Experience Tuscany

The flags of Palio of Siena are the protagonist of the La Città del Si, City of Yes, to celebrate the seven hundred years of Costituto Senese. The exhibit was inaugurated on September 26th 2009 at the Santa Maria della Scala in Siena with the title “The Dream of the Middle Ages”.
To create the exhibition many elements were recovered that tell the story of the Palio and the seventeen contrade. The Palio flags on show present interesting iconographic elements both graphically and structurally. The meticulous and careful restoration lasted more than three years.
The flags are part of the collection of Frederick Stibbert that on April 20, 1884 purchased from the merchant Gaetano Basetti seventeen silk flags. Twelve were placed at the center of the ceiling of a hall of his villa called the “flag hall”. The other five are still being searched for.
Some bear the manufacturing date, such as the one of the Panther made in 1826, the Giraffe in 1828 and the Goose in 1859, in addition to the initials or full names of the authors.
The original flags were replaced in the hall of the museum with faithful reproductions of silk, made by a Dutch specialist firm, and can now finally be admired by visitors as a sort of anticipation to the future museum of the Palio.
At the Santa Maria della Scala you will also find the ongoing exposition of the carrocci, the chariots, used iduring the historical parade of Palio. In particular, it is possible to admire the one designed in 1928 as a sort of triumphal chariot enriched by five panels on which are painted the seventeen Contrada through ancient allegories worthy of a miniaturist.
Frederick Stibbert was born in Florence in 1838 to an English father and Italian mother. He was educated in England and was a famous collector of art, weapons and armors from all ages that he collected and arranged in his villa on the Florentine hills. The property, together with the park that surrounds it, was given to the City of Florence by his will in 1906 at his death. Today his prestigious residence is the home of the museum dedicated to him.
Stibbert remained attached to his house in Florence, bought by his mother, Giulia Cafaggi, and home of the family. In 1859 he came into possession of a huge wealth, which he kept maintained with great commitment and vision, taking advantage of his multiple nature of international financier, passionate collector and traveler. Indeed, for nearly fifty years, in order to complete the project of his life, the transformation of Montughi villa into a museum, he could easily control the antiquity market across Europe.
His collection, about fifty thousand pieces, was collected between 1860 and the end of the century, and is composed of paintings from various eras, a large number of pieces of armor, swords and guns, especially from the Sixteenth and Eighteenth centuries from Italian, German and French schools.

For more info on the Palio flags exhibition please contact Phone: +39 0577 292340, email: urp@comune.siena.it
The exhibit is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 12,30pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm to 4,30pm

It is February, but never too early to start thinking about the hot Tuscan beaches and crystal clear Mediterranean sea. Actually, during this time of the year a relaxing summer vacation in Tuscany is a very attractive thought. Each passing year finds the Tuscan coast and the sea clean and well kept. In addition, the coast in front of the Argentario offers one of the most beautiful underwater sceneries of the Mediterranean sea.
This contest is dedicated to all those that are dreaming the beaming sun and an ice cold drink aboard a sailing ship. The first prize of this contest is indeed a fantastic week-long cruise aboard a sailing ship in front of the Tuscan coast. The ship offers plenty of room for 6 people and your personal skipper. WOW!
You just need to send 4 electronic postcards and try your luck. Winning has never been easier! To participate to the sweepstakes just click here. You will be brought to the page where to register (a five seconds step) and then send the postcards to your friends. Each friend that participates to the contest in turn will give you an additional chance to win the contest!
If you win the first prize you will need to find two pairs of friends to sail with. The specific rules of the contest are not out yet, but you can get more info on the prizes here. The contest is valid from February 6th (yesterday) to April 19, 2010 and prizes will be redeemable from May 24 to June 28, 2010.

Click here to show or hide prize details

Whichever prize you win expect pristine beaches and excursions to the Tuscan archipelago islands. The Tuscan coasts is rich in history and romanticism. The Adventure in Tuscan Islands draw will take place on April 26. The first prize winners will depart from one of the most prestigious harbors of Tuscany. The second and third prize winners will still be able to enjoy boat tours to to the main Islands of the Tuscan archipelago while residing in prestigious seaside bed and breakfasts.
Good luck!

In Viareggio a large urban park welcomes the City of Carnival. The float workshops transform the urban park into an animated park, where carnival appearances are tied to this artistic craft of great importance and originality. The city of the carnival comes to life and is characterized by a structure of great scenic value. On the square open the doors from where exit the sixteen animated floats to appear on a magical stage. The elliptical outer perimeter road, the street of artists, is the site where park visitors meet the artisans at work that here have their own shops. The city is made up of warehouses workshop and the museum building.
The route inside the Museum of Carnival begins with an ideal parade of floats models from the first and second class projects. They offer the possibility to observe in detail their complex structure and especially the translation into satire of the different subject topics. A series of wooden boards contain original works by some famous artists who worked for the carnival. Following this sections are the hilarious walking heads on the head, giant paper mache heads worn and animated by people. Seeing them in action causes joy and fun thanks to their grotesque shapes and satiric intents. Following the heads is the section that shows all the official carnival posters from 1925 to nowadays, and a section illustrating all the phases of construction, from sketch to finished work with the technique of paper mache. All over the museum are available many plans and sketches made by the masters of the famous carnival floats.
The primary matters of Carnival, clay and paper, are embodied in the works on display in some areas of the museum. Models of heads, bas-reliefs, sculptures, figures of animals show the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the art of float making and their humorous spirit. A huge hand and a dragon head, both made of paper mache, stimulate our curiosity ideally introducing us inside the float to discover its secrets. Levers and ropes invite you to animate these structures. You will note the simplicity and fantasy of the means used by manufacturers to create the movement of each float. The traditional character of the Viareggio Carnival has its roots in the docks where shipwrights, carpenters and sawyers built their ships. Their shipbuilding experience has been transferred to craft carnival floats. Eventually these techniques have been modified to adapts to the growing needs of float crafting. The Museum of the City of Carnival in Viareggio is a place of memory where visitors can appreciate and understand the magic of the carnival.

Since it is very hard to find the address and directions to the city of Carnival in Tuscany, here is the map:

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Tuscany is a land of art and culture, and the majority of its treasures can be found in its many museums. 600 museums all over Tuscany every day offer the beauty, knowledge, and fascination of the ingenuity of men that have created beautiful masterpieces to make of Tuscany the land it is today. From the Etruscans to the Renaissance, passing through millennia of artifacts to get to nowadays, with modern art and expositions that continue to attract visitors from all over the world.
Would it not be nice to win free tickets to enter one of these museums at leisure? It is possible thanks to a new promotional campaign for Tuscany that uses the competition Squillami, or ring me, to give out free museum tickets. The competition started on January 8th and will end on January 31st 2010. It will give away free tickets for 60 Tuscan museums that participate to this initiative.
There is only two requirements to participate to this contest. You need to own a cell phone, and to visit a museum that participate to the competition. These museums will have specially dedicated stands at their entrance where you will learn the rules of the contest. On each you will read a phone number. To participate you will just need to call one of those numbers with your mobile phone (the call is free of charge). You will receive a short message on your cell phone indicating whether you have won or not!
Lucky winners will win a free admittance to one of the other 59 museums in Tuscany. The list of museums that participate to the contest offer prestigious art collection. The Museo Pecci in Prato, the cloister of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, the Archaeological Museum of Sarteano, the Museum of the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie in San Giovanni Valdarno, where you will find the Annunciation by Beato Angelico.
There is a whole week to spend the free ticket. You will only need to show your cell phone with the SMS to receive the prize.
The museums where you will find the special stands are a total of ten, each located in one of the ten provinces of Tuscany. 1) Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, 2) Prato, the Center for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci 3) Siena at The Santa Maria della Scala, 4) Massa Carrara at the Statuary Museum of Lunigiana in Pontremoli 5) Grosseto at the Archaeological Art Museum 6) Pistoia at the Center Marino Marini 7) Livorno at the Giovanni Fattori Museum 8 ) Pisa at the Art Gallery Minucci Solana in Volterra 9) Lucca at the GMAC of Viareggio 10) Arezzo at the Museum of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona.
Source turismo.intoscana.it

There are many exhibits and special events that are nearing their end in just few days. It would be a pity to miss out on them if you are planning to be in Tuscany during the next week or two, or already are in this wonderful land. Below is the list of those ending during the month of January 2010, grouped by date, so you can choose which ones are of your interest more easily.

Exhibits ending on January 6th
It ends today January 6th the exhibit “All The Souls of the Mummy” in Chianciano terme dedicated to Egypt and mummies at the time of Sety. Interesting funerary rituals of the ancient Egypt and pieces of art from many Italian collections. Hosted at the civic and archaeological museum of waters.

Also today ends the exhibit dedicated to the forms of writing in antiquity “From The Roll to The Codex”, which compares eastern and western methods of writing over a period from the 3rd century BC to the 19th century. At the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence.

Exhibits ending on January 10th
The recovered and restored Crucifix of Benedetto da Maiano is exposed in San Gimignano until January 10th. In San Gimignano at the Museo Civico.

On January 10th will also end the exhibit “Impulses of Color, 50 Artists on Show” which sees 50 contemporary artists interpreting in many ways the theme proposed to them. Photography, sculpture, and paintings are on show in Cascina at the Euro Hotel.

In Siena at the Santa Maria della Scala on the 10th ends the retrospective on Francesca Woodman. The pictures of the artist photographer that worked until 22 years old, when she committed suicide.

The 10th is also the last day of the “Style of the Tsar” in Prato at the Museo del Tessuto. A wonderful documentation on what the relations between Italy and Russia used to be, and how they were cultivated also through the precious textiles of Prato.

Federico Barocci will leave the Santa Maria della Scala in Siena on the 10th of January and so will his 34 paintings. The artist lived and worked between Urbino and Umbria during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The exhibition on the installation of Robert Cahen between 1979 and 2008 will end on January 10th in Lucca at the Auditorium San Micheletto. The most complete ever in Italy on the artist with 13 installations.

At the Centro Pecci in Prato the Hekhalot by Lena Liv will end on the 10th of January.

On the 10th “The God of little things – young artists from East and South-east Asia” will end at the Casa Museo Masaccio of San Giovanni Valdarno. It is an exhibit of contemporary far eastern young artists.

Finally on the 10th will also end the exhibit dedicated to Armando Marrocco and his interpretation of time with “Space, Time and Beyond”. At the Chiesa e Chiostro di Sant’Agostino in Pietrasanta near Lucca.

Exhibits ending on January 17th
On January 17th ends the exhibit “Manipulating Reality: How Images Redefine The World” in Center for Contemporary Culture in Strozzina in Florence. A very interesting exhibit concentrating on the meaning of the word “reality” in today’s image culture manipulating the possible and the real, the apparent and the actual.

Chagall in Pisa at the Blue Palace was supposed to end on January 17, but got extended to November 17th due to the tremendous success.

Exhibits ending on January 18th
On January 18th ends “The New After The Stain”, a retrospective of the passage from divisionism to modernism in Tuscany. From Giovanni Fattori to Signorini, the exhibit covers the last 50 years of the 19th century. In Montecatini Terme at the Parco Termale.

Exhibits ending on January 24th
On January 24 will end the “Art and Illusion” in Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. The exhibit on the Trompe l’Oeil.

A new exciting contest especially dedicated to Tuscan museums lovers. If you are already coming to Tuscany or have the intention to, this is the contest for you. You will be able to win two extra days to extend your holiday in Tuscany and spend two nights in one of the ten holiday towns of Tuscany.
The contest already started on December 20th 2009 and will end on February 8th 2010! To participate you will only need to send 4 electronic postcards of Tuscany to 4 friends of yours. Each time one of your friends registers to participate to the contest your name will be counted again for the final draw and you will have more chances to win one of the ten prizes.
All the prizes include a wonderful stay in a selected property with bed and breakfast service, free entrance to all museums, and other pampering services to make these two extra days unforgettable. The cities that are covered in the contest are San Quirico d’Orcia near Siena, Capalbio near Grosseto, Lucca, Pergo near Arezzo, Castagnole near Gaiole in Chianti, Pistoia, Bibbona near Livorno, Arezzo, Florence and San Sepolcro near Arezzo. All these towns and cities are near cultural centers rich of museums and history, and all these museums will be free for you to visit!
In addition, almost all prizes include a driver and private car or rental and 2 dinners in selected Tuscan restaurants. Some special features are the spa treatments of the first and second prizes, or the winery guided tour of the fifth prize. The value of the prizes ranges from 1,500 euros of the first prize to 950 euros of the tenth. All the details on the prizes can be found here.
To participate you only need to follow this link and close the little flash window with the winners of the previous contest. Then click on the “The Love of Art” contest, and follow the easy instructions. In just seconds you will be brought to the electronic postcard sending page. Remember to let your friends know that they can participate! This way you will increase your chances to win!
Good luck!

The medieval town of Buonconvento is enclosed by a brick wall with hanging arches on top. Built in 1379 by orders of the Governors of Siena it was originally fitted with only two doors along the main street. The Porta Senese on the north side, towards Siena, which still has the original woodwork with fittings, and Porta Romana to the south, destroyed in 1944 by the retreating Germans.
The town has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, protected by the moat and battlements of the Guelph wall ring, the borough has changed considerably in the 19th century with the construction of buildings behind the walls, including the Theater of the Risorti. The oldest nucleus of town is crossed from north to south by Soccini street, named in memory of the family that counted many illustrious members among which were lawyers and two heretics. The latter founded doctrinal organizations of various heretical movements developed during the Sixteenth century, who took the name of Socinianism.
The City of Buonconvento houses three museums on its territory. All are very important and of considerable interest both for an audience of tourists and for an audience of enthusiasts and scholars. The Museum of Sharecropping of Siena, the Museum of Sacred Art of the Val d’Arbia and the Oratory of the Confraternity of Mercy are to be visited.

The church of Saint Peter and Paul is one of the most important monuments of Buonconvento. Historical news report that in 1313 in this church the Emperor Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor, died. A small marble stone, placed on the left side of the facade carved with a cross and engraved with the date 1103, may tell us about the year of its founding. In the Eighteenth century the interiors of the Church were completely renovated in neo-Classical style, while the current facade of brick, with ornamental travertine, was completed in 1723; finally the present tower was rebuilt in the early 1800s. Inside there are some colorful art works by the Sienese school, including a panel depicting the Madonna and Child, painted by Matteo di Giovanni in the Fifteenth century, a panel painted by Pietro di Francesco Orioli from the Fifteenth century, and a fresco by Sano di Pietro from the Fifteenth century depicting the coronation of the Virgin.

Getting to Buonconvento:

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The white truffle tour is a great one to do by car or motorcycle, and it is only 30 kilometers long, but quite intense.
The tour starts in San Giovanni d’Asso, a small town just south of Siena, where lay many hamlets, villages and castles. The town is a natural bridge between the Crete region and the Val d’Orcia. In this area white truffles are known since ancient times. Plutarch ventured that this tuber is born from the combination of water, heat and lightning. Science mixed with folk beliefs have covered truffles with mystery to the point that no one knew if it was a plant or an animal. Truffles also used to be called the food of the devil and witches, due to their sulfurous smell. Some Italian politicians in the 19th century used truffles as a diplomatic mean, Rossini called them “the Mozart of mushrooms“, while Lord Byron kept them on his desk, confident that their perfume helped creativity.
In San Giovanni d’Asso you have to visit a rare example of harmonious union between nature and civilization. In 2004 was inaugurated the first Italian museum of truffles located in the basement of the Thirteenth century San Giovanni Castle, sizing a total of 250 square meters. “Truffles and the senses” is the name of the exhibit, which sums up all the feelings given by the “garlic of the rich”, as truffles are also referred to. For those who love discovering small towns and local recipes, the whereabouts of San Giovanni include Petrioio and Montisi, where every year on the last Sunday before August 5, the patron day of Montisi, the Simone’s fair takes place.
An important curiosity to remember is that truffles act as environmental flags as they do not grow in degraded lands. The territory between Siena and the Val d’Orcia, every November hosts the gastronomic event bound to truffles. The five municipalities of San Giovanni d’Asso, Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d’Arbia and Serre Rapolano alternate during the four weekends in November to express the best of their typical traditions, heritage and natural environment. A crescendo of flavors and sensations that culminates with the White Truffle Exhibit, where you can buy delicious truffles.

For more info please visit www.museodeltartufo.it

The Palazzo Pubblico or Palazzo Vecchio was built in the late Thirteenth century and early decades of the Fourteenth as the headquarters of the Priori, the oldest nucleus of the building facing the square was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. During the Fifteenth and Sixteenth century many additions expanded the size of the back side without altering the overall massive appearance with asymmetrical tower.
It was the first home to the Signoria as it temporarily housed the Grand Ducal family of Cosimo I de’ Medici from 1540 before the definitive move to the new Pitti Palace. This is also when the palace started being called Palazzo Vecchio, or the old palace. During the years from 1550 to 1565 Vasari dramatically changed the palace interiors, decorating and refurbishing them sumptuously for the new governmental requirements and to make them fit to be the official home of the reigning dynasty, the so called “Monumental Quarters”.
In order of progression, the followings are the most significant areas to visit: the first courtyard entrance, was decorated with white and gold stucco and frescoes in the Sixteenth century, but owes its elegant structure to Fifteen century works. The courtyard is accessible through the ancient arm room, often used to host exhibits.
On the first floor is the magnificent Salone dei Cinquecento, by the Cronaca in 1495, which served for the meetings of the General Council of the People in accordance with state reforms promoted by Girolamo Savonarola. The walls were originally painted by Michelangelo and Leonardo, but they owe their present appearance to the monumental decorative undertaking by Vasari and his school during the Sixteenth century. All the room elements, such as the coffered ceiling, the frescoes on the walls, the ‘Audience’ (raised part of the hall with statues by Bandinelli and Caccini), the sculptures of De’ Rossi with the Labors of Hercules, bare a complex and rich symbolism with specific historical references to the exaltation of the Medici. The salon also hosts the “Genius of Victory” by Michelangelo.
In contrast to the grandeur of the hall, but equally gorgeous, is the small adjacent Study of Francesco I built in 1570. It is a jewel of mannerist art and sensibility, in which the prince retired to meditate and contemplate his treasures.
The visit to the building continues through the first floor rooms, each one dedicated to a Medici family authority and their frescoes.
On the second floor is the apartment of the Elements and the Apartments of Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I: in the midst of the many rich decorations, the small chapel of the Grand Duchess stands magnificently decorated by Bronzino. Continuing along, the large boardrooms, the Udienza and Gigli rooms, are met with their rich ceilings, decorations and Fifteenth century portals.
The last area of the monumental apartments is the “Collezione Loeser” left to the City of Florence by the American art critic Charles Loeser, who died in 1928. The collection includes paintings and sculptures from the Tuscan schools of Trecento and Cinquecento.

Admission info: Price 6 euros, Open on weekends and weekdays from 9AM to 7PM, on Tuesdays from 9AM to 2PM.

Getting to Palazzo della Signoria

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This Fall Pisa is displaying the warm colors of Chagall. The works of the famous Russian artist Marc Chagall will be on display from the 9th of October to the 11th of January at the Blue Palace of Pisa. This is the first of a three year cycle exhibitions devoted to the great masters of the Twentieth century and their relationship with traditions, light and cultures of the Mediterranean basin.
The Chagall exhibition presents 150 works. The creations of the author on display start from 1926 when he encountered the colorful and bright Mediterranean landscapes, from France to Greece and the Holy Land. The style of the master changes, and is inspired by what surrounds him allowing him to acquire a sensual and ethereal painting style where the color becomes predominant over shapes.
It is possible to admire carefully selected paintings, sculptures, ceramics and lithographs from the leading French public institutions like the Musée National Marc Chagall in Nice, the Center Pompidou in Paris, the Musée Matisse in Le Cateau Cambrésis and private collections.
The exhibition is divided into 5 sections that analyze the issues that Chagall faced during his new artistic life. The first subject is the French Riviera, with 20 paintings that witnessed the first changes to Chagall’s palette, including the most famous depictions “The Music”, “The Red Circus” and “Lovers at St. Paul”. Then follow 42 works that depict the emotions felt at the time of the discovery of Greece and especially of classical civilization. The Palestinian experience is shown with “The Wailing Wall”, the “Panorama of Jerusalem” and the “View of the Synagogue in Vilnius”. The exhibition ends with sculptures, ceramics and collages, made from different materials including lace, fabric, painted parts and drawings.

Price: full price 8 Euro, reduced 6.50 Euro
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm
More info at: www.chagallpisa.it

Getting to Palazzo Blu in Pisa:

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