Villa La Pietra Bids Farewell to Uffizi Tapestry

Last June, Villa La Pietra, NYU’s 57-acre campus in Florence, Italy, played host in its laboratory to a 16th century tapestry, pictured above, from the famous Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence while the rare work underwent restoration. La Pietra recently held a reception and presentation of the newly restored tapestry before it was returned to the famed museum.

    “Our collaboration with the Uffizi Gallery is a new initiative and one we hope will continue to grow,” said Ellyn Toscano, director of Villa La Pietra. “Having this woven masterpiece in restauro at Villa La Pietra has also been a rare, educational event for our students and behind-the-scenes visitors. Now that the conservation is complete, it is very exciting to see our sister tapestry with the one from the Uffizi displayed together, for the first and probably only time.”The project was a joint venture when Friends of the Uffizi decided it wanted to sponsor the restoration and NYU was asked to make La Pietra’s textile laboratory available for the work.

    The tapestry, made in 1596/97, is a portiere (tapestry covering or substituting as a door) and bears the Medici stemma beneath the grand-ducal crown, and is based on a drawing attributed to Alessandro Allori, pupil of Angelo Bronzino.