Florence, Italy – Reported by Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
New lighting of the Loggia dei Lanzi – donated by STEFANO RICCI – will undergo its first testing. This venture will be open to the public.
It will be one of the most important moments in the daylong program put together for the 40th Anniversary of the Florentine Fashion House, which will launch the 82nd Pitti Immagine Uomo fair. This unique evening will feature the presentation of STEFANO RICCI’s new collection in the Uffizi Gallery Museum, an extraordinary location used to host a runway for the first time in its history.
“I would like to dedicate such an important day for my company, to beauty and to Florentine cultural heritage. As a businessman, in a context such as this one, I believe it to be my duty to publicly express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to make this dream come true,”” says Stefano Ricci.
The Superintendent Cristina Acidini stated that “the lighting of the Loggia dell’Orcagna or dei Lanzi, made possible thanks to the generosity of Stefano together with Filippo and Niccolò Ricci, provides a new refined visibility to this open-air hall of the Uffizi. The project was developed focusing on flexibility and discretion. In fact, the use of light enhances the architecture and the grandeur of this majestic public space that is an ancient symbol of civic pride and art.”
The Superintendent Alessandra Marino declared “In the Loggia dei Lanzi, the historical city’s illumination will exploit the full potential offered by new technologies. It will be possible to manage the lighting in a more flexible manner, allowing to underline special events from everyday lighting settings. These should be moderate and pay respect to the architectural features of the monuments in order to blend with the darkness of night.”
As an odd coincidence, one of the statues on display in the Loggia dei Lanzi – Menelaus Carrying Patroclus (Roman art from the first century B.C.), positioned at the center of the structure almost two centuries ago, was restored between 1830 and 1834 by a Florentine artist named Stefano Ricci. He was born near Florence on December 26th, 1765 and was one of the most important artists of neoclassicism in Florence. Today, his works can be found in many places of worship in Pistoia, Pisa, Siena and Florence. In particular some of his art pieces can be seen in the Basilica of Santa Croce – including the Cenotaph of Dante Alighieri.