firenze museum of the medici chapels1
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Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana
Basilica San Lorenzo
Cappella dei Principi
The Medici Chapels form part of a monumental complex developed over almost two centuries in close connection with the adjoining church of S. Lorenzo, considered the "official" church of the Medici
The decision to build their mausoleum in this church dates back to the 14th century (Giovanni di Bicci and his wife Piccarda were for instance buried in the Old Sacristy, built on a project of Brunelleschi). The project of building a proper family mausoleum was conceived in 1520, `when Michelangelo started working at the New Sacristy upon request ot Cardinal Giulio de` Medici, the future Pope Clemens VII
The Medici Chapels (Cappelle medicee) are two structures at the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, and built as extensions to Brunelleschi's 15th-century church, with the purpose of celebrating the Medici family, patrons of the church and Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The Sagrestia Nuova, ("New Sacristy"), was designed by Michelangelo. The larger Cappella dei Principi, ("Chapel of the Princes"), though proposed in the 16th century, was not begun until the early 17th century, its design being a collaboration between the family and architects.
Cappella dei PrincipiChapel of the PrincesThis Chapel is yet another grandiose and pompous mausoleum erected between 1604 and 1640 by the architect Matteo Nigetti to the designs of Giovanni de` Medici, the natural son of Cosimo I, who practised architecture in a semi-professional manner. The Mausoleum was conceived to celebrate, with its large dome and lavish interior decorated with marbles, the power of the Medici dynasty, which had safely been ruling Florence for several centuries. The dome of the Cappella dei Principi dominates the San Lorenzo architectural complex.
Across from San Lorenzo
and the Capelle
entrance was a building with
remnants of a beautifully decorated
exterior
Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini
The octagonal Cappella dei Principi surmounted by a tall dome, 59 m. high, that is the distinguishing feature of San Lorenzo when seen from a distance, stands centrally sited with respect to the nave, to which it provides the equivalent of an apsidal chapel. Its entrance is from the exterior, in Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, and through the low vaulted crypt planned by Bernardo Buontalenti before plans for the chapel above were made.
The crypt is the part where minor members of the dynasty were
unceremoniously laid to rest. In the
19th century it was tidied up and now includes numerous tomb slabs. From the Crypt, stairs lead up to the
Chapel of Princes, a grand
mausoleum for the Medici grand
dukes.
Along with the sculptural and architectural decorations, the museum displays the Treasure of the San Lorenzo Basilica: reliquaries and liturgical objects, great examples of Renaissance and Baroque goldsmith's art.
Crypt
the simple and suggestive Tomb
of Cosimo the Elder (by
Verrocchio), inserted into the central pillar, and
the Tomb of Donatello, whose
plaque was placed there during a later
period (18th century)
Founder of one of the main lines of
the Medici family, Cosimo was a
patron of scholarship and
the arts, including such figures as Donatello and
Filippo Brunelleschi
In San Lorenzo Basilica head over
to the altar and you will see a
roped off square on the marble floor
– this is the sign for the tomb of
Cosimo d’Medici. He was named
“Father of the City” and this was
inscribed on his tomb.
Symbolically, Cosimo is there before the altar
helping bring the peoples’ prayers to
God (as the prayers come from the nave up to the altar, they cross over Cosimo’s
tomb)
The vast Crypt leads to the
Chapel of the Princes, which
houses the grandiose funerary monuments of the
Medici Grand Dukes of
Tuscany. It is an octagonal hall,
wholly covered with semi-precious
stones and rare marbles inlays,
topped by a wide frescoed dome. Works started in
1604 by the architect Matteo Nigetti and went on for over two
centuries.
The mausoleum consists of a huge
octagonal structure with a diameter of 28
metres, clad in precious dark marbles and pietra dura, inspiring wonder
and admiration from the time of its construction onwards. The pietra
dura, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, and coral
inlays at the base reproduce the coats of arms of sixteen Tuscan
towns.
The six monumental sarcophagi
lining the walls belong to the grand dukes
Ferdinando II, Cosimo II,
Ferdinando I, Cosimo I,
Francis I and Cosimo III. The
second and third
sarcophagi are surmounted by colossal gilded bronze statues made by Pietro and Ferdinando Tacca between 1626 and 1642.
The rich inlaid decoration was made by the grand ducal workshops, joint together to form the Opificio delle pietre Dure (Semi-precious Stones
Workshop).
The rich inlaid decoration was made by the grand ducal workshops, joint together to form the Opificio delle pietre Dure (Semi-precious Stones
Workshop).
Being one of the famous artistic workshops of the Italian Renaissance, the Opificio was established in 1588 at the behest of Ferdinando I de' Medici to provide the elaborate, inlaid precious and semi-precious stoneworks
The technique, which originated from Byzantine inlay work, was perfected by the Opificio masters and the artworks they produced became known as "opere di Commessi Mediceo" (commesso is the old name of the technique, similar to ancient mosaics) and later as "Commesso in Pietre Dure" (semi-precious stones mosaic).
The Medici Chapels - Chapel of the Princes
The Chapels continued to undergo additions and embellishments: the decoration of the dome by Pietro Benvenuti with old and new testament themes dates to 1836.
Pietro Benvenuti (1769 –1844)
A corridor joins the Chapel of the Princes to the New Sacristy, so-called to distinguish it from the old Sacristy (by Brunelleschi)
Sound: Giuseppe Tartini -Violin concerto in D minor 2 grave
Text: InternetPictures: Internet Daniela IacobCopyright: All the images belong to their authors
Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda