Must See Exhibit: Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 1:48AMArticle and photos by Becky Fillinger
Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi
October 16, 2022 - January 8, 2023 at Mia
Dr. Katie LuberDr. Katie Luber, Mia’s Director and President, opened the new exhibit and called the occasion a red letter day for Mia and the nation. She was visibly touched to introduce the exhibit and called it a high point of her life. She noted that the collaboration points to the prestige of Mia to work with international partners on a new level. Why is it so important?
Mia worked extensively with the renowned Uffizi Galleries of Florence for two years to bring 45 items on loan to the exhibit. The works include paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, decorative arts and ancient Roman marble statues, displayed in five different thematic galleries. Some of the pieces are exhibited for the first time ever. It is the largest and one of the most comprehensive shows on Botticelli ever staged in the United States, featuring works that rarely leave the Italian museum. Several of the works were restored for the new exhibit, unveiling hidden or obscured imagery. One drawing will only be displayed for six weeks, as it is quite fragile and must be put in dark storage again.
The exhibit also includes works from Sandro Botticelli’s circle from 15th Century Florence – Italian Renaissance painters and sculptors, and also intersperses works from Mia’s extensive Renaissance collection. The artwork portrays mythological creatures, religious subjects, portraits and an inner glimpse of Florentine households during the Renaissance.
Eike Schmidt
Eike Schmidt, Director of the Uffizi Galleries, likens the exhibit and the Renaissance to a cultural collision. Greek and Roman antiquities and philosophies are rediscovered and collide with Italian sensibilities– which produces a new course of world art, knowledge and culture. He believes that even the U.S. Constitution owes a debt of gratitude to the broad thinking of the Renaissance – where all religions and all philosophies are recognized and become important.
Dr. Luber’s hope is that the exhibit will delight loyal and new audiences. I hope you attend, no matter your status. I was delighted! It’s magical and compelling – if you need one reason to visit – the centaurs are mesmerizing. Get a ticket and enjoy!
Pallas and the Centaur
Ancient Roman Centaur
Torso of a Dancing Faun
