The Pitti's Galleria Palatina
features paintings by many of the European art world's heavy
hitters: Titian, Raphael, Tintoretto, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli,
Caravaggio, Velazquez, van Dyck, and Rubens, to name a few.
What I noticed most here was the theme
of tortured women, be it as a result of broken
hearts or religious convictions.
Suicide
of Cleopatra
Guido Reni (1573-1642)
Don't
Go
I can't remember who this painter was, but the
subject was familiar enough.
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The
Martyrdom of Saint Agatha
Sebastiano Del Piombo (ca. 1485-1547)
Read about this saint's story here.
No,
Those Aren't Steamed Buns
St. Agatha, by Lorenzo Lippi (1606-65), makes an
unusual offering to God.
Thousands of people can walk through the same
museum, but each will see something different. I found
my emotional state mirrored in these works. Still
in shock over the sudden end to my relationship, what resonated
with me on this day were these images of pain and sacrifice.
I'm sure in the future, when I return to these
galleries, I will notice other paintings, other themes will
emerge. Today, viewing these images, I am reminded of how
hurt I felt, but now it seems like so long ago, another
lifetime.
After all this tempestuous imagery, I was ready
for something soothing. Fortunately, the solace my
wounded heart required was right outside the door...
Next:
A Duke's Playground |
