ART IN TUSCANY: LUCCA, SIENA, FLORENCE

OVERVIEW

From the thirteenth century, Tuscany’s trade, political power, widespread education and Roman heritage resulted in a ‘rebirth’ of art, led by innovative artists and generous cultural patrons. Subsequent historians and critics recognised this so-called Renaissance and its fundamental importance for Western art. The result is that great Tuscan names are instantly recognisable, from Giotto to Donatello, Brunelleschi, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Recently, the role of women artists in this cultural boom, such as Artemisia Gentileschi and Giovanna Garzoni, has also been acknowledged.

While many of us are familiar with Tuscany’s tourist highlights, we’re less likely to have spent ample time getting to know their historical contexts, or exploring the hill towns, medieval streetscapes and vibrant modern towns in which they’re located. With three-night stays in both Lucca and Siena, two of Tuscany’s most elegant provincial centres, and a full week in Florence, we step outside the crowded high season with Freya Middleton, an Australian art historian and qualified local guide with a specialisation in the Italian Renaissance.