Returning to Abu Dhabi

I was lucky enough to get entry to the lounge in Rome on the way home. Lush!

Etihad is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, so the onboard kit and menu was a limited edition. I liked the little images on the menu!

Our flight was amongst the last ones that landed in the old terminal, since the change-over to the new Terminal A was about to become complete. It was landing in a ghost town, as no passengers were waiting to fly out, no shops were open and everything was barricaded shut. Weird feeling.

Florence souvenirs! Books, books and books of course - and a beautiful Christmas tree bauble in the shape of the Duomo.

Florence - Palazzo Pitti

On our last day, before we were going to take the train back to Rome, we walked across the Arlo to visit the Palazzo Pitti. Although this palace still bears the name of its original owner, it is mostly known as the residence of the Medici family. Napoleon also used this palace as his Florentine residence during his reign over Italy.
Today it contains a huge collection of art, one of the world's best selections of Rapahaels and Titians.

Even at Palazzo Pitti we saw some temporary work from Joana Vasconcelos, here in the Sala Bianca, with its impressive glass chandeliers.

And also in The Bona Room, Vasconcelos displayed a surprising reinterpretation of the Christian 'Holy Family' theme.

There is impressive artwork to be found in every corner of these galleries.

Fascinating orientalist paintings.

Giovanni Boldini:

Elizabeth Chaplin:

And we found a painting by Rudolf Levy from 1941-42 entitled Fiamma (=flame). Supposedly the model was a Swedish girl, but no more information was left about her on the label other than that they had met in Florence.

Endless rooms and corridors here as well, with artwork covering every inch of each room, from floor to ceiling.

It was quite rugged weather once we got outside again, and the rain had started so we skipped visiting the Boboli Gardens. Just grabbed a few quick photos of the view. Selfie time!

In front of the amphitheater:

 

View of the city:

Florence - Paulo Uccello

In our hotel every room was named after a famous artist. Our room was called Paolo Uccello.

Of course there was a copy of one of his paintings in our room, The Battle of San Romano from 1438-40. It was originally commissioned by Cosimo the Elder, and is depicting (together with two panels in London and Paris) different stages of the Battle of San Romano when the Florentines defesated the Duke of Milan.
 

Then we had to find the real thing of course, and recreate our selfie in front of it at the Uffizi Gallery - same same, but different.

Florence - Uffizi Gallery

Of course being in Florence, we had to go to the Uffizi Gallery. But we needed some energy before taking on this major gallery, so we grabbed (standing!) a quick coffee in what happened to be, the place where the Negroni cocktail was born! Fun!

Appropriately caffeinated we were ready to take on the Uffizi Gallery! Us and what felt like thousands of other people.
Well, the crowds are understandable, the Uffizi houses one of the most incredible collections in the world. Very few museums have collections that come up to the same standard. In fact, it is considered to be the first museum in the world.

The Uffizi was built originally 1560-1580 as a suite of offices (uffici) for Duke Cosimo I and his administration. From 1581 it was used to showcase the Medici art collection, creating what is now the oldest gallery in the world.
It is packed with masterpieces, this collection is the world's largest and most comprising from the Renaissance.
Here we are admiring the Duke and Duchess of Urbino, by Piero della Francesca. Two of the first Renaissance portraits, created in 1472-1475.

We very rarely (luckily!) have chaotic crowds like this at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Visiting our museum is a much more civilised experience, here you had to fight your way to get anywhere close to the more famous artwork.

The Birth of Venus, by Botticelli, 1484, one of the museum's most famous artworks.

Inside the octagonal Tribune there was a temporary installation by Joana Vasconcelos. A hanging sculpture called Royal Valkyrie. Carin wasn't sure it really fit together, but I liked it.

The Lacoön by Baccio Bandinelli, 1520-24. Another familiar artwork, a few years ago we had a bronze copy at the LAD.

We had to have a coffee (well, beer) break half way through, before taking on the next floor. It was absolutely amazing weather so we sat outside on the terrace, right by the clock tower.

On the first floor of the Uffizi, we found some newer artwork. Like this self portrait from last year, of Yan Pei Ming.

And I found another Pistoletto!

Self portrait of Ai Wei Wei:

A quote by Jenny Holzer:

The beautiful "bookmark angel" by Rosso Fiorentino, 1521 - Angel Playing a Lute. Loved this!

It was actually an exhausting visit as there was just so much to look at, and so many important masterpieces. In the end we just couldn't digest any more, in every room there was something we knew from our art history courses. In. Every. Room.

Venus of Urbino by Titian, 1538.

The Verone (=terrace) is the part that connects the west and east wings of Uffizi. A luminous room with views of the river on one side, and the courtyard of the Uffizi on the other.

Judith beheading Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, 1620.

Medusa by Caravaggio, 1596-97.

Well deserved delicious dinner after a heavily cultural day! Entrecôte and Tuscan red wine, with tiramisu for dessert, mmm!