What to see at the Accademia Gallery in Florence

Accademia Gallery in Florence, famous for Michelangelo’s David, the Accademia Gallery in Via Ricasoli offers much more.

The Accademia Gallery in Florence – whose first conception dates back to 1784 in close connection with the reestablishment of the Academy of Fine Arts – represents another fundamental piece available to tourists to venture into the fabled labyrinth of historical wonders that constitute the legacy of the glorious past of a central city in Italy.

A collection of ancient, medieval, and modern memorabilia distinguishes the heritage of a museum celebrated worldwide, the pride of an Italy rich in exceptionalities. Riding the wave of popularity that has surrounded Michelangelo Buonarroti‘s artistic genius over the centuries, the Accademia Gallery in Florence has skillfully exploited and paid homage to the prestige of sculptural jewels that have become legendary among critics and enthusiasts.

the Slaves, Saint Matthew, and the perfect David are located right here, notable landmarks for structural implementations that, in the 19th century, made room for artistic works from the Academy of Drawing and the Academy of Fine Arts, united in a great collection of religious-themed paintings and gold-ground panels, the result of the creativity of Florentine masters active from the 13th to the 16th century.

First and foremost, it is essential to consider that the Museum in question (formerly the Antica e Moderna Gallery and then the Michelangelo Museum), located on Via Ricasoli since 1882, is the second most visited site in Italy – after the Uffizi Gallery – thanks to an enviable completeness that few exhibition centers can genuinely boast of: it is absolutely among the top places not to be missed in Florence.

The visit to the Accademia Gallery in Florence

Meticulously organized, the Gallery is spread over two floors (one of which is the ground floor) that equally divide the immense and invaluable heritage. Thus, the initiatory path starts from the entrance and immediately delves into a pleasant maze of spectacles, including the Hall of the Colossus, the Sala del Quattrocento, the Gallery of the Slaves, the Tribune of David, the Hall of the 13th and early 14th centuries, and finally the Hall of Orcagna and his followers.

The Accademia Gallery in Florence of the Slaves exhibits four towering male nude statues created by Michelangelo to adorn the funerary monument of Pope Julius II. Later used by Cosimo I de’ Medici to decorate the angular corners of the Buontalenti Grotto in the Boboli Gardens, they have been present in the Gallery since 1909, attracting visitors with their deliberately unfinished state, adhering to the style known as “non-finito,” which aims to leave the observer the task of interpreting the sculpted subject and giving their meaning to the partially extracted human figure still partially enveloped in the marble material. Michelangelo‘s Saint Matthew is a more defined work, initially intended for the Florence Cathedral.

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The David by Michelangelo

The Pietà group completes the sub-gallery from the Chapel of Palazzo Barberini in Palestrina. One feels a certain awe in the presence of the towering David, undoubtedly the highlight of the entire Museum, which has been leaving everyone breathless since its transfer in 1873.

The statue was carved from a block of precious Carrara white marble, stands 4 meters tall, and depicts the biblical character of David in all his beauty, portrayed as he was just about to fight the fierce Goliath with a sling. Its classical aesthetic has asserted itself over time, basking in the unmistakable shadow of simple formal perfection, accentuated by the definition of a distinct muscular structure and a pose that captures the dynamic hint of movement supported by a highly captivating overall smooth tension.

Other masterpieces and galleries of the Accademia

However, David is okay with monopolizing attention since many other pieces in the vast academic collection can follow its trail. This is the case with the plaster replica of the vibrant scene of the Rape of the Sabine Women, located in the center of the Hall of the Colossus, named after the no longer existing silhouette of the Colossus, an ancient statue representing one of the Dioscuri of Monte Cavallo. Today, it is dominated by the work of the Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, also known as Giambologna, of which there is a marble version located under the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria.

The ground floor of the Accademia Gallery reaches its ancient peak with the Hall of the Duecento and Primo Trecento, which includes a series of panel paintings recovered from various religious buildings in the Tuscan territory, predominantly from Florence.

It’s hard not to dwell on the image of the crucified Christ, the icons of the Virgin, the dossal, and the stories of the lives of saints, which serve as a suitable antechamber to the surprising Tree of Life. This large cuspidate tempera and gold panel painting, created by Pacino di Buonaguida, depicts Jesus nailed to a cross shaped like a tree, representing a total vision of the biblical parable filled with episodes from Genesis and stations related to the existential journey of Christ in his earthly dimension and consistency.

On the first floor, there is a new evolution of the Museum, which includes the Hall of the Giotteschi, the 19th-century Hall, the Hall of Giovanni da Milano, the Late Trecento Hall, the Hall of Lorenzo Monaco, and the International Gothic Hall. Again, the description of the list should be limited to a brief descriptive excursion, from which the essence of the exhibition must be extracted.

The Hall of the Giotteschi summarizes the innovative work of Giotto, as well as his students and followers, who created remarkable works of small and large formats. For example, the reliefs depicting the History of Christ and St. Francis belong to Taddeo Gaddi. At the same time, the worthy St. Bartholomew and Angels are attributed to Jacopo del Casentino, alongside Puccio di Simone’s polyptych Madonna dell’Umiltà and saints.

The Hall of Giovanni da Milano houses several sacred iconographies, all extremely refined and imbued with devotion. Triumphing over them is the panel painting of the Lamentation of Christ, executed in 1365 by Giovanni da Milano, a Lombard painter of Tuscan origin known for his atypical and pleasing realism.

The Hall of the Orcagna is dedicated to the Di Cione brothers, Nardo, Jacopo, and Andrea, with Andrea being nicknamed “Orcagna” (Archangel) before the other two. They had the merit of skillfully and precisely spreading the technique of gold leaf, used to decorate splendid garments depicted in painted and worked works.

It is obligatory to conclude with the Hall of the 19th Century, where a collection of paintings and sculptures from the 19th century is preserved, solidly sealing the bond between the Museum and the Academy of Fine Arts. Here, the plaster casts by Lorenzo Bartolini dominate, framed by a sequence of various paintings.

Remember to visit the most recent section, the Museum of Musical Instruments, full of ancient musical instruments, including specimens by Stradivari and Bartolomeo Cristofori, the piano inventor.

DISCOVER THE ART OF FLORENCE WITH AN EXPERT GUIDE

Duration: 2 hours, Private Tour

Uffizi Gallery Florence Private Tour with Local Guide

Embark on an interactive treasure hunt at the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest museums in Europe. This tour is perfect for all ages and allows you to discover Renaissance masterpieces as our expert guide unveils the secrets behind iconic works by Michelangelo, Botticelli

BOOK NOW

Duration: 1.5 hours, Private Tour

David & Accademia Gallery Florence Private Tour with Local Guide

Visit the Accademia Gallery and immerse yourself in the beauty of Renaissance artworks and statues, including the iconic masterpiece of Michelangelo’s David. With the help of an enthusiastic local guide, your experience is sure to be unforgettable.

BOOK NOW

How to get to the Accademia Gallery

The A1 highway has four exits to Florence, while the A11 and the Florence-Pisa-Livorno highways connect the city to the coast. From the highway exit, follow the signs to the Santa Maria Novella train station, where the train also stops. The Accademia Museum is just over a 10-minute walk from the station. It is advisable to use bus lines 1 and 17.