– by Sharon King Hoge
Those participating on the adventurous trip, always referred to as friends by AFV, gathered together this October in Italy.
The American Friends of Versailles was thrilled to present one of the most extraordinary benefit trips to Florence, Lucca and Venice, as never seen before. This Voyage Enchanté was filled with a plethora of wonders and was ultimately captivating in every facet, even for the most sophisticated of travelers. Committed to helping preserve the grand palace that is an important symbol of Franco-American friendship, AFV arranges elegant balls held in the palace and exclusive tours of European monuments linked to French history.
It was undoubtedly, fun, festive, illuminating, intellectually fascinating, inspirational and benefiting AFV’s current restoration project at Versailles, the ceiling of the Queen’s Guards Room. This room, located between the Antechamber of the Grand Couvert and the Coronation Room, was used for many years as the landing of the Queen’s Staircase. In 1680, it became the new Queen’s Guards Room, a transition area between the staircase and the apartment as such, used as a vestibule in which the officers in charge of the protection of the Queen stationed day and night. It featured racks for the weapons as well as screens around the guards’ camp beds. It is the last of the Queen’s apartments to be restored and is on the main tour, thus millions of visitors view it annually.
It was a week of exquisite and rare opportunities that had been ever so graciously arranged by AFV’s distinguished French Board member, Princesse Beatrice de Bourbon des Deux Siciles, a direct descendant of the Bourbon Kings and Queens who reigned throughout Europe,. She accompanied the guests for the entire journey. There were numerous private receptions, luncheons and dinners most generously hosted by the celebrated and preeminent, who magnanimously opened their Palazzos and Villa doors.
On these visits, the travelers beheld a bounty of world masterpieces: works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Donnatello, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Leonardo de Vinci, Giotto, Raphael, Cellini, Ghirlandais, Titian, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Veronese, Canaletto, Bassano, Pierro della Francesca, Messina, Guardi, Bellini, Jacapo, Giogione, Vittoria and Palladio and many more!
Pierre Arizzoli-Clementel, formerly, for well over a decade, Directeur général de l’Etablissement public du musée et du domaine national de Versailles and presently, Directeur Honoraire du Château de Versailles has written, “One should not forget that Louis XIV had some Medici blood through his paternal grand-mother, Maria de Medici: this in itself established powerful links between the French kingdom and Tuscany – even though Louis XIV never traveled to Italy.
French artists and artisans, since the time of the Renaissance, have been incredibly influenced by Italy and its great artistic merit. The façade facing the Grand Canal at Versailles was Italian inspired, as well as the striking decors, mirrors, and objet d’art within the interiors of the Palace.
All those who worked on the construction of Versailles had very privileged links with Italy. André Lenôtre, the great architect of the ever so famous gardens at Versailles, went on an important journey in 1679, wanting to discover the marvelous gardens of Tuscany whose numerous water features later inspired him at Versailles.
But more than anyone, Louis XIV’s most remarkable painter, Charles Le Brun, the author of so many masterpieces, was struck when in Florence by the splendor and magnificence of the painted decors in the Medici’s apartments of the Pitti Palace. He was inspired by the general decor created by Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669), the architect and painter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The paintings by da Cortona representing the planets turning around the sun, were a primary resource for the King’s Grand Appartement in Versailles, since the sun was the emblem of King Louis XIV.
It can be said, therefore that Florence, Venice, and all of Italy are present everywhere at Versailles. It shows even in the collections of antique marble statues purchased by Louis XIV in Italy to adorn his palaces; or in the King’s desire to have Florentine artisans come to Versailles to work on hard stones (pietre dure) that would adorn the grand pieces of furniture created at the Gobelins Manufacture in Paris and would embellish the rooms of the Palace. The inspiration of Venetian mirrors also played an important role in almost all of the rooms at Versailles in order to reflect the exterior light and candlelight by night.”
The underlying mission of the trip—raising funds for Versailles restoration —was never far from the minds of the participants. Throughout the trip, on private tours of notable museums led by curators and art historians, as well as in rare opportunities to view private palazzos and villas, gardens, and art collections not usually shared with the public, the properties painstakingly restored to their original splendor were constant reminders of the importance of supporting historic preservation. Magnificent ceiling paintings by the likes of Tiepolo and Tintoretto renewed the group’s dedication to restoring the picture of Jupiter on a silver chariot drawn by two eagles that crowns the Queens’ Guards Room, the last chamber in Marie Antoinette’s suite of rooms at Versailles.
Arriving from, New York, Los Angeles Vail, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Sarasota, and Paris (with a bit of support from Texas), the participants assembled in Florence at the five star Hotel Helvetia Bristol before the tour launched with a visit to Villa I Collazzi where the group was welcomed by Marchesa Bona Frescobaldi, member of a prominent Florentine noble family which has been involved in the political, sociological and economic history of Tuscany since the Middle Ages. The Marchesa served award-winning Tuscan wines from her family-owned winery, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, for which she has served as the wine ambassador. The Frescobaldi family’s start in wine production dates back to the year 130 in the southwest of Florence. Their wines were served at the tables of the Papal court and the English court of Henry VIII.
The following day there was a tour of the garden of Villa Capponi, residence of Signora Maria Teresa Benedetti, before a private visit to Convento di San Matteo and its owner, Marchesa Gondi, a member of one of the most important families in Europe, once bankers to the Medici. A former cloister, the property was wonderfully restored by an ancestor of the Gondi family who was a well-known art dealer of the 19th century. That afternoon the group toured the splendid garden of the 15th century Villa Medici in Fiesole, residence of Anna Mazzini Marchi, with a breathtaking view overlooking Florence from the property which was designed to resemble the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The next stop was at Villa della Petraia with its magnificent garden laid out over three terraces that was designed during the 16th century.
The AFV spent the third day in Lucca where they were received by Principessa Vittoria Colonna di Stigliano at Villa Torrigiani, located in the hamlet of Camigliano. One of the most interesting examples of 17th-century architecture in the Lucchesia, the villa can be considered one of the rare examples of Baroque architecture that was inspired by the architecture of Versailles. The house’s interior is richly decorated in stucco, paintings, and trompe l´oeil. A portion of the park was modified during the romantic period, but still maintains 17th-century French bassin fountains reflecting the façades.
The group attended a luncheon at the 15th century Villa Buonvisi Oliva which was hosted by Signora Oliva on her beautiful terrace. The villa was originally built by Matteo Civitali, a famous Renaissance architect trained at the school of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence. In the past, the villa and its beautifully landscaped five hectares were the home of Cardinal Francesco Buonvisi, an ancestor of the Oliva family, who once boasted to Louis XIV that his stables were more beautiful than that of the newly constructed Versailles.
The group next visited the Villa Reale di Marlia, a late Renaissance palazzo with renowned gardens. The 15th-century Italian Renaissance villa was in the Buonvisi family from 1517 to 1651, and has been left relatively unchanged.
Dinner was hosted by Pietro Ermanno Meschi, longtime friend and supporter of the American Friends of Versailles, at his family’s beautiful 16th-century Villa del Vescovo Meschi, built by the medieval Antelminelli family before being passed on to the Franciotti family who in the 17th century gave it its present aspect. In the beginning of the 19th century, the Villa became the summer seat of the archdiocese of Lucca assuming the name of Villa del Vescovo (Villa of the Bishop). The Meschi family has resided at the villa for more than a century.
The following day, the AFV group was invited as guests of Marchesi Torrigiani on a private visit to the largest privately owned garden located within city walls in all of Europe, Giardino Torrigiani, beautiful decorated with a series of statues, Roman sarcophagi, and marble urns which were collected and commissioned by the family. Renowned in the 16th-century as a botanical garden, it had a revival during the early 19th-century when the Marquis Pietro Torrigiani inherited the property and started acquiring the surrounding land. Adhering to the fashion of the time, he transformed the 25 acres into a ‘romantic park’ in the English style.
A trip to Florence would not be complete without a visit to the Boboli Gardens 111 acres behind the Pitti Palace landscaped for the enjoyment of the Medici family. Here the group was greeted at the front gate by the head gardener, Ivo Matteucci, who led a very private tour of the famous gardens, unlocking areas not normally open to the public with a large set of ancient-looking skeleton keys.
That afternoon at the Bargello the group visited the famous Michelangelo Room, which contains important works by the artist including the sculptor’s first large free-standing work, the Bacchus, his only known portrait bust, of Brutus, and a beautiful circular relief of the Madonna and Child.
Dinner that evening at the beautiful Palazzo Ginori was hosted by the gracious and elegant Marchese and Marchesa Ginori. The Ginori family is an old noble Florentine family who were great allies of the Medici family and were well-known for being merchants, bankers and in the political arena since the 15th century. The Ginoris explained their family’s long history as leading manufacturers of fine porcelain since the company’s founding in 1737 by their ancestor Marchese Carlo Ginori. Examples of early Ginori porcelain were on display throughout the palace, along with beautiful Sevres services dating back to the 18th-century.
The group dined in an enormous banquet hall on exquisite Ginori plates, and each course of the meal was paired with Castello Ginori wines from the family-owned winery located in the northern part of Tuscany’s Maremma region—a castle that has been owned by the family since the 16th- century.
The final day in Florence started with a private tour through the renowned Uffizi Gallery, then proceeded to the Palazzo Guicciardini where the group was received by the Conte and Contessa Guicciardini and their two young children. The 16th-century-era palace was the home of the famous historian and statesman of the Renaissance, Francesco Guicciardini, who is considered one of the major political writers of the Italian Renaissance. His masterpiece, The History of Italy, paved the way for a new style in historiography. Counte Guicciardini gave the group a private tour of his family’s archives and library, normally made available only to a select group of scholars. The group was also invited to tour the family’s private garden, which once had a secret entrance into the Boboli Gardens next door.
Lunch was hosted by Principe and Principessa Corsini at Palazzo Corsini al Prato. The Corsini are among the most splendid of Florence’s great families, combining the patrician heritage of ancient Florentine ancestry with the glory of the papacy, as Pope Clement XII was a member of the family. The Corsini were influential in Florence, especially as intellectuals in scientific and literary studies, and as Church dignitaries. Palazzo Corsini al Prato remains a family palace featuring a rare example of a late urban Renaissance garden. Built in 1572 by Bernardo Buontalenti, the palace and all the surrounding land was bought by the Corsini family in 1620. In 1624 the architect Gherardo Silvani landscaped the garden and embellished the façade with an open gallery.
The group’s final evening in Florence was highlighted by cocktails and dinner at the impeccably restored Palazzo Gondi as guests of its owners, Marchese and Marchesa Gondi. Cocktails were enjoyed on the Palazzo’s magnificent multi-tiered terrace that looks out over the city offering what are considered the best views of the city from a private residence. The Gondi family has long had ties to the French Crown and Versailles. One branch of the family flourished in France, with the title of Dukes of Retz. Marchese Gondi explained that his ancestor, Alberto Gondi, used to own the underlying property at Versailles, which he sold to King Louis XIII. Highlighting the sumptuous meal were delicious wines from Marchesi Gondi’s winery, including the Villa Bossi Chianti.
Departing by high speed train, the participants arrived in Venice and checked into the elegant Bauer Il Palazzo, with rooms overlooking gondoliers and vaporetta taxi boats gliding by below. After a buffet luncheon on the hotel’s waterside terrace, the group walked to iconic Palazzo San Marco, a few steps away, where they were greeted by Jerome Francois Zieseniss, President of the French Committee for the Preservation of Venice who led them on a tour of the Museo Correr, the royal palace which, like Versailles, is in the process of constant rescue.
Guiding the AFV through the rooms, Zieseniss discussed the challenging decisions he faces in resolving differing views of restoration: should deteriorating rooms be preserved intact? or should the traces of antique decor be “recreated” in modern copies of the original? In some rooms of the palace, he explained, the faded original wall covering is preserved but covered over with a modern woven-silk reproduction. Peering up at restorers on scaffolding above, AFV members were able to discern the dramatic difference as a later gray coating was delicately rubbed from ceiling panels overhead revealing the original bright white background.
After a guided tour of Piazza San Marco which Napoleon called “the most elegant salon in Europe,” the group had a brief rest in the hotel before traveling by water taxi to the Grand Canal home of “old friends” from Paris, Beatrice and Pierre Rosenberg. One of the world’s great art authorities, Rosenberg was Director of the Louvre before taking up residence in the Palazzo Brandolini, its spacious rooms outfitted with the couple’s collection of colorful glass beads and ornaments. Moving on, AFV met up again with Jerome Zieseniss who welcomed them to an elaborate buffet dinner in his home Palazzo Balbi Mocenigo. Guests had the opportunity to meet some of his Venetian friends including, charming Francesca Bartolotto Possati, the young woman who oversees Il Palazzo Bauer and her family’s other local hotels.
The next morning the group scooted across the lagoon to Torcello, to tour the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta an early church with an original 639 AD cornerstone that predates San Marco and therefore establishes it as the site of “Venice before Venice.” After admiring its amazing gold mosaics with iconography depicting salvation and the seven deadly sins, some of the group climbed its tower for a look back toward San Marco. Boarding the hundred year old sailboat Eolo, the group cruised the lagoon before landing for a spectacular lunch created by chef and captain Mauro Spotta which was served at a long dockside table.
On the docket that evening was a night at the opera. Steps from Il Palazzo Bauer the newly restored, gleaming Fenice Theater was the setting for a remarkable contemporary production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Violetta seducing suitors in a black lace peignoir before falling in love and facing her tragic end.
Walking from there to Harry’s Bar, the group sipped Bellini cocktails, and dined on plates of Cipriani carpaccio and scampi thermidor.
Wednesday morning the group crossed back over the canal for a visit to the Fondazione Cini a 10th-century old Benedictine monastery which is now restored as a site of culture. In exhibits devoted to the local glass industry, the group viewed Hirushi Sugimoto’s extraordinary “Glass Tea House Mondrian” perched on a pool in the courtyard and toured a retrospective of the creations of Fulvio Bianconi showing how the master’s female figure perfume bottles evolved to scalloped-edge Fazzoletti “handkerchief” vases.
The Fondazione’s crowning glory is the expansive refectory designed by Palladio, which was the original site of Veronese’s masterpiece “Wedding of Cana.” While the original work is now displayed in at the Louvre in Paris, a digital reproduction illustrates how it enhances its intended setting. From there Director Alessandro Martoni took the group upstairs to tour the Libraria di S Giorgio Maggiore, opening drawers to pull out extraordinary original manuscripts such as Taddeo Crivelli’s illuminated page of a 13th century book of vespers. A private luncheon of Bellini’s, octopus salad, tuna tartar, marinated salmon, fillet of sole Carlina catered by Harry Cipriani was served in the sunny open courtyard.
That afternoon water taxis took the group to the Palazzo Contarini Polignac on the Grand Canal where artist Roger de Montebello, a nephew of former Metropolitan Museum director Philippe de Montebello showed them around the waterside studio where he paints and sculpts. A visit to view the masterpieces by Tintoretto at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco rounded out the afternoon.
Princess Caroline Murat greeted the group for dinner at Palazzo Morosini on the Grand Canal. An accomplished pianist she performed pieces by Chopin before dinner in the candlelit dining room which concluded with a goblet of frothy lime sherbet and champagne.
Thursday morning the tour closed with guided visits to the elaborately restored baroque Ca Rezzonio, and a stop to see the Tiepolo ceiling canvases in La Suola dei Grandi Carmini¸and then a visit to Palazzo Grassi which exhibits works from the Pinault collection. After a brunch of sandwiches and champagne, Paul Loyrette guided the group through a retrospective of works by Martial Raysse. A convivial buffet luncheon hosted by Countess Caterina Fresco Alvera in her spacious apartment in Ca Corner Gheltoff Alvera on the Grand Canal concluded an informative and inspirational trip.