| Millions of visitors
arrive in Florence from all over the world to admire what is considered
to be the masterpiece of world sculpture, the famous David
by Michelangelo.
Via Ricasoli, one of the historic streets of ,
is the site of the Academy Gallery, where it is housed. It was commissioned
in 1784 by Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena, when he decided to gather
the various institutions, including the ancient Academy of Design
Arts, in the rooms of St. Matthew’s Hospital and of the convent
of Saint Nicholas.
All the works belonging to the School of Art, including
the plaster of the ‘Rape of the Sabine Women’ by Giambaloga,
displayed in the Hall of the Colossus, were moved to the gallery,
and when several monastic orders were suppressed in 1809, many other
works were added. In 1873, it was decided to move the David from
Piazza della Signoria to the Gallery, and for the occasion Emilio
De Fabris created the Tribune that houses it, creating a system
of windows in order to light it from above.
At the beginning of the 20th century many ancient
works were moved to other museums while the collection of modern
art was housed in . In 1906, Michelangelo’s St. Matthew was acquired,
and shortly afterwards the sculptures of the Prisoners, made by
Michelangelo for the tomb of Giulio II, were moved here from the
Boboli Gardens.
Works by the three brothers Andrea, Nardo and Jacopo
di Cione can be seen in the Orcagna Hall. Since 1996, the Museum
of Musical Instruments has been part of the gallery, and musical
instruments from the collections of the Medici and the Lorena can
be admired, including some violins made by Antonio Stradivari.
See also: David
Michelangelo Guided Tour
See also: Uffizi
Guided Visit
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