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| The cloisters of Santa Maria del Carmine |
After a disturbed night we got up around 8 and had another nice breakfast of coffee, cereal, yogurt and croissant. Then we set out on a sunny day to visit the
Brancacci Chapel at Santa Maria del Carmine.
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| The altarpiece and frescoes by Massolino and Masaccio |
We crossed the Arno by
Ponte San Trinita and walked for about ten minutes. We had to wait for half an hour to enter the chapel. Meanwhile we read about the series of frescoes about the
life of St. Peter by Massolino and Masaccio, which was completed by Filippino Lippi.
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| Masaccio's wonderful frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel |
Inside the small chapel we had to compete with an Italian tour guide who never stopped talking. We saw the fresco cycle on opposite walls and the rear wall of a small side chapel, in particular the figures of Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden and Peter healing the Sick with his Shadow.
Masaccio was a genius of colour and emotion, who died aged 27.
After managing to take a few photos, we walked further on to
S. Spirito church with its elaborate central altar and many side chapels. And in the Cenacola or Refectory next door we saw the remains of a painting of the
Last Supper by Andrea Orcagna.
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| Richard in the Boboli Gardens |
Then we found a wine bar for lunch near the
Pitti Palace and I had melanzane parmigiana, plus a glass of red wine. We then queued for tickets to the
Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace. It was pleasant there in the warm sun. We strolled up to the top and admired the view over Florence.
We returned to our room for a rest. Then we went out for dinner at
Antinori, which has branches also in Zurich and Vienna. Good job we booked. We had artichoke and parmesan salad and osso buco with mash and spinach. Plus some very nice
Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico 2011. It wasn't corked.
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| In the Boboli Gardens with a view of the city |
Then at the
Duomo we saw the preparations for tomorrow's ceremony of the
Explosion of the Cart.
