanzichenecchi", corrupted to Lanzi), or German mercenary pikemen. After the construction of the Uffizi at the rear of the Loggia, the roof was modified and became a terrace from which the Medici princes could watch ceremonies in the piazza.

The Loggia consists of wide arches open to the street, three bays wide and one bay deep. The arches rest on clustered pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Although some of the works are now copies, it nevertheless forms a small art museum that a visitor can enjoy at any time and for free.

Underneath the bay on the far left is the bronze statue of Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini. It shows the mythical Greek hero holding his sword in his right hand and holding up triumphantly the Medusa's decapitated head in his left. The richly decorated marble pedestal, by Cellini, shows four graceful bronze statuettes of Jupiter, Mercurius, Minerva, and Danae. The bas-relief on the pedestal, representing Perseus freeing Andromeda, is a copy of the one in the Bargello museum.

On the far right is the manneristic celebrated group Rape of the Sabine Women by the Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, better known as Giambologna. This impressive work was made from one imperfect block of white marble, the largest block ever transported to Florence. The original is now in the Galleria dell' Academia. This is the first group representing more than a single figure in European sculptural history to be conceived without a dominant viewpoint. It can be equally admired from all sides. The marble pedestal, also by Giambologna, represents bronze bas-reliefs with the same theme. This marble and bronze group has been in the Loggia since 1583.

Nearby is Giambologna's less celebrated marble sculpture Hercules beating the Centaur Nessus (1599) and placed here in 1841. It was sculpted from one solid block of white marble. The group The Rape of Polyxena, is a fine diagonal sculpture by Pio Fedi from 1865.

At the back of the Loggia are five marble female statues, Sabines and a statue of a barbarian prisoner Thusneldo from Roman times from the era of Trajan to Hadrian. They were discovered in Rome in 1541. They had been in the Medici villa at Rome since 1584 and were brought here by in 1789.

It is one of the amazing things about Florence - so much great art just waiting for you to stroll by and admire.

From journal Arte Firenze

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