Botticelli at Villa La Quiete

The converted Montalve Convent in Florence is hosting some little-known artworks by Botticelli, Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio and Baccio da Montelupo this summer. This temporary exhibition anticipates the inauguration of a more permanent museum at Villa La Quiete in April 2017, which will also see the reopening of the recently restored rooms of Electress Palatine Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici.

Villa La Quiete, a converted farmhouse near Castello, came to hold these artistic gems—predominantly altarpieces—thanks to its connections with the Medici family and local churches and monasteries. There are over 1,000 works in the collection, which is now owned by the University of Florence.

The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints by Botticelli and his workshop, the Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine by Ghirlandaio and a crucifix by Montelupo are some of the highlights of the display.

Dean of the University of Florence Luigi Dei expressed his eagerness to introduce these paintings back into the public domain, and is also keen to celebrate the villa’s powerful women, namely Eleonora Ramirez de Montalvo and Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici. The temporary exhibition is a first step in this process.

The exhibition will run until October 30. For more information see www.villalaquiete.unifi.it or call 055/2756444.