The Uffizi Gallery is, perhaps, the greatest repository of Renaissance and Mannerist artworks in the world. First created by Cosimo de' Medici I as office space for Florentine magistrates, this immense space soon began housing the resplendent art collection of the Medici family and was officially open for public viewing in the late 18th century. During the course of our three-hour walk, we will be led by an art historian who will share their deep knowledge of this renowned collection of art and will discuss not only the objective beauty of the works but their technical, political, social connotations and their context within the whole of Renaissance society.

Tour of the Uffizi
The itinerary begins in Piazza Signoria with an overview of the historical and architectural context of the Uffizi palace and a discussion of the early period of the Florentine Renaissance, laying the groundwork for themes we will discuss in depth once inside. From the piazza, we will enter the museum with a timed appointment and spend two and a half hours immersed in one of the greatest art collections in the world, which includes works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Giotto, and Da Vinci. 

Using the gallery as a text, your docent will narrate the history and evolution of Florentine art starting from the revolutionary new techniques introduced by Cimabue and Giotto, through the apex of harmony and naturalism, as symbolized by Botticelli and Lippi and ending with the exaggerated Mannerism of Parmagianino and Bronzino. 

As a group, we will spend considerable time contextualizing these works within a discussion of the history of the city and movements within the entire history of art, generally. We will also look at the wider implications of these works in the social and political developments of the time. The goal of this walk is not to race through the corridors in an attempt to see "everything" but, instead, to observe select works in depth, in order to gain a full appreciation of their artistic and historical significance.