Evénements
Precious and Beautiful in Florence
from 25th March 2010 to 27th June 2010
At the Museo degli Argenti at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the exhibition "Precious and Beautiful: Cameos and Intaglios of the Medici" will take place.
Gem collecting was one of the most fascinating aspects of the rediscovery of antiquity which characterised the Renaissance. As of the first half of the XV century, cameos and intaglios were much sought after by popes, princes and cardinals, on several occasions indeed giving rise to harsh disputes between admirers who were even ready to spend large sums to secure themselves the desired piece.
The reasons for this success were manifold. First and foremost, the art of carving gems required the use of rare and very costly materials, as well as master artisans with extraordinary technical capabilities, considering that the slightest error, in point of fact irreversible, could vilify months or even years of hard work. Secondly, special magical and mysterious virtues were attributed to cameos and intaglios depending on the type of material utilised and on the subject of the depiction. Moreover, their small dimensions and ease of transport made them ideal gifts for illustrious personages, as well as an excellent form of investment, a capital to draw on in moments of great difficulty
At the Museo degli Argenti at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the exhibition "Precious and Beautiful: Cameos and Intaglios of the Medici" will take place.
Gem collecting was one of the most fascinating aspects of the rediscovery of antiquity which characterised the Renaissance. As of the first half of the XV century, cameos and intaglios were much sought after by popes, princes and cardinals, on several occasions indeed giving rise to harsh disputes between admirers who were even ready to spend large sums to secure themselves the desired piece.
The reasons for this success were manifold. First and foremost, the art of carving gems required the use of rare and very costly materials, as well as master artisans with extraordinary technical capabilities, considering that the slightest error, in point of fact irreversible, could vilify months or even years of hard work. Secondly, special magical and mysterious virtues were attributed to cameos and intaglios depending on the type of material utilised and on the subject of the depiction. Moreover, their small dimensions and ease of transport made them ideal gifts for illustrious personages, as well as an excellent form of investment, a capital to draw on in moments of great difficulty
