This Florentine museum, entirely dedicated to sculpture, houses many of Ammannati’s works: the great artist “populated” the city with his creations, the best-known of which is the fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria, surmounted by the statue that the Florentines immediately re-baptized the Biancone, the “Big White One”.

The sculptor also received commissions for other fountains: that of Villa di Castello with the colossal bronze statues of Hercules and Antheus and the animals of the Grotto, and another one, which Cosimo I commissioned but never placed in its intended location in the Salone dei Cinquecento – the majestic hall inside Palazzo Vecchio – and which was therefore named “of the Great Hall”.

This very fountain, the composing elements of which have been separately displayed in different places, has been entirely reassembled in the courtyard of the Bargello. It comprises six large marble statues of deities, whose poses add a spectacular dimension to water.

This fountain was also supposed to produce a particular musical effect, which has been studied for this reassembled version, and re-created thanks to the technical support of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Florence.

The exhibition – entitled Water, Stone and Fire: Bartolomeo Ammannati, Sculptor – is also enriched by the presence of other works by Ammannati, making it an event not to be missed.

Important statues such as Leda and the Swan, the Medici Genius, the Venus of the Prado and an interesting portrait of his wife and muse, Laura Battiferri, by Bronzino are on display at the Bargello.
The anniversary of Ammannati coincides with that of Giorgio Vasari, that starting from June will be celebrated with the exhibition Vasari, the Uffizi and the Duke, which will be paying homage to the outstanding creative minds that populated the artistic scene of XVI-century Florence.

The exhibition is at the National Museum of the Bargello, Via del Proconsolo at the corner with Via Ghibellina, from 11th May to 18th September.

Opening hours: from 8.15 am to 5 pm. Closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.

Admission: € 7.00; Concessions: € 3.50

www.unannoadarte.it