Museums: Casa Buonarroti (Part 1 of 2)

Not far from our apartment is a small, important museum, the Casa Buonarroti.  The house was once owned by famed Florentine artist Michelangelo Buonarroti and today houses a collection dedicated to Michelangelo.   

In front of the Casa Buonarroti, some random hottie with a Florentine cookbook from the gift shop

Michelangelo purchased the property in 1508.  While he may have visited the house, he probably did not reside there for extended periods, since he lived many years in Rome and elsewhere when in Florence.  Michelangelo's relatives and descendants collected some of his works and the house evolved into a museum dedicated to Michelangelo. 

Etruscan Collection:  Michelangelo's descendants collected many works of art, aside from Michelangelo's artwork.  So, the museum has a permanent collection that is varied, including Etruscan artifacts.  Since Greg likes Etruscan art, he enjoyed viewing the collection, especially the two pieces pictured below.

Michelangelo and the Siege (Assedio) of Florence:  When we visited Casa Buonarroti, the museum was hosting a temporary exhibition about Michelangelo's years when he served the Republic of Florence as an architect.  In 1527, Florence had ousted the Medici family and declared its independence as a Republic.  Pope Clement VII hired a large army to besiege Florence starting in 1529 and return the Medici to power.  (By the way, Clement VII was born Giulio de' Medici.)  Michelangelo was engaged to expand Florence's fortifications to withstand the siege and any assault.  Below are some photos of his architectural plans for the fortifications, along with some artifacts and artwork from the period.

A painting depicting fortified Florence in 1529-1530, with the besieging army in the distance

The drawing above depicts the execution of a captain of the Florentine army.  The captain deserted the army and was later executed--hanging by one foot.

Machiavelli's The Art of War (published 152)

Pontormo's 10,000 Martyrs is based on an earlier Bronzino painting about the legend of 10,000 Roman soldiers crucified after converting to Christianity.  The painting was intended to inspire Florentines to be faithful to the idea of a the Republic of Florence.

Savonarola led the founding of an earlier Florentine Republic in 1494, which lasted until 1512.  His memory was invoked during the short-lived reestablishment of the Florentine Republic, 1527-1530. 

Next Up:  Some of the master's early masterpieces.