Uffizi Lower Floor

The lower floor in Uffizi contains High Renaissance Paintings by artists such as Titian, Raphael, Da Vinci, and Parmigianino.

Madonna of the Goldfinch is balanced and symmetrical. Color is used to create depth and perspective inasmuch as the distant-background fades to gray. The three figures are Mary, Christ, and John the Baptist.

Raphael was one of the greatest painters of the High Renaissance. He is most famous for painting frescos such as The School of Athens in the Raphael Rooms in Vatican Palace.

Madonna with the Long Neck is an excellent example of Mannerism. Whereas earlier Renaissance Art is realistic, Mary is a little bit too beautiful because her neck is a little bit too long.

Like Raphael before him, Parmigianino died relatively young.

Venus of Urbino, depicting Venus Goddess of Love, is overtly erotic.

This reflects the fact that Venice was culturally more hedonistic than Florence or Rome, as Titian was Venetian.

Leonardo da Vinci uses both color and converging geometry to create perspective.

Adoration of the Magi depicts Mary, baby Jesus, and Magi, Three Wise Men who have traveled from a foreign land to admire Christ. Magi is cognate of magos who were Priests of Zoroastrianism, which would perhaps explain their skill in Celestial Navigation.

Annunciation depicts the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will be the Mother of Jesus Christ.