No Small Wander

If you love art, Florence should be on your to-see list. The architecture, ceilings, and sculptures you see simply walking Florence’s streets make it one of the most beautiful places I’ve been!

If you’re short on time, there are three pieces of famous art in Florence I think you shouldn’t miss. These three masterpieces have stood the test of time (hundreds of years!), preserved in the galleries of Florence. These pieces are perfect for slow travel—lots to consider within single pieces, and linger-worthy motifs worth delving into. They’re also pieces I found myself thinking about days later.

All of these pieces are at galleries that require timed tickets. The Uffizi Gallery ticket said that it required photo ID, but I wasn’t asked for mine upon entry. I would recommend booking a time slot several days out, as these tickets book up fast!

Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus at the Uffizi Gallery

This Renaissance painting depicts the goddess of love being welcomed into the world. If you move your eyes from left to right, you’ll see wind gods “blowing” the goddess towards the shore. On the right, someone (whose identity is still debated among historians) moves towards Venus to cover her with a shawl.

This 1485 painting was commissioned by the Medici family, and for many years wasn’t displayed publicly. It was the first depiction of the fully nude female in Western art since the historical era of “antiquity” (roughly the year 475AD). Usually, art that depicted nudes was strictly for Christian scenes, so this goddess’s nudity directly challenged norms.

I thought it was beautiful. It’s size (roughly 2m x 3m) meant there was so much to take in, and I found myself lingering by it for a while.

Michelangelo’s David at the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze

I got up at 7:30am on a Saturday so that I could see this on my last day in Florence. I’ve seen two replicas of David—one at the National Gallery in London, England, and the other outside in Florence. There’s a replica in the square outside where the original David once stood—in fact, because I heard it was outside years ago, I actually thought I could walk to it, and was surprised when I realised it was indoors. The replica now sits where it used to, in the Piazza della Signoria.

First of all—the statue is huge. I don’t know why I thought that it was roughly the size of a tall man, but it’s 17ft (over 5m) tall, and took almost three years to carve (1501 to 1504). I didn’t know before seeing it that David was actually a biblical figure.

The viewing gallery is really exquisite for this piece; there’s a long hallway leading up to it in the front, and behind it is seating, in case you need to rest when you contemplate his…posterior. It was very impressive!

Caravaggio’s Medusa at the Uffizi Gallery

The impact of this one really surprised me. By the time I saw it, in the Caravaggio-filled room of the Uffizi Gallery, I was spent. The Uffizi is a gallery that’s set up like an IKEA (where patrons are led from one room to another in a specific order) with a 100-stair climb to get to the rooms. By the end of the tour, I was hungry and tired, and my neck hurt from looking at all the art on the ceilings. I was looking to get some food when I saw it.

The painting depicts Medusa in her final pose, after being slain by Perseus. The horrified face shows anger, fear, and terror simultaneously. It’s painted on the outside of a battle shield.

If you’re not familiar with the story this is based on—Perseus was given the task of killing Medusa, a snake-haired woman whose stare had the power to turn people to stone. Perseus is successful because he used his (shiny) shield to see her in the reflection, and beheaded her. Seeing it depicted on a shield felt like a full-circle moment—as did the gift shop item of pocket mirrors with this piece on the cover! It’s well worth spending time at—the violence depicted in the eyes of the victim, knowing the subject is powerless, but feeling fury in her eyes.

What pieces did you love in Florence? I hope you’ll let me know in the comments. Buon viaggio!