In the ancient kitchens – exhibition in Italy
Nelle antiche cucine
– (in the ancient kitchens) – Exhibition in Italy
Poggio a Caiano (Prato), Italy
Villa Medicea
2015 july 4th – 2015 october 25th
Visited by Fabio Bardelli
POGGIO a CAIANO/ITALY: We visited a few days ago a really very interesting and curious exhibition in the magnificent Villa Medicea at Poggio a Caiano, an itinerary inside the Villa built by Giuliano da Sangallo on commission from Lorenzo il Magnifico situated in the plain roughly halfway between Florence and Pistoia.
In 17th century, under Grand Duke Cosimo II de’ Medici, kitchens were designed and built for the Villa (some common kitchens to prepare meals for the court and a secret one that only prepared meals for the Grand Duke) in a detached wing, connected by underground corridors run through by servants bringing the food to Grand Duke’s sumptouous table.
Even the secret kitchen was absolutely underground and was managed by a quite faithful staff exspecially to prevent Grand Duke’s poisoning committed by palace conspiracies or political enemies.
All rooms have retained the charm of the past, especially the secret kitchen that houses a large fireplace, ovens, kitchen-ranges, hooks to hung supplies, hobs absolutely well preserved and restored.
It is really fascinating to walk rooms and passages, larders (large and equipped to preserve the food with ice brought to the Villa from ice-houses in the mountains not far from Pistoia) and kitchens in which as we can imagine a few centuries ago it was all a bustle of cooks, butchers, pork butchers, scullery-boys and servants.
The exhibition continues on the first floor with an equally fascinating journey through paintings of italian and foreign artists of the time inspired to daily life of noble houses and reproducing the environments of the kitchens, butchers, tools, game, pork products.
The halls having paintings on display also show pottery, copper objects, knives, jugs, cake pans and volumes of the time.
by Fabio Bardelli