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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most visited places in Europe, and the world. This is the location of the Florence Cathedral, Goitto's Campanile, and the Florence Baptistry. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Museum of the Works of the Cathedral) is not part of the Piazza del Duomo, but it is located just across the street from the east side of the Cathedral.
Many of the original works of art that were created for the Cathedral, Campanile, and Baptistery are now located in the museum and replaced with replicas. A sign stated that the museum contains one of the world's most important collections of sculptures.
In addition to sculptures, the museum contains significant collections of paintings, manuscripts, drawings, textiles, metalwork, micromosaics, reliquaries, and musical instruments.
The museum opened in 1891, and Fr. Timothy Verdon, an American priest, has been the museum's director since 2011.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The Sala del Paradiso is designed to represent the "Paradise" of Piazza del Duomo, which is considered to be the area between the Cathedral and the Baptistery.
The Baptistery's original doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti are on display in the museum, along with the Cathedral's original sculptures. For their protection, the original doors and sculptures were replaced with replicas on the Baptistery.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| "North Gate" by Ghiberti (Picture by Kolohe) |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| The Gates of Paradise by Ghiberti |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Beneath a glass floor, there appeared to be a well, but a sign described it as a "section of the large baptismal font removed from the Baptistery." I think the sign was in the wrong place because this was too deep to be a baptismal font. During the time period this was constructed, it was not uncommon to have a well inside of a building.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Views of Sala del Paradiso from an upper story.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Bernardo Buontalenti's model for a new Florence Cathedral facade. Since they did not have blueprints to work from, they created detailed models for the workers to follow.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Originals from the "sculptural program of the Campanile." The originals were replaced with replicas.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Filippo Brunelleschi's models of the Cathedral dome and the dome's lantern.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| 14th-century craftsmen's tools (Picture by Kolohe) |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
The "Cross of St. John" by Antonio del Pollaiolo and Betto di Francesco Betti.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| "The Silver Altar of St. John" |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Large-format choirbooks were very expensive and rarely owned by individuals. These books were probably owned by "institutions."
When in use, the books were placed on stands and large print allowed the entire choir to read the music during performances. Boy sopranos were placed in front of the choir and the men were placed in the back. At large cathedrals, choirbooks were often lavishly decorated and illuminated.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
Before leaving the museum, the final sculpture on display was The Deposition by Michelangelo. The sculpture is also known as the Florentine Pieta, Bandini Pieta, and The Lamentation over the Dead Christ. This was one of Michelangelo's last sculptures and was never completely finished.
Michelangelo started work on the sculpture without a commission when he was 72 years old and worked on it for eight years. He originally made the sculpture to decorate his own tomb, but later sold it before it was completed.
The four figures represent the dead body of Jesus Christ, just taken down from the Cross, Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary, and what is believed to be Nicodemus. It is thought that Michelangelo inserted his own self-portrait in the figure of Nicodemus.
For reasons unknown, Michelangelo tried to destroy the sculpture before it was finished by breaking off all of the figures' legs, arms, hands, fingers, and other parts of the sculpture. A young sculptor apprentice by the name of Tiberio Calcagni attempted to restore the work by replacing some of the damaged parts, but various parts are still missing. Some art experts think that Michelangelo wanted to destroy the sculpture because Mary Magdalene's proportions seem to be wrong when compared to the other figures. Others think that the sculpture's composition is wrong because the placement of Christ and the Virgin Mary represents a romantic relationship between the two. Still others think that the marble was of poor quality and could never be finished to Michelangelo's satisfaction.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
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| Picture by Kolohe |
A plaque was made when the Pieta was transferred from the Basilica of San Lorenzo to the Florence Cathedral in 1722, and now the plaque is on display below the sculpture.
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| Picture by Kolohe |
On a wall next to the sculpture was the following poem:
"On the Brink of Death" by Michelangelo (1475-1564)
Now hath my life across a stormy sea
Like a frail bark reached that wide port where all
Are bidden, ere the final reckoning fall
Of good and evil for eternity.
Now know I well how that fond phantasy
Which made my soul the worshiper and thrall
Of earthly art, is vain; how criminal
Is that which all men seek unwillingly.
Those amorous thoughts which were so lightly dressed,
What are they when the double death is nigh?
The one I know for sure, the other dread.
Painting nor sculpture now can lull to rest
My soul that turns to HIs great love on high,
Whose arms to clasp us on the cross were spread."
