Prince of Dreams: The Medici’s Joseph Tapestries by Pontormo and Bronzino
A special occasion, actually unique. The exhibition “Prince of Dreams: The Medici’s Joseph Tapestries by Pontormo and Bronzino” reunites, for the very first time in 150 years, twenty splendid tapestries representing the stories of Joseph narrated in the Genesis. The event takes place in three venues: it will be in Rome until April 12 (Salone dei Corazzieri in Palazzo del Quirinale), it will move to Milan as part of Expo from April 29 to August 23 (Sala delle Cariatidi in Royal Palace), and eventually in Florence, from September 15 to February 15 2016, at Sala dei Duecento in Palazzo Vecchio.
In 1882, the House of Savoy ordered that some of the tapestries were to remain in Florence and had others sent to the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome. Their extraordinary manufacture, the uniqueness of the subjects represented, and the magnificent history they depict, make this project a global event of symbolic, historical and cultural importance.
The exhibition, curated by Louis Godart, is under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, promoted by the Municipalities of Florence and Milan, in collaboration with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, the Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, Expo 2015 and Bracco Foundation. Lastly, Comunicare Organizzando organized the general event.
The tapestries, which depict the biblical cycle of the History of Joseph, were commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici, between 1545 and 1553, to Jacopo Pontormo to be displayed at Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. However, the Grand Duke of Tuscany wasn’t totally satisfied and decided to commission Agnolo Bronzino, Pontormo’ s pupil. They were weaved at the Grand Duke’s manufactory in the mid 16th century, and realized by Flemish tapestry masters on cartoons by Agnolo Bronzino, Jacopo Pontormo and Francesco Salviati.
Info: www.quirinale.it
