The porticoed courtyard of the Basilica of S. Annunziata. The environment more recalls an atrium of an elegant palace that a cloister was conceived by the architect Michelozzo, the columns of the “courtyard” delimit with the cruise vaults sixteen lunettes of which only twelve are frescoed. To make the paintings, several artists were called, such as Alessio Baldovinetti, Cosimo Rosselli, Andrea del Sarto, Francebigio, Pontormo, Rosso Fiorentino. However, I wanted to dwell on the bezel frescoed by Francesco di Cristofano called Francebigio, namely the marriage of the Virgin. If you observe well, it is the only painting of the lunettes that has undergone damage, especially in the part where the face of the Virgin is depicted. This particular damage was perhaps caused as Vasari reports, by the friars of the Order of Servants of Mary during a celebration of a party, practically discovered the works of two artists who were completing the work of the lunettes to the population: the frescoes were those of Andrea of the tailor and Francebigio. The latter did not take it very well, in fact with hammer strokes (bricklayer tool similar to a hammer) “I beat some heads of females, and he wandered that of the Madonna” said Vasari, the immediate intervention of the friars for the great noise They blocked the artist before destroying the whole work. In a certain way, the making you apologized for their behavior so as to offer a sum in cash for the deplorable accident, but Francebigio remained so offended that he renounced this offer, so much so that the face of the Madonna remained incomplete. The same painters who worked on the other lunettes out of respect for the friend painter renounced to complete the work, Vasari himself wrote “so it remains so far, for that memory”. this is one of many stories that you could listen from our expert guide of Florence. We are running a Florence Free Tour, that start in front of Minerva Hotel, from Santa Maria Novella square. If you interested to discover the city of Florence come with us. book your tour in advance
