The Medici's Joseph Tapestries

Palazzo Vecchio Exhibit: Prince of Dreams; The Medici's Joseph Tapestries by Pontormo and Bronzino

Medici tapestries depicting the stories of Joseph as told in Genesis are home once again, after over 150 years.  This exhibit in Palazzo Vecchio (Prince of Dreams; The Medici's Joseph Tapestries by Pontormo and Bronzino) reunites the 20 tapestries (arazzi) commissioned and devised by Cosimo I and made in Florence in the 16th century.  Flemish artists Jan Rost and Nicolas Karcher wove the tapestries, following designs by Bronzino, Jacopo Pontormo and Francesco Salivate.

Cosimo de Medici was especially fond of the story of Joseph, because he found his story was a mirror to the ups and downs of the Medici family.  Joseph was able to overcome adversities thanks to his rare intellectual abilities to pursue a brilliant political career and to gain a powerful position.

The tapestries, stretch 6 meters in height and the entire set measuring over 400 square meters, originally adorned the walls of the Sala de' Dugento of the Palazzo Vecchio for over 300 years.  In 1882, ten of the tapestries were taken to Rome for display in the official residence of the president of the Italian Republic.  Twenty seven years of restoration work has been conducted on the tapestries, using only needle and thread as tools.  With this exhibit, the tapestries are again on display in the room for which they were originally created.

These tapestries represent one of the greatest work of tapestry made in Italy during the Renaissance.

Joseph and Jacob reunited

Joseph interpreting the dream about the cows

Enchanting Evening

Magical Medieval Midnight ...

Resplendent Renaissance...

FIRENZE!

Richly Blessed

Cortona, Italy

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, 

but people will never forget how you made them feel.

- Maya Angelou

I am abundantly and richly blessed with family and friends who fill my life with memories of feeling loved, valued, appreciated, etc.  Today, in this lovely hill town of Cortona (which I had never visited before), I had the privilege of having a long leisurely lunch with three friends and I will never forget the time we had and how it felt to share conversation and memories together in this beautiful and special place.

Consolation for Firenze Rain

 What is there to do ... you are in Florence, and it's raining (been raining all day), you are cold and wet from walking around and you find yourself at Piazza della Repubblica with the Christmas tree, and carousel and the store covered in Christmas lights??? .... CONSOLATION TIME - -CIOCCOLATA CALDA CON PANNA at Gilli!!  That's what !!!

Then, of course going out and capturing some of the city lights in the puddles around town.

Reflections

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many;

not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.   

- Charles Dickens

Buon Anno - How Florentines Celebrate New Years

Much like Time Square in NYC, New Years Eve is a big celebration in Florence Italy as well.  The  feeling is very festive with streets still decorated with Christmas lights, which will stay up through Epiphany on January 6th.









This year, there were multiple concerts, spread across the historic center;  A pop/rock concert at Piazza Pitti; another at Piazza San Lorenzo; Piazza della Signoria hosted a concert by Chernivtsi Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra; and Piazza Santissima Annunziata set the stage for Gospel Singers.

Needless to say, plenty to enjoy and plenty of variety for everyone.

Hot Chocolate a Florentine Tradition

Hot Chocolate ... or Cioccolata Calda as it is called in Italy, first appearing in the Medici court in the 16th century.  It was often served to nobles instead wine or water at meals.

Caffé Riviore in Piazza della Signora opened in 1872.  They serve an artisan hot chocolate based on a secret recipe.

There is a difference in the flavor, constancy, and richness of Cioccolata Calda and American Hot Chocolate.  Cioccolata Calda is more often made with darker chocolate, less sugar, and is thicker than the hot chocolate that we drink in the United States.   This makes the hot chocolate in the US seem like water.