Palatine Gallery

Inside Palazzo Pitti on Florence’s south bank of the Arno, the Palatine Gallery presents Renaissance and Baroque paintings in rooms that retain their palace decoration. You’ll see works by Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio among gilded ceilings, frescoes, chandeliers and ornate furniture. Paintings hang close together in large, decorative frames, alongside marble busts and sculptures. Look for Raphael’s Madonna of the Chair and The Veiled Woman, as well as Giovanni da San Giovanni’s unusual Venus combing Cupid’s hair. Allow time to take in both the art and the rooms.

Paintings in the palace rooms

The Palatine Gallery occupies the first floor of Palazzo Pitti. Its collection includes paintings acquired by people who lived in the palace, and spans Renaissance and Baroque art. Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens are among the artists represented. The gallery is particularly notable for its concentration of Raphael paintings.

The arrangement follows the palace’s decorative interiors rather than a simple, spare gallery layout. Paintings in elaborate frames cover much of the wall space in some rooms, among chandeliers, furniture, frescoes and other ornament. Marble busts and sculptures are part of the rooms, too. Give yourself time to look beyond the canvases and notice how the works sit within their surroundings.

Details to look for

Raphael’s Madonna of the Chair and The Veiled Woman are two works to seek out. In the Hall of Allegories, Giovanni da San Giovanni’s Venus combing Cupid’s hair places the goddess and her son in a dark, rocky setting. Venus tends to Cupid with a comb, in an affectionate scene that departs from more conventional portrayals of the goddess.

The ceiling paintings and frescoes are also worth looking up for. Together with the gilded stucco, furnishings and framed canvases, they give the rooms the character of a decorated residence. If the densely hung walls feel like a lot to take in, pause on one painting or room at a time.