‘Una volta nella vita. Tesori dagli archivi e dalle biblioteche di Firenze‘
Galleria Palatina
Palazzo Pitti – Florence
28th January – 27th April 2014
This exhibition, running in the Pitti Palace until the 27th of April, is the opening one in the year-long series “Firenze 2014 un anno ad arte”. It brings together 133 documents selected from 33 different Florentine institutions, and offers visitors the opportunity to view a variety of unique historical papers, sketches and watercolours, many of which are not generally available on public display.
Among the documents unveiled in this unusual exhibition are several unreleased sketches by Michelangelo, a drawing by Raffaello, a lecture on Dante’s Inferno written by Galileo, a document marking the christening of Leonardo da Vinci, and many other documents and manuscripts gathered from every corner of Florence, including those institutions which have not previously been known to lend them out.
The aim of the exhibition, as explained in its official presentation, is to create a collection of documents that represents both the 19th century tradition of displaying the city’s cultural riches, while simultaneously shining a light on those historical records which symbolise the origin of modern and contemporary knowledge.
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 8-15 to 18.50