Despite its name, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy, is not a music museum but a museum containing extraordinary artwork that was commissioned by the opera, or building committee, of Florence Cathedral. Nearly all of the artwork was intended for or removed from this breathtaking cathedral across the street.
Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero explores the collection, which includes the reconstructed original 13th-century Gothic façade of the cathedral; Lorenzo Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise,” the original bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery; Donatello's wooden carving of Mary Magdalene; majestic cantorie (balconies for choirs) by Donatello and Luca della Robbia; and Michelangelo's second “Pietà” (known as the “Florence Pietà”), which he carved at age 75 and left unfinished.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
General Information
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
