Inside the Uffizi Galleries: An Art History Guide

Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance, the artistic style that changed the course of Western art.

On this tour of the Uffizi Galleries, created by an art historian, you’ll learn how to truly see and appreciate masterpieces by Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and more. Instead of just telling you the basics of the famous paintings you’re looking at, this guide asks questions, enhancing your experience in the museum and beyond.

The tour starts at the entrance to the Uffizi, originally built as offices for the Medici administration in the 1560s. You’ll follow the museum’s chronological path, starting with Giotto’s naturalism and the International Gothic style’s decorative elegance. You’ll hear the stories behind iconic works like Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, along with their complex mythological and philosophical meanings.

You also get a sense of Leonardo’s innovative use of light and shadow and Michelangelo’s sculptural approach to the human form in the two dimensions. Along the way, you’ll learn how to compare similar subjects across time periods, recognize symbolic elements, and understand how paintings relate to each other through style, subject, and technique.

During this 120-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Examine Leonardo da Vinci’s unfinished Adoration of the Magi, which reveals his revolutionary painting technique
• Study Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo, the only panel painting definitively attributed to the sculptor
• Discover how Raphael synthesized the innovations of Leonardo and Michelangelo into his own elegant style
• Explore Northern European influences on Italian art through van der Goes’ remarkable Portinari Altarpiece
• Appreciate Titian’s sumptuous Venus of Urbino and the distinctive Venetian approach to color and form
• Admire Bronzino’s portraits of the Medici family members who once graced these halls
• Witness Caravaggio’s dramatic and highly influential style

This expertly-created tour will transform how you see and understand Renaissance art, giving you insights that will enhance your entire visit to Florence.