Piazza della Signoria Informations
The Ceres Room gets its name from the motif on the ceiling, by Doceno, a pupil of Vasari. On the walls are Florentine tapestries with hunting scenes, from cartoons by Stradano.
The Sala Verde is called the Green Room because of the color of the walls. With decorations on the ceiling by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio. On the right is the Chapel frescoed by Bronzino (1564) with the Stories of Moses. Also by Bronzino is the large Pietà on the altar. The small door in the room indicates the beginning of the Vasari corridor, a passageway to the Palazzo Pitti built by Vasari for Cosimo I.
The Room of the Sabines was named because of the ceiling decoration. At one time it was used for the Ladies-in- waiting at the court of Eleonora di Toledo. It contains Portraits of Medici Princes by Sustermans, statues by a Florentine art school and a tapestry by Fevère.
On the ceiling of the Dining Room is the Coronation of Esther decorated by Stradano, with an inscription in honor of Eleonora di Toledo. The room contains a lavabo and two tapestries by Van Assel representing Spring and Autumn.
On the ceiling of the Room of Penelope (Penelope at the loom), in the frieze, episodes from the Odyssey. On the walls: Madonna and Child and a Madonna and Child with St. John by Botticelli.
The Private Chamber of Eleanor was originally called the '"Room of Gualdrada"' from the subject of the ceiling painting, this room was one of the private rooms of Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici. The paintings are by the Flemish painter Jan Stradan, better known under his Italian name Stradone. Against the wall is a cabinet with Florentine mosaic designs.
The adjoining, richly decorated chapel is painted in fresco by the mannerist Angelo Bronzino. It includes some of his masterpieces including Crossing the Red Sea.
The Audience Chamber or Hall of Justice (Sala dell'Udienza) used to house the meetings of the six priori (guild masters of the arts). It contains the oldest decorations in the palace.
The carved coffer ceiling, laminated with pure gold, is by Giuliano da Maiano (1470-1476).
On the portal of the Chapel is an inscription in honor of Christ (1529). The door, communicating with the Hall of Lilies, is a marvel. The marble mouldings of this portal were sculpted by the brothers Giuliano and Benedetto da Maiano. Its inlaid woodwork (intarsia) was carved by Del Francione. They give us portraits of Dante and Petrarch.
