by Penny | 20 Sep, 2017 | Brexit, Brexit fallout, Florentine History, Florentine money, Medieval History, Medieval Money, News, Social History
As Mrs May bravely approached Florence to brag about the great trading relationship between England and Florence since Medieval times I thought it might be pertinent to put out a warning that this could be another dangerous move on her part! I wrote the Blog below in...
by Penny | 6 Jun, 2017 | News
How the Medici pearls of great price found themselves round the neck of an English Queen and into the Imperial Crown. Revised 06.06.17 On 1 September 1533, 15 year old Catherine de Medici left her home city of Florence forever. Her consolation for leaving her beloved...
by Penny | 5 Jun, 2017 | Architecture, Florentine History, Lead story, Medieval History, Medieval Money, News, Religious History, Renaissance Art, Social History, The Art of Writing, Tuscan gardens
Arnolfini family – an unlucky love affair in Lucca Following on from my Blog about Lucchese merchant Niccolo Arnolfini and his wife, Costanza Trenta who died in childbirth – I was saddened to learn this week that future generations of the...
by Penny | 3 May, 2017 | Books, Garden tours, News, Social History, The Art of Writing, Tours, Tuscan gardens, WW2
A day trip to La Foce & DopoLavoro La Foceand Montepuliciano. DopoLavoro La Foce is a restaurant, lodged in a building that formed part of the grounds of Anthony and Iris Origo’s estate in Val D’Orcia. It was originally the place where their farm...
by Penny | 9 Apr, 2017 | Florentine History, Florentine money, Garden tours, Italy and the American Imagination, Michelangelo, News, poets and poetry, Renaissance Art, Sculpture, Social History, Tuscan gardens, WW1
Emilio Santarelli,(1801–1886) was the Florentine artist who sculpted the vigorous and sympathetic sculpture of Michelangelo Buonarotti for one of the most prominent niches in the Uffizi. He was an important Florentine artist,...
by Penny | 20 Mar, 2017 | Advancing Women Artists AWA, Exhibitions, Florentine History, Medieval History, News, Painting, Religious History, Renaissance Art, Restoration, Social History, The Last Supper, Women artists
Suor Plautilla Nelli (1524–1588) is the first-known female Renaissance painter of Florence, Italy. It is not possible to confirm that the portrait, shown below, is the painter who chose to become a Nun and entered the Convent of St. Catherine of Siena in Florence,...
