Uffizi: Art, History, Reflections

by Gloria Fossi

A lasting historical record and easily accessible guide that is equally useful to the expert and the cultured tourist. The book is divided into chapters accompanied by superbly clear descriptions, splendid illustrations and brief supplementary biographies of the great masters. The works of art are listed with all the information essential to the scholar (location within the gallery, name of artist, iconographic subject, dating, technique, dimensions and inventory number). All the artists and all the works can be easily consulted in the comprehensive indices arranged in alphabetical order. Not only are the works present on the usual tourist itinerary illustrated but the book also clarifies the history of the museum, the role played by the Medici family, and the nature of the gallery, which is a magnificent anthology of great Italian and European art.

Genres: Art, Reference, Nonfiction, Travel, Art History, Renaissance

638 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ενθύμιο επίσκεψης

[Arybo ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosso fiorentino, Angelo musicante

Molto ben fatto, le opere sono divise per stanza, in modo da seguire la collocazione reale dei dipinti. Ogni macrosezione (Trecento, Quattrocento, Cinquecento, Seicento e Settecento) è provvista di una introduzione che spiega a grandi linee il periodo e i maggiori artisti.
Ogni opera ha tutte le informazioni su provenienza, formato, realizzazione, committenza. In più ci sono informazioni sulle parole dei critici e sui restauri.
Ottima la qualità delle immagini.

Una guida quasi perfetta agli Uffizi.

[Dorin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instant buy at the Uffizi gift shop. Turned out to be full of interesting information about the most prized items in the museum’s collections. Directs your eyes to a lot of details that while at the museum you ought to miss, especially if you don’t have a proper guide or if you have limited time. I was disappointed though that it doesn’t go into more detail about the rich sculpture collection.
I noticed it’s an updated version of some older edition because it sometimes refers to the wrong pages or to works not included. I would have expected a more careful examination of the contents given how many tourists probably go home with a copy.

[Miao · Rating 3 out of 5]

在Uffizi博物馆里看到画和雕塑都差不多在里面又看了一次。设计不错，只是语言有些难懂，全是记录性的，未免单调。

[Hilde Helseth]

'38. A book about art or an artist'

[Mati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very comprehensive guide to Uffizi gallery in Florence. The book is divided in to the chapter according the styles and it put insight in to the large collection of pictures, which are displayed in gallery. The short texts accompanied pictures are too short to go much deeper, but it is enough for informed reader, who just wants to refresh knowledge of the displayed art. When bought in gallery it would add a reasonable weight to the luggage for it rather small size.

[Jessito (Reny) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this guide among the various other options available at the Uffizi gift shop (Mar 2017). I quite like the smaller format of the book, which despite its size, contains a ton of information.

The guide lists various works presented in the gallery by centuries. At the start of each section, there is a brief description of the new era and its influences. From then onward, there is information regarding select paintings, why/how they were commissioned, explanation of the paining and how it arrived at Uffizi.

More detailed descriptions are provided for certain paintings, which are considered today as the gems of the gallery.

I quite enjoyed the guide, and the 640 pages flew by quite fast. Perhaps I would have preferred less descriptions of religious paintings, as they seem to overtake most of the volume, while walking through the gallery I saw many interesting compositions on various topics.