Bronzino: Painter and Poet

A new exhibit on the Medici court painter, Bronzino, has opened at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. "Bronzino: Artist and Poet at the Court of the Medici" runs through January 23, 2011 and features 70 paintings by the artist himself, as well as some of his poetic works. The show, which traces Bronzino's development throughout his career, includes many of his most famous works on loan from some of the world's leading museums.

If you click on the "Exhibition" tab at the Strozzi website, and then on "Sections," you can examine paintings from different periods of his life in great resolution. In addition, Alexandra Korey has posted a wonderful video review on her website, Tuscany Arts.

Bronzino is well-known for his exquisite portraits of the Medici family. I have a special fondness for him as the artist of the portrait I used on the "virtual cover" I created for my first novel a few years ago (follow-up post here). The novel I'm working on now centers on French portraitists, and Bronzino warrants a brief mention there, also. I so admire these artists who were able capture likenesses with such accuracy and can only imagine how amazing their portraits must have seemed in the days before photography.