The Tribuna of the Uffizi is an oil painting by German-British painter Johan Zoffany, created in 1772-1778. It depicts the north-east section of the Tribuna room in the Uffizi, in Florence, Italy. The painting is part of the Royal Collection.
Production Beginning in 1764, the German-born painter Johan Zoffany received numerous commissions from the Hanoverian King George III and his consort, Queen Charlotte. The queen ordered Zoffany to paint "the Florence Gallery" (the Galleria degli Uffizi), for which the artist would be paid £300.Royal Collection from Shawe-Taylor 2009 In the summer of 1772, Zoffany left London for Florence, where he met Felton Hervey, an art collector and friend of the king and queen, who figures prominently in the painting. Zoffany worked on the painting through late 1777 and returned to England in 1779. By this time Hervey had died. It was submitted to the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1780 at Somerset House.
The painting depicts the Tribuna of the Uffizi, an octagonal gallery designed by Bernardo Buontalenti in 1584. The most important ancient and Renaissance works were displayed in this gallery in the 18th century, making it an essential highlight of the Grand Tour.
Artworks shown Zoffany's picture is not a historical record of the works displayed in the tribuna in the 1770s. Rather, it is an epitome of the works in the Medici collections he felt to be most important. To accomplish that goal, several works from other rooms in the Uffizi and seven paintings from the Galleria Palatina in the Palazzo Pitti were transferred to the Tribuna. To accomplish this, Zoffany requested the assistance of George, 3rd Earl Cowper, who had emigrated to Florence and Sir Horace Mann, who served as British diplomatic representative in Florence to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Two pictures by Raphael which Earl Cowper owned and hoped to sell to George III, and the Earl are depicted in Zoffany's painting. The unframed Samian Sibyl on the floor, acquired for the Medici collection in 1777, was a pendant to Guercino's Libyan Sibyl, recently bought by George III, and its inclusion may have been intended as a compliment to him.
Paintings + Zoffany's OriginalAuthor and titleWhereCurrent location Annibale Carracci, Venus with a Satyr and Two Cupids Left wall Uffizi, Florence Guido Reni, Charity Left wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence Raphael, Madonna della seggiola Left wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence Correggio, Adoration of the Christ Child Left wall Uffizi, Florence Justus Sustermans, Portrait of Galileo Galilei Left wall Uffizi, Florence After Rembrandt?, possibly a copy of the Holy Family with Saint Anne in the Louvre Left wall Unidentified Titian's workshop, Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Alexandria Central wall Uffizi, Florence Raphael and workshop, St John the Baptist Central wall Uffizi, Florence Guido Reni, Madonna Central wall private collection? Raphael, Madonna del cardellino Central wall Uffizi, Florence Peter Paul Rubens, Consequences of War Central wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence Franciabigio (formerly attributed to Raphael), Madonna del Pozzo Central wall Uffizi, Florence ? Central wall between the legs of the Satyr Unidentified Hans Holbein, Portrait of Sir Richard Southwell Central wall Uffizi, Florence Raphael, Portrait of Perugino Central wall Uffizi, Florence Perugino's workshop (Niccolò Soggi?), Madonna with Child, Saint Elizabeth and Saint John Central wall Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Guido Reni, Cleopatra Right wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence Rubens, The Four Philosophers Right wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence Raphael, Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi Right wall Uffizi, Florence Pietro da Cortona, Abraham and Hagar Right wall Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Bartolomeo Manfredi, Tribute to Caesar Right wall Uffizi, Florence Cristofano Allori, Hospitality of Saint Julian Right wall Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Florence ? Right wall right of the Wrestlers Unidentified Roman Charity? Right wall Unidentified ? Right wall behind the Venus Unidentified ? (a golden frame behind the man in red at the very right) Right wall Raphael, Niccolini-Cowper MadonnaThis painting was owned by Zoffany at the moment: this explains its prominence. Lower part National Gallery of Art, Washington Guercino's workshop, Samian Sibyl Lower part Deposits of the Palazzo Pitti, Florence Titian, Venus of Urbino Lower part Uffizi, Florence
Sculptures and other Many of the ancient sculptures painted by Zoffany can be identified, although few remain on their 18th century locations today. The Medici's Roman statues stand in the main corridors of the Uffizi Gallery, except those which are still in the Tribuna room in the Uffizi. The smaller works are now in the collections of the National Archaeological Museum and the Bargello in Florence.
+ Zoffany's OriginalAuthor and titleWhereCurrent location Bust of a young woman, previously known as Plautilla Left shelf Uffizi Gallery, Florence Bust of a young man, previously known as Geta Left shelf Uffizi Gallery, Florence Bust of a woman Left shelf Museo degli Argenti, Florence Ancient Roman bust of a Julio-Claudian woman, previously known as Livia (?) Left shelf Villa Corsini a Castello, Florence Ancient Roman bust of Augustus Left shelf Museo degli Argenti, Florence Bust of Agrippina Minor Left shelf Uffizi Gallery Bust of Augustus Left shelf Museo degli Argenti, Florence Ancient Roman art, Venus of Aphrodisias Left shelf Villa Corsini a Castello, Florence Bust of a man in antique style Left shelf Museo degli Argenti, Florence Seated man (?) Central shelf Ancient Roman Seated God Central shelf National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bust of so-called Annius Verus Central shelf Uffizi Gallery (Vasari Corridor)Inv. 1914 n. 158 Hardstone footed cup Central shelf Bust of a boy, previously known as the young Nero Central shelf Uffizi Gallery, Florence Ancient Roman small bust of an Augustus (?) Central shelf National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bust of Zeus-Serapis Central shelf Villa Corsini a Castello, Florence Bronze statuette Central shelf Bust of a man (?) Central shelf Cupid with the bow Central shelf Uffizi Gallery, Florence Ancient Roman bronze statuette of Heracles Right shelf National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bust of a man (?) Right shelf Canopic jar (?) Right shelf Bust of Nerva Right shelf Museo degli Argenti, Florence Bertoldo di Giovanni, Putto playing the lute Right shelf Bargello, Florence Ancient Roman statuette of Satyr Right shelf Villa Corsini a Castello, Florence Seated Concordia Right shelf National Archaeological Museum, Florence Ancient Roman bust of a Young Satyr Right shelf Villa Corsini a Castello, Florence Ancient Roman art after Lysippus, Heracles and the Nemean Lion Right shelf Hermitage, St. Petersburg? Seated Tyche of Anthioch Right shelf National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bust of Bacchus (?) Right shelf Ancient Roman art, Cupid and Psyche Centre Uffizi, Florence Ancient Roman art, Dancing Faun Centre Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Jacopo Antelli (Monicca) and Jacopo Ligozzi, Octagonal table with Pietre Dure mosaics Centre Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Ancient Roman art, Baby Hercules strangling the snake Centre Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Ancient Roman art, The Two Wrestlers Centre Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Cleomenes, Medici Venus Centre Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Baltimore Painter, Apulian krater with Amazonomachy Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Etruscan bronze helmet with "button" on top Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Ancient Roman art, Arrotino Lower part Uffizi, Florence, still in the Tribuna Etruscan (with 17th-century implements), Chimera of Arezzo Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Andrea Briosco workshop, Lamp in the shape of a Twisting Man Lower part Bargello, Florence Plate (missorium) of F. Ardaburius Aspar', Roman, c.. 434 AD Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bust, previously known as Cicero Lower part Uffizi Gallery Florentine pseudo-antique art, second half of the 16th century, Bronze head of Antinous Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bronze lamp (?) Lower part Bucchero Etruscan krater Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bucchero Etruscan oinochoe Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Bucchero Etruscan situla Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Ancient Greek art, Livorno Torso Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Ancient Egyptian art, Cube statue of Ptahmose Lower part National Archaeological Museum, Florence Etruscan funerary urn probably made in Volterra Lower part, under the Venus of Urbino National Archaeological Museum, Florence
Persons shown
The Tribuna of the Uffizi combines aspects of the British 18th-century conversation piece, or informal group portrait, with that of the predominantly Flemish 17th-century tradition of Wunderkammer and gallery views. Thus, the figures populating Zoffany's painting are all identifiable as connoisseurs, diplomats and visitors to Florence. The inclusion of so many recognisable portraits was criticised by Zoffany's royal patrons, and by Horace Walpole, who called it "a flock of travelling boys, and one does not know nor care whom."
The first group of people is centred around the Niccolini Madonna by Raphael. From left, standing up, there are the picture's owner George Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper, Sir John Dick, 2nd Baronet, Other Windsor, 5th Earl of Plymouth and the painter himself Johan Zoffany, followed on the other side of the painting by Mr. Stevenson and his companion George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth, while sitting on a chair is Charles Loraine Smith and behind him, bended, Richard Edgcumbe.
Two more connoisseurs are near the Satiro. The first is reported to be Joseph Leeson, 2nd Earl of Milltown, even if his portrait does not match in age and resemblance those in the National Gallery of Ireland by Pompeo Batoni, and Valentine Knightley.
Further to the centre of the painting Pietro Bastianelli, curator of the Uffizi Gallery, shows the Venus of Urbino by Titian to John Gordon, Thomas Patch who is apparently the man touching the Venus, but pointing to the figure of a male nude (believed to be a reference to Patch's homosexuality), Sir John Taylor and Sir Horace Mann. The sitting man, looking back towards, is the Hon. Felton Hervey.
The group around the Medici Venus include John Finch, Mr. Wilbraham (one of the sons of Roger Wilbraham of Nantwich), Mr. Watts, Mr. Doughty and, on the other side, Thomas Wilbraham (the second son) and James Bruce. + Detail Portrait Name Note George Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper Sir John Dick, 2nd Baronet Other Windsor, 5th Earl of Plymouth Johann Zoffany the author of painting (self-portrait) David Stevenson tutor to Lord Lewisham George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth Charles Loraine Smith painter Richard Edgcumbe Joseph Leeson, 2nd Earl of Milltown is reported to be, even if his portrait does not match in age and resemblance those in the National Gallery of Ireland by Pompeo Batoni Valentine Knightley also painter Pietro Bastianelli curator of the Uffizi Gallery John Gordon Thomas Patch probably the man touching the Venus Sir John Taylor, 1st Baronet Sir Horace Mann, 1st Baronet Hon. Felton Hervey John Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea Roger Wilbraham Mr. Watts Mr. Doughty Thomas Wilbraham (brother of Roger Wilbraham, second son of Roger Wilbraham of Nantwich) James Bruce
See also A Modern Picture Gallery, an 1824 painting by William Frederick Witherington
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