Sunday, March 26, 2017

The Piccolomini Library


Adjoining the Siena Cathedral by a narrow passageway is a small room called the Piccolomini Library.  My eyes must have gotten as big as saucers when I entered this room.  The sheer exquisiteness of this tiny space is hard to describe and even harder to convey in my humble photos.


The room contains illuminated displays of choir books and....


...is surrounded by frescos by Bernardino di Betto which were probably based on designs by Raphael.  The visual impact of the frescoes is quite spectacular.  


The frescoes tell the story of the life of Siena's favorite son, cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini who eventually became Pope Pius II.  That is certainly something for the community to be proud of.  
In the middle of the library is the famous "Three Graces".  It's a Roman copy of the Greek original.


Everywhere I looked in this tiny room was a visual feast including the ceiling.  

5 comments:

Lowell said...

That's quite incredible. There's not an inch of uncovered space. Overwhelming, I'd say!

Roseann said...

I, too, have had the opportunity to visit the Piccolomini Chapel. What I learned was that the chapel was sealed closed shortly after it was finished. It was never used as a reading room and therefore candles were not lit to deposit soot on the frescos. The colors are as they were painted so many years ago. It is beautiful and pure.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Exquisite is exactly the right word to describe this Sharon.. your details here are gorgeous I can only imagine what it must have been like to actually see it in person. Love the fact that the colours haven't changed in all those years. My head would have been spinning round too :)

William Kendall said...

Amazing, Sharon! Wow!

TJ Davis said...

Good Morning Sharon,

I finally made it over here to sojourns to see your latest posts. I am amazed at the beautiful photography both here of the Piccolomini Library, as well as the Cathedral at Siena. I am guilty, or as us old Catholics would say, “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.” (I am not religious but I remember that from my youth as an alter boy and since this is a Cathedral...) I have traveled all over the world but I didn't take any pictures to share. My vision is not as perfected as yours. Your artistic photography is such a treat for me. Thanks for sharing your art with us.