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GROTTA DEL BUONTALENTI (BUONTALENTI CAVE) |
Boboli Garden, Florence |
The Cave of Buontalenti, was built, designed and created between 1583 and 1593 by Bernardo Buontalenti (Florence 1536-1608), this cave is one of the most important places in the Boboli Gardens, is an artificial cave filled with false stalactites and stalagmites, with statues of sheep, shepherds, and Romans goddesses.
The facade is a work of Giovanni Battista del Tadda, flanked by statues of Ceres and Apollo by Baccio Bandinelli, and is surmounted by the coat of arms of the Medici and by two figures representing the "peace" and "justice." The emblem of the Medici family, a number of red balls on a golden shield, is exposed on many buildings in Florence and Tuscany.
The origins of the Medici coat of arms, whose design was changed several times over the years are not known. The ball on top is blue and is painted with lilies of France, in accordance with the privileges received by King Louis XI of France in exchange for diplomatic services received. |
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The facade of the Grotta del Buontalenti (Buontalenti Cave). The facade is a work of Giovanni Battista del Tadda |
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The coat of arms of the Medici family and the two figures representing the "Peace" and the "Justice" |
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The cave is formed by a series of three communicating chambers: the first chamber, with stuccowork decorations work by Pietro Mati, is characterised by pastoral scenes executed by Bernardino Poccetti (1542-1612) and it sheltered until 1924 the "Prigioni" of Michelangelo (now at the Galleria dell'Accademia, in the cave are copies); the second chamber contains a marble statue group depicting the abduction of Paride and Elena, sculpted by Vincenzo Rossi da Fiesole (1525-1587); the third chamber, frescoed by Poccianti, has a fine fountain by Giambologna (Douai 1529-Florence 1608) depicting Venere al Bagno (Venus emerging from the water after bathing) threatened by four satyrs.
The Cave it's located close the entrance of the Boboli Garden and in the point where is the finish of the Vasari Corridor.
BERNARDO BUONTALENTI (Florence 1536-1608): Bernardo Buontalenti was an architect, sculptor, painter, miniaturist and military engineer, he was one of the protagonist of the Tuscan architecture in the 16th century. As superintendent of the civil and military factories in the Grand Duchy, he oversaw the fortifications of Florence, Prato, Leghorn, Pistoia, Grosseto, Siena and Elba Island. Buontalenti also invented war equipments, mechanical instruments, automatons and ingenious apparatuses for the entertainment of guests. His most important works include the villa and the garden of Pratolino, the contributions to the construction of the Uffizi, the grotto in the Boboli garden, the Belvedere fortress, the villas of Artiminio and Cerreto Guidi, his work at Poggio a Caiano, and at the port of Livorno (Leghorn). |
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The delicate colours of the ceiling of the first chamber, with frescoes and stuccowork decorations, characterised by pastoral scenes, executed by Bernardino Poccetti (1542-1612) |
The interior of the first chamber. The two statues (on the extreme Right and on the extreme left) are the copies of the "Prigioni" of Michelangelo (the originals are now at the Galleria dell'Accademia). On the background is visible a marble statue group depicting the abduction of Paride and Elena, sculpted by Vincenzo Rossi da Fiesole (1525-1587) |
The delicate colours of the ceiling of the first chamber, with frescoes and stuccowork decorations, characterised by pastoral scenes, executed by Bernardino Poccetti (1542-1612) |
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The delicate colours of the ceiling of the first chamber, with frescoes and stuccowork decorations, characterised by pastoral scenes, executed by Bernardino Poccetti (1542-1612) |
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