A crucial Renaissance battle took place in San Romano, a small town of the Province of Pisa near San Miniato and Montopoli Val D’Arno . On that single clash day, the 1st June 1432, the Florentine army fought against the Senese, respectively led by Niccolò da Tolentino and Francesco Piccinino. Although Florentines were numerically less, they winning after six/seven hours thanks to the arrival of some reinforcements. The conflict was part of the “Wars of Lombardy” fought between 1431-1433 and it was portrayed in a famous painting by Paolo Uccello.
This 1438 masterpiece was commissioned by Lionardo Bartolini, who personally participated to the battle. His intention was to exhibit it in his private house, but Lorenzo the Magnificent imposed to move it to the palace of his family: as the new room was too small to host the huge work of art, the canvas was cut in three. The two sidepieces are now conserved in the Louvre and London National Gallery museums, while the most beautiful one, “The Unseating of Bernardino della Ciarda”, is owned by the Uffizi Museum of Florence. The background landscape presents a hunting scene, while in the foreground there are horses and armed soldiers involved in the clash. The rhythm is rapid, but the scene doesn’t communicate the sense of a true tragedy: it rather seems an abstract and metaphysical atmosphere where the battle has been transferred.
If you wish to visit the region where the battle took place, I suggest you to check Villa Lorenza, which are a few kilometers far from San Romano.
In case you prefer to stay in Florence, book one of our properties in the town center!
