This image has been taken from a fresco called "Procession of the Magi" in the family chapel of the Medici-Riccardi Palace. In 1459 Piero de' Medici commissioned Benozzo Gozzoli to decorate three walls of this chapel. The fresco cycle contains many figures, including Piero himself, as well as Lorenzo's grandparents, Cosimo and Piccarda. From the web-site www.museumsinflorence.com, we learn the following: "The sumptuous and varied costumes with their princely finishings make this pictorial series one of the most fascinating testimonies of art and costume of all time." While the portrait above is widely held to be an idealized version of Lorenzo, when he grew to manhood he had very dark hair and a rather misshapen nose. The frescoes were restored recently (1987-1992) and now the richness of the original colors and the complex composition can be truly appreciated.
No comments:
Post a Comment