Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

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seneca2008
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Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by seneca2008 »

I am going to spend a week in Florence in October. I have never visited the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and wondered if anyone here has visited it recently? The Blue guide is not very encouraging about the state of the museum but I am keen to see the François Vase in the flesh. I have visited the theatre and other roman remains in Fiesole a few times. If anyone has other classical (or indeed other) suggestions they would be gratefully received.
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by seanjonesbw »

I've never been either but will take you up on your invitation for other suggestions - depending on when you were last there the Uffizi is now constantly swamped but they've introduced a new timed ticketing system which works quite well. I've only ever been April-September, so things might not be so bad in October, especially at either end of the day.

I could have spent a whole day with the anatomical models at La Specola - if flayed waxworks don't do it for you, though, I read in Helena Attlee's Land Where Lemons Grow that the Museo di Botanica next door has extremely realistic wax models of Medici lemons (plaster cast from the originals), which might provide an amuse-bouche a couple of minutes walk from the Museo Archeologico (I think this is a picture of one). A couple of stocking fillers for you - I imagine you've already seen all of the beautiful stuff.

I envy you your visa-free trip!

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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by mwh »

Be sure to see the Piaggio machine, used to unroll the Herculaneum papyri.

I'll pm you a piece of mine on the Francois vase.

Florence wowed me from the moment I saw it, and it is still my favourite city in the world. The crowds will still be bad but a bit less so at the end of the month. I shall not disclose my favourite restaurant; avoid the tourist ones, but in Florence you can't go too far wrong. If you do go to the Uffizi, book ahead and plan what you especially want to see. If you like sculpture, look out the Donatellos in various place thought the city. Do at least some of the touristy things: climb up to the cupola of the Duomo and marvel. Marvel too at Ghiberti's doors of the Battistero—no longer the originals, but an impressive replica. There's a thousand other things to do, or just be there and soak it in. If you have Italian, you might drop in at the Istituto Papirologico.
And drink the wine.

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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

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mwh wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:19 am Be sure to see the Piaggio machine, used to unroll the Herculaneum papyri.
I never know what people can and can't access on the BBC outside of the UK but Inside Science yesterday had a very interesting item interviewing the team working on the X-ray CT scanning and 'virtual unrolling' of the papyri.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008wlr

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Barry Hofstetter
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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

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mwh wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:19 am Be sure to see the Piaggio machine, used to unroll the Herculaneum papyri.

I'll pm you a piece of mine on the Francois vase.

Florence wowed me from the moment I saw it, and it is still my favourite city in the world. The crowds will still be bad but a bit less so at the end of the month. I shall not disclose my favourite restaurant; avoid the tourist ones, but in Florence you can't go too far wrong. If you do go to the Uffizi, book ahead and plan what you especially want to see. If you like sculpture, look out the Donatellos in various place thought the city. Do at least some of the touristy things: climb up to the cupola of the Duomo and marvel. Marvel too at Ghiberti's doors of the Battistero—no longer the originals, but an impressive replica. There's a thousand other things to do, or just be there and soak it in. If you have Italian, you might drop in at the Istituto Papirologico.
And drink the wine.
I lived in Florence for an entire summer as part of a student program way back in the 20th century. Everything mwh says here is absolutely good. If the restaurant posts a menu turistico, best to avoid (the food might be good, but not the price). And no mention of Vivoli's? At least once, though we found a gelateria closer that we thought was better (have no idea now where it was or what it was called).
N.E. Barry Hofstetter

Cuncta mortalia incerta...

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Barry Hofstetter
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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

seanjonesbw wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 7:26 pm
mwh wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:19 am Be sure to see the Piaggio machine, used to unroll the Herculaneum papyri.
I never know what people can and can't access on the BBC outside of the UK but Inside Science yesterday had a very interesting item interviewing the team working on the X-ray CT scanning and 'virtual unrolling' of the papyri.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008wlr
The same as this?

https://www.foxnews.com/science/mystery ... lt-swr40K8
N.E. Barry Hofstetter

Cuncta mortalia incerta...

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seneca2008
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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by seneca2008 »

Thank you to all for your helpful replies. I have been to Florence several times before but never to this museum.

I will read mwh's article when I am there. It looks very interesting. I too loved Florence from the first although I think that's true of almost every place I have been in Italy.

I have booked an airbnb apartment which comes with its own grand piano. We shall see if the "spacious loft" lives up to the promise of the pictures.

I have to confess that one of my main objectives is to visit Sansepolcro to see the Pierro della Francescas. Last time I tried I arrived too late and although the museum had not closed they refused me entry. It looked like the director was taking a private party round. All very Italian. I should have spent less time in Arezzo beforehand.

To bring this back to things classical. Its interesting to note that Florentines believed that the campanile dated from Roman times.
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by mwh »

You absolutely must go to Urbino (where I lived for a year) and the Palazzo Ducale, with the Flagellazione.

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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by seanjonesbw »

seneca2008 wrote: Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:48 pm I too loved Florence from the first although I think that's true of almost every place I have been in Italy.
If you want to cure yourself of this affliction I recommend 30 minutes driving around central Naples.

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seneca2008
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Re: Museo Archeologico Nazionale Firenze

Post by seneca2008 »

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. As ever there is far too much to do and even in a week too little time.

Sean When I was younger I was on holiday in Italy with my parents and we got lost in Naples and ended up in some dodgy area with kids throwing stones (half heartedly I think) at our car. Subsequent visits to Naples have proved more welcoming. I don't drive so the nightmare of Italian driving doesn't bother me, but I have witnessed it often.

The Museo Archeologico was fascinating. The floor with the François vase was of course closed but eventually it was opened up and about four of us entered. An hour later I was the only one there and the attendant was looking like she wanted to close up and take another break. Italy!

Although I have seen many photographs and read descriptions of it (including its dimensions) I was quite unprepared for its size and overwhelming visual impact. I suppose I am used to seeing the Sophilos dinos in the BM which has a large stand and smaller bowl and visualised it a similar way, although the form of the vases are quite different. Perhaps I concentrate so much on the figures that I forget about the form of the vases. Standing in front of the François vase one cannot do that. MWH's piece on Kleitias, Stesichoros and the jar of Dionysos was a perfect adjunct. I would like to think that his discussion is not too far removed in spirit from the reactions of ancient sympotic viewers.
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

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