May 28th: Piccolomini’s library, Duomo, Siena

(Previous sites on this day:  Piccolomini’s library, Piccolomini’s altar, Outside the Duomo , Piazza Il Campo)

We then entered Piccolomini’s library.

The vivid riot of colors has never been restored over their 550 years of existence. They have not required to be. The huge windows ensured sufficient natural lighting to make candles redundant. Candle soot has been the biggest culprit in sullying art forms in enclosed spaces.

Photographs are allowed. No flash though, not that you need it.

Being in the room with Pinturicchio brilliant frescoes and murals is a transformational experience.

At the expense of sounding sacrilegious, I enjoyed this small room more than the gigantic Uffizi. After all, this is not just a collection of the paintings. The paintings were done here. 

After all, Pinturicchio breathed here.

Sadly, the adjoining Donatello’s St. John the Baptist was being renovated and we had to give it a miss.

Its was time for Bernini’s Chapel.

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