“Christ and The Fisherman,” Frank Vincent Dumond, 1891. Oil on canvas courtesy of Stephen V. DeLange and N. Robert Cestone, Rowayton, Conn.

The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Exhibits Medici Portraits from the Uffizi Gallery

PHILADELPHIA, PA. – In conjunction with the “Splendor of Florence Festival” – taking place in Philadelphia from September 15 to 23 – a selection of Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century paintings from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy will be presented at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, September 15 through December 9.

“: Medici Portraits from the Uffizi Gallery” will include portraits of European royalty and aristocracy collected by the Medici dynasty – a name synonymous with power and high social standing in Renaissance Europe. Viewers will enjoy a rare opportunity to glimpse into the world-renowned Italian collection from inside the dramatic setting of America’s oldest museum and art school.

In addition to showcasing the Medici family’s wealth and powerful rule, the portraits will reveal the exceptional scope of florentine craftsmanship from painting to printmaking, gold and silversmithing, leatherworking and the manufacturing of textiles.

The subjects, placed in dynastic settings, wear elegant clothing created from the finest fabrics. Adorned in fine jewels and accessories, the subjects and their ornate costumes give us insight into the fashions of Renaissance Italy.

True patrons of the arts, the Medici family employed artisans to paint model portraits and to craft the fine ornamentation worn by the subjects. These portraits provide a fascinating comparison to the early American portraits of later centuries represented in the Academy’s permanent collection.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the lavish portrait of Maria de Medici by Frans Pourbus il giovane, which projects an image of calculated refinement, elegance, and power that was highly favored in the Medici court and became emblematic of the Mannerist style.

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America’s oldest art museum and school of fine arts. The Academy collects and exhibits the work of distinguished American artists and is renowned for its reputation in training artists from the United States and, increasingly, from across the world.

For information, 215-972-7600.