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Art + Culture

The boundless cultural heritage of Florence, Italy, grants us an ever-interesting array of exhibitions and performances. Find out what’s going on in the city’s many museums and cultural spaces, read reviews and interviews, and take a deep dive into the work of artists, artisans, writers and creators of all-kinds.

THINGS TO DO

Cecily Brown ‘Temptations, Torments, Trials and Tribulations’

Museo Novecento and Palazzo Vecchio host works by the renowned artist until February 4.

ART + CULTURE

Digitalizing Michelangelo

Casa Buonarroti conserves precious Michelangelo correspondence for tomorrow.

THINGS TO DO

Museo Novecento: Robert Mapplethorpe + Wilhelm von Gloeden exhibition

Beauty and Desire draws on a substantial body of works, highlighting Mapplethorpe’s intense artistic output.

ART + CULTURE

Street art appears on shutters in via Palazzuolo

Guided tours of the street art will be held (in Italian) on Sunday, September 24 and Sunday, October 1.

THINGS TO DO

Materia e Virtuosismo: Galleria dell’Artigianato showcases Tuscan artisans

From September 15 to 17 in the Corsini Gardens, 25 Tuscany-based high craftsmanship companies will display their creations during Artigianato e Palazzo.

THINGS TO DO

Wang Guangyi’s ‘Obscured Existence’ at Palazzo Pitti

The Andito degli Angiolini hosts works by the internationally renowned artist until December 10.

What's On in Florence

Exhibition reviews

ART + CULTURE

Pieces of Peace: Felice Limosani at Collezione Roberto Casamonti

The slowly rotating obelisk elicits deep contemplation in a striking Renaissance courtyard.

ART + CULTURE

Artemisia exhibition at Casa Buonarroti

Don't miss the Artemisia in the Museum of Michelangelo show featuring Penitent Mary Magdalene on loan from the Palatine Gallery.

ART + CULTURE

From the depths to the heights

An in-depth review of the Nico Vascellari MELMA exhibition at Forte Belvedere.

Culture

ART + CULTURE

Francesco Nuti

Various commemorations in Francesco Nuti’s memory will take place in Prato and Florence.

ART + CULTURE

The Iron Crown of Lombardy

On May 26, 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte declared himself as the King of Italy in Milan Cathedral, crowning himself with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.

ART + CULTURE

Archea: world-class architecture made in Florence

Florence is home to Archea, a world-class architecture firm helmed by Marco Casamonti.

ART + CULTURE

Luisa Vertova: Florentine art historian working in a world of “Mad Men”

The Florentine academic who succeeded in her fight for recognition

ART + CULTURE

Renato Balestra

A brief history on the iconic Italian fashion designer Renato Balestra and his impact on the world of fashion.

ART + CULTURE

Carlo Adolfo Schlatter

Home-atelier museum Casa Schlatter houses a collection of over 350 Schlatter works and artefacts that are available for public viewing.

ART + CULTURE

Honoring heroes of the past

Learn the backstory of "Heroes, a True Story" based on courageous real-life events in Fiesole during the Second World War.

ART + CULTURE

Bronze statues discovered in Tuscany rewrite Etruscan and Roman history

Fifty years after the discovery of the Riace bronzes in 1972, the exceptional state of conservation of the statues found in San Casciano dei Bagni show the shift between the Etruscans and Romans in Tuscany.

Artisans

THINGS TO DO

Tyler Ellis and her Tuscany-made celebrity-loved bags

Tyler Ellis’s must-have bags are produced near Florence with a father-and-son-owned manufacturer.

ART + CULTURE

Bianco Bianchi: the ancient art of scagliola for contemporary living

Bianco Bianchi's clients have included the British Royal Family and Gianni Versace.

Fashion

THINGS TO DO

Tyler Ellis and her Tuscany-made celebrity-loved bags

Tyler Ellis’s must-have bags are produced near Florence with a father-and-son-owned manufacturer.

THINGS TO DO

Gucci Visions: celebrating 102 years of the Florentine fashion house

A review of the new immersive exhibition at Gucci Garden.

NEWS

Pitti Uomo 104: runway looks

Fendi, ERL and Polimoda all wowed fashion professionals with their runway looks.

Heritage

ART + CULTURE

The Questura building

Florence's police headquarters was once a hospital.

ART + CULTURE

The history (and future) of theaters in Florence

Entertaining the 30,000-plus tourists that come through Florence every day

ART + CULTURE

Viareggio Carnevale celebrates 150 years

Viareggio Carnevale is a multimillion euro enterprise. We go behind the scenes to see the floats in the making

Books

THINGS TO DO

ABC, aka Alice’s Book Club

A bilingual book club, wine painting and a kids' book exchange begin this October.

ART + CULTURE

Beauty, differences + origins: Wallis Wilde-Menozzi

The author of Florence-based "Toscanelli's Ray" discusses the importance of writerly freedom.

ART + CULTURE

On dark academia: Joanna Margaret

The first-time novelist talks about the differences between academia and fiction.

COMMUNITY

Talking crime fiction with Tom Benjamin

The British crime writer shows a different side of Bologna in his Daniel Leicester novels.

Florence is synonymous with art, with its centuries of rich cultural heritage drawing enthusiasts year after year. We foster the fervour by providing exhibition reviews of the latest art shows, while regularly giving updates on the latest happenings at sites like Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Pitti, the Uffizi Galleries and the lesser-known contemporary galleries you’ll find peppered across the city.

Artists, artisans, writers and creators of all-kinds are explored through interviews and reviews. Check out news from the city’s many museums and cultural spaces with detailed accounts on recent renovations and restorations, new additions to the cultural landscape, and art history courses worthy of note. Installations in places like Palazzo Vecchio and piazza della Signoria are covered, with a keen eye on the contemporary cultural scene also.

Videos delve deeper into some works, with high-caliber exhibitions and exciting new displays to be found. Topics like Dante and the 1966 flood receive focus, as well as musicians on the scene and the latest books about Florence, Tuscany and Italy that you need to add to your reading list, sharing words from the writers. Fashion features with the latest on the shows spreading style across the city, with artisans and their crafts, monuments and more also to be found.

There’s no doubt that the Renaissance city is never short of cultural updates, with its immense heritage to be found at every turn. With an endless amount to discover, we take you through the latest as we have it, with a team of expert writers regularly contributing in-depth pieces as the art world endlessly evolves.

Art + Culture features:

  • Art
  • Culture
  • Museums
  • Heritage
  • Music
  • Exhibition reviews
  • Artisans
  • Dante
  • 1966 Florence flood
  • Italian sketches
  • Royals in Florence
  • Famous expats
  • Monuments
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