The annual series of exhibitions entitle Terre degli Uffizi (Lands of the Uffizi) returns this spring. The goal of the Terre degli Uffizi, to attract visitors to the smaller but rich collections of exceptional art, has met with success and venues and attendance increase yearly. The director of the Uffizi Galleries Eike Schmidt and Luigi Salvadori president of CR Firenze Foundation present the rich schedule of events throughout the Tuscan region.
April 1 – October 1: The program of exhibitions debuts with “The Ceramics of Montelupo and the Uffizi” at the Montelupo Ceramics Museum.
April 22 – October 29: The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art in Montespertoli presents “Filippo Lippi in Valdelsa” honoring this master artist of the Renaissance (Via San Piero in Mercato, 233).
May 12- November 5: “The Medici: People of Mugello” honors the origin of the Medici family in the Mugello valley north of Florence. The exhibition showcases family portraits from the Uffizi Galleries (Palazzo dei Vicari – Museum of Ferri Taglianti, Scarperia).
May 27 – September 17: Anghiari’s Museum of the Battle of Anghiari presents, “Intellectuals in Battle: Fame and Oblivion of Two Men of Letters from the Battle of Anghiari to the Siege of Famagusta (Piazza Goffredo Mameli 1, Anghiari).
June 17 – September 3: For the first time the city of Grosseto offers a show in the Terre degli Uffizi. Entitled “The Fabulous 60s’ in Maremma. In the Sign of Ico Parisi”, the exhibit features the work of 20th century Italian architect and designer Ico Parisi. (Le Clarisse Cultural Center, via Vinzaglio 27, Grosseto).
September 30 – January 6: The town of San Giovanni Valdarno hosts a long-term exhibition dedicated to Giovanni da San Giovanni, early Baroque artist and the town’s most famous citizen. The exhibit entitle “Bizzarro e Capriccioso Umore,” (Bizarre and Whimsical Mood) describes the Medici court painter and his reputation for living without rules (Museum delle Terre Nuove, Piazza Cavour, 15, San Giovanni Valdarno).
In addition, the exhibition “A Renaissance Masterpiece from France to Bosco ai Frati: The Triptych by Nicolas Froment” has been extended to April 30, 2023. The Convent of Bosco ai Frati in San Piero a Sieve in the Mugello north of Florence displays the 15th century triptych portraying the stories of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
All in all, the initiative seems to be successful not only by attracting visitors to art treasures in the area surrounding Florence but also to divert and decongest the tourist impact in Florence’s historical center.
President Salvadori of the CRF Foundation confirms, “We intend to support that model of ‘experimental tourism’ which is growing considerably in the post-pandemic year.”
Eike Schmidt said, “This initiative, which began immediately after the lockdown, is having an unexpected impact. Others of a similar nature are springing up in Italy, and even abroad some museum directors, technicians, and even administrators of cities such as Florence that are subject to assault tourism, are interested in our model in order to be able to propose it again.” (rita kungel)
For further information, see website: www.uffizi.it
