The Italian Renaissance

"How beautiful is youth, that is always slipping away! Whoever wants to be happy, let him be so: of tomorrow there's no knowing.”― Lorenzo de' Medici  

[leroichevalier]

→ Mini History meme : @catherinedemedici‘s favourites : 2 Period/eras (picked by me): 2/2: The Italian Renaissance (c. XIV th century - c. XVIt th century)

[dankomaksimovic]

ph. Danko Maksimovic - Palermo, Sicily (2026)

Castello della Zisa

Film: Kodak ColorPlus 200

[grundoonmgnx]

Alessandro Allori, Portrait of a Young Man (late 1560s)

via thelucydavies

[carloskaplan]

Alessandro Allori: Retrato dun mozo (ca. 1560)

[jadeseadragon]

School of Bronzino, based on an earlier portrait by Bronzino, Eleanor of Toledo, ca. 1562.

Bronzino, Portrait of Eleanor of Toledo and Her Son, ca. 1545, oil on panel, 115 cm × 96 cm (45 in × 38 in); Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

[gogmstuff]

1550s (possibly) Lady in black holding a book by Alessandro Allori (Sotheby’s - 20May21 auction Lot 24). Removed spots, cracks, & flaws with Photoshop 1576X2000 @300 915kj.

[pinkstarlightcomputer]

Bottega di Alessandro Allori (Firenze 1535 - 1607) Il sogno della vita umana Oil on board 66x51 cm.

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1560-1562 Alessandro Allori - Portrait of a woman

(Uffizi Gallery)

[somethingwithmoles]

Workshop of Alessandro Allori, Portrait of a Florentine Noble (Pietro di Cosimo de Medici?), 16th century, oil on panel, 72.5 x 58.3 (x 4.3) cm, São Paulo Museum of Art

Source: Wikimedia Commons

[history-of-fashion]

16th century Alessandro Allori - Portrait of a Gentleman

(Astley Cheetham Art Gallery)

[artandthebible]

Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha

Artist: Alessandro Allori (Italian, 1535–1607)

Date: 1605

Medium: Oil on poplar wood

Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Austria

Description

Mary and Martha are often portrayed as being in conflict with one another during Christ’s visit to their home. Martha is traditionally depicted hurrying around preparing food and drink to make Christ comfortable while Mary sits at the feet of Christ learning. But in this painting by the Florentine artist Alessandro Allori, dated 1603, both women are attentive to Christ and are in harmony. Allori, a second-generation Mannerist who was known for his brilliant color palette, elegant profiles and elaborately stylized garments, identifies the roles of the women. Martha has a tray with glasses, ready to quench the thirst of Christ. She represents, in the history of interpretation, the vita activa. Mary, representing the vita contemplativa, is kneeling and leans toward Christ as she steadies herself on a book (presumably the Bible), emblematic of her studious devotion. St. Ambrose observed: “Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke). Still, Christ gestures toward Mary, a reminder that Mary’s is “the better part,” because actions—even acts of Christian charity and hospitality—if they are to be sustained, follow being. What we do flows naturally from who we are.

Luke 10:38-42, New International Version "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Alessandro Allori (Italian, 1535–1607) Portrait of Ortensia de Bardi di Montauto, formerly identified as Giulia de’ Medici, 1559

[oldsardens]

Alessandro Allori - The Abduction of Proserpine

[somethingwithmoles]

Workshop of Alessandro Allori, Portrait of a Lady in a rust dress with a small dog, 16th/early 17th century, oil on panel, 89.2 x 65.5 cm, sold at Christie’s for GBP 30,000 in 2013

Source: Wikimedia Commons | Christie’s 

[oldsardens]

Alessandro Allori (After) - Judith with the head of Holofernes

[7pleiades7]

Portrait of a Lady, probably Camilla Martelli de’ Medici (c. 1570), (detail), by Alessandro Allori (Italian, 1535-1607), oil on canvas mounted on board, 68.6 x 59.1 cm, The Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis

[artandthebible]

The Penitent Saint Peter in a Landscape

Artist: Attributed to Alessandro Allori (Italian, 1535-1607)

Date: 1539-1599

Medium: Oil on copper

Collection: National Trust Collections, London, United Kingdom