We had a 3+ hours break–enough time to have a gelato

and visit the Palantine Gallery at the Pitti which houses yet another Medici collection of art.

Two Caravaggios above.

So many Raphael’s at the Pitti including this one below over which there’s some debate about its authenticity:

How many portraits of Pope Julius II did Raphael paint? I saw one in Frankfurt and there’s one at the National Gallery in London. There’s two at the Pitti.

Paintings are hung in 18th century style from ceiling to the wainscotting so it’s hard to photograph and sometimes the lighting gets reflected as you can see above. The white dots aren’t damage but lights reflected off the glass.

Lots of Titian portraits of Medici family members:

The later Médicis married into the famously inbred Hapsburg family, and the Medici were rather incestuous themselves towards the end of the dynasty. It led to some pretty unattractive people whose portraits were painted by some rather mediocre painters. At least Titian wasn’t one of the mediocre lot.

A Giorgione, who we should see more of in Venice.