PHILADELPHIA— In conjunction with the "Splendor of Florence Festival" – taking place in Philadelphia from September 15 to the 23rd, a selection of 16^th and 17^th century paintings from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy will be presented at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, September 15 through December 9, 2001. "Power and Glory: Medici Portraits from the Uffizi Gallery" will include portraits of European royalty and aristocracy collected by the Medici dynasty – a name synonymous with power and high social standing in Renaissance Europe. Viewers will enjoy a rare opportunity to glimpse into the world-renowned Italian collection from inside the dramatic setting of America’s oldest museum and art school.

In addition to showcasing the Medici family’s wealth and powerful rule, the portraits will reveal the exceptional scope of Florentine craftsmanship from painting to printmaking, gold and silver-smithing, leatherworking and the manufacturing of textiles. The subjects, placed in dynastic settings, wear elegant clothing created from the finest fabrics. Adorned in fine jewels and accessories, the subjects and their ornate costumes give us insight into the fashions of Renaissance Italy. True patrons of the arts, the Medici family employed artisans to paint model portraits and to craft the fine ornamentation worn by the subjects. These portraits provide a fascinating comparison to the early American portraits of later centuries represented in the Academy’s permanent collection.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the lavish portrait of Maria de Medici by Frans Pourbus il giovane, which projects an image of calculated refinement, elegance, and power that was highly favored in the Medici court and became emblematic of the Mannerist style.

The city of Philadelphia has enjoyed a longstanding "sister city" relationship with Florence. This nine-day festival, for which the Pennsylvania Academy serves as the sole art venue, will include a film festival at the Prince Theater, a "Taste of Tuscany" food festival and a Gala Concert featuring famous Italian arias at the Academy of Music, marking the official opening of the celebration. Throughout the run of the show, a series of educational programming will be available to the public. Capitalizing on this unique partnership between PAFA and the Uffizi Gallery, the exhibition will provide a chance for visitors to view paintings by Italian masters in the dramatic setting of the Pennsylvania Academy’s historic Furness building.

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is located at Broad and Cherry Streets. For general information, call 215-972-7600 or visit our website at www.pafa.org. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 adults, $7 seniors and students with I.D., $5 children 5-18, and free to Members and children under 5. Sundays are free from 3 to 5 p.m.

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America’s oldest art museum and school of fine arts. The Academy collects and exhibits the work of distinguished American artists and is renowned for its reputation in training artists from the United States and, increasingly, from across the world. Notable alumni include Thomas Eakins, Mary Cassatt, Cecilia Beaux, Maxfield Parrish, Robert Henri, John Sloan, Charles Sheeler, Arthur B. Carles, John Marin, and David Lynch. On the threshold of the new millennium, under the leadership of newly appointed President Derek A. Gillman, the Pennsylvania Academy announces the launch of a capital campaign for a major expansion, creating a new campus at Broad and Cherry Streets, that will bring both the Academy museum and art school together for the first time in nearly 40 years.

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For information, contact the Marketing and Communications Department at 215-972-7642 or

Hilary Pitts at 215-972-2031.

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