Accademia Bartolini - Arnina

The Nymph of the Arno, sculpted by Lorenzo Bartolini, shows his true talent as a sculptor. It is lifelike, graceful, and beautiful. And until now, it's been unseen by the general public. This small exhibition within the Galleria dell'Accademia, home of Florence's famous statue of David, shows some of the sculptures of Lorenzo Bartolini. The most recent discovery is a marble version of Bartolini's Nymph Arnina. There was always a record of this statue in two different versions, one in marble and the other a plaster cast. The original version was tracked down and discovered in a private collection in England. And now, for the first time, both versions are on display to the public. The artist was born in Prato in 1777. He was strongly influenced by the Renaissance and the works of Antonio Canova. He studied at the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts and spent much time in France. Here, one of his greatest patrons was Napoleon Bonaparte, who sent him back to Tuscany to teach sculpture in Carrara. He stayed in Florence until his death in 1850. Like many works of art here in Florence, some of Bartolini's sculptures were damaged in the floods of 1966. Many works sat for days in the stagnant floodwater, and the plaster works in particular were especially harmed by the dirt and the oil in the floodwater. The collection here is truly remarkable, and the new edition makes it all the more so. For your chance to see Lorenzo Bartolini's handiwork, come to the Accademia before February 2015.