Pietro Leopoldo and Maria Luisa of Spain
On 13 September 1765 the new grand duke, Pietro Leopoldo, and his consort, Maria Luisa, Infanta of Spain, arrived in Florence. The third son of Francesco Stefano, he acquired the rights (secondogenitor) to the Tuscan crown on the death of his brother, Carlo Giuseppe in 1761. His eldest brother, Giuseppe, succeeded his father as Holy Roman Emperor with the name of Giuseppe II (Joseph II).
Pietro Leopoldo is considered to be the most important European reformer of his time. He received an enlightened education at the Hapsburg court in Vienna and had the example of his mother, Maria Teresa, to follow as she developed her own new ideas about the concept of the State, stressing a common patrimony and the importance of economic productivity and self-sufficiency. Among the first initiatives adopted was the reorganization of the grand duchy’s finances. Among the first casualties was Pellegrini’s plan for the Imperial Chapel at the entrance to the Boboli.
The first substantial innovations introduced by the Lorrains involved the choice of apartments for the grand ducal family. Abandoning the Medici tradition, Pietro Leopoldo moved the grand ducal residence to the right side of the palace. He chose for his apartments the rooms on the inside of the piano nobile on the right wing of the palace, facing the Cortile della Dispensa, while the grand duchess’s apartments faced the piazza.
Pietro Leopoldo is considered to be the most important European reformer of his time. He received an enlightened education at the Hapsburg court in Vienna and had the example of his mother, Maria Teresa, to follow as she developed her own new ideas about the concept of the State, stressing a common patrimony and the importance of economic productivity and self-sufficiency. Among the first initiatives adopted was the reorganization of the grand duchy’s finances. Among the first casualties was Pellegrini’s plan for the Imperial Chapel at the entrance to the Boboli.
The first substantial innovations introduced by the Lorrains involved the choice of apartments for the grand ducal family. Abandoning the Medici tradition, Pietro Leopoldo moved the grand ducal residence to the right side of the palace. He chose for his apartments the rooms on the inside of the piano nobile on the right wing of the palace, facing the Cortile della Dispensa, while the grand duchess’s apartments faced the piazza.
A. Pietro Leopoldo's Rooms
B. Maria Luisa's Rooms C. The Gran Principe's Anteroom D. The Sala Bianca |
a. Paoletti's Oval Room (Gabinetto Ovale)
b. Paoletti's Round Room (Gabinetto Abbigliarsi) |
Niccolò Gaspare Paoletti directed the decoration of these two apartments that were completely renovated, with stuccos by Visetti, gilding by Ristori, and garlands painted by Domenico Stagi; he also built the Round Room (il Gabingetto dei Abbigliarsi), adjacent to the Oval Room (il Gabinetto Ovale), in two phases: the architectural renovations had been accomplished in 1765-66, while the decoration was completed about ten years later, with stuccos by Domenico Ruschi (called “Il Portogalli”), intaglio by Lorenzo Dolci, gilding by Francesco Ristori, and painting by Giuliano Traballesi. Additionally, Grato and Giocondo Albertolli, stucco workers from Lugano who were active at the Uffizi and the Villa del Poggio Imperiale, worked from 1774 to 1776 to transform the old Salone dei Forestieri into a new Salone degli Stucchi (now Sala Bianca).
Pietro Leopoldo also undertook work in the Quartiere Volteranno, creating an apartment for his daughter Maria Teresa in the Flora's Room, Room of Justice, and a part of the grand duke's apartment and, importantly, he also ordered the transformation of a room on the ground floor to become the new Palatine Chapel. On the second floor, all the rooms facing the piazza were assigned to the grand duchess, and they were completely transformed, reducing the height of the rooms and creating a new loft-like space. These light and airy rooms, illuminated by round windows (hence the name “Mezzanini degli Occhi”) enjoyed an extraordinary view of the Oltrarno, but a price was paid – the destruction of the old Medici Library of Cosimo III.
Pietro Leopoldo also undertook work in the Quartiere Volteranno, creating an apartment for his daughter Maria Teresa in the Flora's Room, Room of Justice, and a part of the grand duke's apartment and, importantly, he also ordered the transformation of a room on the ground floor to become the new Palatine Chapel. On the second floor, all the rooms facing the piazza were assigned to the grand duchess, and they were completely transformed, reducing the height of the rooms and creating a new loft-like space. These light and airy rooms, illuminated by round windows (hence the name “Mezzanini degli Occhi”) enjoyed an extraordinary view of the Oltrarno, but a price was paid – the destruction of the old Medici Library of Cosimo III.
Apartments of the grand duchess on the second floor are shown in purple.
These significant interventions demonstrate the change in criteria that guided the works in the palace. The Medici, during their two hundred year reign, augmented and enriched the palace without, at the same time, destroying what had gone before. New decorative cycles were added, but rarely superimposed on earlier work. With their extraordinary collections displayed in the palace’s rooms, they gave testimony to the different taste of the different periods during their residence – from the 16th century frescoes in the oldest rooms, to the baroque decoration of the Pietro da Cortona rooms, to the airy figures of Sebastiano Ricci. The Lorraines (like the French during the brief period when they were present in Tuscany) instead felt free to dismantle all that had gone before, tangibly underlining the complete break with the past, and the modernity and rationality of the new regime.
The modernity and rationality were also demonstrated in the new mechanical works that were added to the palace: a heating system using hot air was added. Bathrooms were constructed along with kitchen facilities to accommodate the many guests who were expected. These guests included many of the kings and princes of Europe, including the Archduchess Maria Carolina in 1768, Emperor Joseph in 1769, the Archduchess Maria Cristina with Albert of Saxony in 1776, Archduke Ferdinand with Beatrice d’Este in 1780, the kings of Naples in 1785, and Pope Pio VI Braschi in 1789, on his way to Venice. (Chiarini, Marco; Palazzo Pitti, l'Arte e La Storia; Nardini Editore, 2000; pp. 158-163.)
Finally, recent restorations of the facade of the palace have revealed the existence of the famous "buca delle lettere segrete" (literally translated as "mouth of the secret letters") or "buca dei memoriali", where it was possible for a citizen to leave a private message for the grand duke himself. (see Laura Baldini Giusti, Orsola Gori: LA 'BUCA DEI MEMORIALI' SEGRETI DI PALAZZO PITTI. UN RITROVAMENTO", Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorischen Institutes, 47, 2003, pp. 241-7.)
The modernity and rationality were also demonstrated in the new mechanical works that were added to the palace: a heating system using hot air was added. Bathrooms were constructed along with kitchen facilities to accommodate the many guests who were expected. These guests included many of the kings and princes of Europe, including the Archduchess Maria Carolina in 1768, Emperor Joseph in 1769, the Archduchess Maria Cristina with Albert of Saxony in 1776, Archduke Ferdinand with Beatrice d’Este in 1780, the kings of Naples in 1785, and Pope Pio VI Braschi in 1789, on his way to Venice. (Chiarini, Marco; Palazzo Pitti, l'Arte e La Storia; Nardini Editore, 2000; pp. 158-163.)
Finally, recent restorations of the facade of the palace have revealed the existence of the famous "buca delle lettere segrete" (literally translated as "mouth of the secret letters") or "buca dei memoriali", where it was possible for a citizen to leave a private message for the grand duke himself. (see Laura Baldini Giusti, Orsola Gori: LA 'BUCA DEI MEMORIALI' SEGRETI DI PALAZZO PITTI. UN RITROVAMENTO", Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorischen Institutes, 47, 2003, pp. 241-7.)