On 16 May 2019, Arbat Fine Art Gallery opened an exhibition of Renaissance portraits. Eleven portraits range from a painting dedicated to Cosimo I de’ Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, to other works in the collection.

This year, we celebrate the 500th anniversary of his birth, which is why the gallery decided to honor him by offering visitors his portrait, executed by Bronzino’s workshop. This portrait inspired us to undertake a broader reflection on the memory of Florence and the Renaissance in general. Thus, the idea for the exhibition was born – an exhibition that highlights Florentine, Italian, and foreign mysterious portraits. On May 16, the exhibition was presented by personalities such as the President of the Regional Council of Tuscany, Eugenio Giani, and art historian Vittorio Sgarbi. Subsequently, several conferences were held at the gallery, with contributions by art historians such as Cristina Acidini, Francesco Gurrieri, and Michele Loffredo. All of them appreciated the significant cultural contribution that the event made to the city.

Renaissance Portraits aims to bring back to Florence eleven people of that century, sharing their looks, shadows, smiles, and pain. The purpose of this exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the Renaissance through one of the period’s most intimate genres: the portrait.