FLORENCE– The Lands of the Uffizi is hosting The Medici: Mugello Folk. Family Portraits from the Gallerie degli Uffizi from May 19 to November 5.

The exhibition is a display of the Medici family portraits in the heart of Mugello, the family’s hometown. This collection aims to evoke the legendary presence of the Medici family, and their undeniable influence on the surrounding area.

The life of Florence’s noble lineage, Dukes and Duchesses alike, were captured by leading Florentine artists of the 1530s and '40s, heirs to the legacy of luminaries like Fra Bartolomeo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Andrea del Sarto.

Their timeless portraits keep the Medici family suspended in time, representing their lasting importance in the Florence area. This is emphasized in the placement of the exhibition, adding the layer of their history and roots in Mugello.

First on display is Cosimo, the son of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and Maria Salviati, painted by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio. Though barely older than 10, his rank is proudly demonstrated through rich attire. His coat-of-arms with the inscription “cosmo med” is also presented in the upper right.

Cosimo’s wife, Duchess Eleonora, the daughter of the Viceroy of Naples, is also included in the exhibition. Painted by Lorenzo Sciorina, a pupil of Bronzino, the portrait is a revisited version of his master’s original which also appears in the Uffizi galleries. Sciorina’s adaptation includes variations which alter the entire tone of the painting.

Similarly to the original, the Duchess wears a brocade gown with gold thread and the pearls which she famously adored. However, in Bronzino’s portrait, she is shown with her second son Giovanni, whereas here she is in the company of Garcia, her eighth son who died of malaria while still very young.

Francesco I, pictured around age 30, and his second wife, Bianca Cappello, are also exhibited with their official likenesses. Painted by artists from the circle of Santi di Tito and Alessandro Allori, the two pictures are classic examples of Florentine artistry.

The portraits are remarked for their meticulous attention to detail in both the expressions of the subjects, and the scenery. The artists carefully crafted the stoic yet contained expressions of Francesco and Bianca, both seated regally. They also spared no detail from fabrics to ornaments, a noticeable trend in the final years of 16th century Florence.

The exhibition was produced by the Fondazione CR FLORENCE and the Gallerie degli Uffizi in the context of their respective Piccoli Grandi Musei and Uffizi Diffusi schemes.

The portraits are brought to life in the halls of Scarperia’s Palazzo dei Vicari, part of the Museo dei Ferri Taglienti in Scarperia and San Piero.

The Medici: Mugello Folk. Family Portraits from the Gallerie degli Uffizi is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m., and is closed on Tuesdays.