The Chiostro dello Scalzo or the The Cloister of the Scalzo is a smallish, early 16th century cloister in downtown Florence. It is located on the Via Cavour, a street famed for its sixteenth century buildings. The Chiostro dello Scalzo is one of the foremost tourist attractions in Florence.
It was here that Andrea del Sarto, his original name was Andrea d'Agnolo (1486 to 1530), frescoed the cloister with images from the life of Saint John the Baptist, Florence's patron saint. Andrea del Sarto was one of the great masters in the heydays of the Renaissance at the beginning of the fifteenth century. The Chiostro dello Scalzo or Cloister of the Scalzo formed a part of the structure meant for the Confraternity of St. John the Baptist. The cloister, built in 1500, has porticoes on four sides, the two courts have four Corinthian columns with rounded arches on top and double capital columns in two long sides.
The Confraternity was founded in 1376 and was known as dello Scalzo as the cross bearers in their processions were barefooted. Lorraine's Pietro Leopoldo came down heavily on the confraternity in 1785 and their property was sold off leaving only the cloister. The Chiostro dello Scalzo contains sixteen grisaille (gray monochrome) or chiarascuro frescoes. All of them were painted by Andrea Del Sarto between 1514 to 1524 with two by Franciabiago when Andrea was away to Paris in 1518 - 19. The more notable ones are:
Annonce to Zacarias
St. John the Baptist
The Cloister
The Faith
The Charity
The Chiostro dello Scalzo is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays from 0815 to 0150 hours. On one of your forthcoming Florence tours, do make it a point to visit the Chiostro dello Scalzo.
Travel.mapsofworld.com provides description of Chiostro dello Scalzo.
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