(Earlier today, we visited Piccolomini’s altar, Outside the Duomo, Piazza Il Campo)
May 28th, 2009
We then entered Piccolomini’s library.
Pinturicchio’s frescoes and the “Three Graces” in Piccolomini’s library,
The vivid riot of colors has never been required to restored over their 550 years of existence. The huge windows ensure sufficient natural lighting to make candles redundant. Candle soot is the biggest culprit in sullying art forms in enclosed spaces.
Photographs are allowed. No flash though, not that you need it. Being in the room with Pinturicchio brilliant frescoes and murals is a transformational experience.
At the expense of sounding sacrilegious, I enjoyed this small room more than the gigantic Uffizi. After all, this is not just a collection of the paintings. The paintings were done here. After all, Pinturicchio breathed here.
The brilliantly “lit” ceiling of Piccolomini’s library
Sadly, the adjoining Donatello’s St. John the Baptist was being renovated and we had to give it a miss. Its was time for Bernini’s Chapel.
(Read on: We are headed to Bernini’s Chapel)
