Museo di San Marco, Tuscany, Italy

5Cannuckk 5:00 PM Oct 28, 2021

Some Tips For Visiting
My enjoyment of this museum was predicated on a couple of things. First, I had the benefit of downloading to my iPhone beforehand a free walking tour of the museum from Rick Steves Audio Europe, which went a long way towards educating a fine art novice like myself, why the frescos and altarpieces I was looking at were Important art treasures. Secondly, I had watched the Netflix drama Medici, whose second season featured the historical character Savonarola, a former resident of the Convent and thorn in the side of the Medici family, whose living quarters are featured on the upper floor of the museum. Both of these background sources if you wish to access them may help the casual visitor. If you use the suggested audio tour, which is just under an hour long, reserve some additional time to read the posted narrative signs and enjoy exhibits not especially featured in the tour. I had only allocated a bit over an hour to see the museum, and wished I had allowed for more. The 8 euro admission cost is a relative bargain.

4top-trippers 5:00 PM Aug 26, 2022

Unique hidden gem crammed with wonderful pre-Renaissance frescoes
We popped in here early one morning, after our visit to the Bargello. Many of the walls of this Dominican monastery were decorated in pre-Renaissance times, by Father Angelico, and his pupils. The tour begins in the Cloister of St. Antoninus featuing some beautiful lunettes. The Guest Room, where pilgrims were received, is now a gallery for many wonderful panel paintings by Fra Angelico.Head to the Chapter House for his complex and allegorical Crucifixion. Don’t miss the Refectories. The small refectory is dominated by Domenico Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper. I loved the detail in this painting – the crockery, decanters, knives, bread etc. The lunettes above the table are filled with large trees and birds in flight, an open window frames a perching peacock, and a cat waits for scraps. The tour continues on the first floor. At the top of the stairs, you will see Fra Angelico’s Annunciation. You can then peek into 43 monks cells which are decorated with simple frescoes, many by Fra Angelico. The last three cells (12-14) at the end of the corridor to the left, were once used by Girolamo Savonarola before he was hanged and in Piazza della Signoria. At the end of the corridor to the right, Cells 38 and 39 were reserved as a spiritula retreat for the Medici Cosimo the Elder.