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Period of the monument: 16th century
Place: Florence
Years of the restoration: 2012
Category of works: OS2-A
Client: Serristori s.r.l., Florence
Supervision: Superintendence for Architectural and Environmental Heritage of Florence
Work performed: Intervention of recovery of the facade paintwork, stone restoration of the facade and recovery of the stuccoes of the eaves and external decorations
The construction of the building dates back to 1520-1522, when the Bishop of Bitetto Lorenzo Serristori commissioned the residence in an area close to the water and flour mills of the Renai area. His nephew Averardo, ambassador for Cosimo I de’ Medici, had it enlarged and improved and since then the residence has been the object of additions and embellishments by the most famous artists and architects of the various eras. By the second half of the 17th century the palace had already become one of the most sumptuous in Florence, reflecting the economic ease and the affirmed social position of the lineage. Today the palace has a monumental architectural structure, though not stylistically homogeneous, precisely because of the numerous interventions suffered over the centuries.
Its position on the banks of the Arno, the garden in front of it, and the short distance from the architectural wonders of ancient Florence make it a unique monument within the city’s panorama.
Palazzo Serristori has an articulated conformation in the form of a double T with two avant-corps facing the Lungarno which contain a garden bordered by a walled fence in stone squares and an iron balustrade, with a large gate which is one of the entrances to the Palazzo. The state of preservation of the facades and of the decorative stone elements showed remarkable signs of degradation due to humidity and time. Sansone’s restoration brought the Palace back to its ancient splendor, as well as use of the building as a luxury residence.
A curious characteristic of the Serristori palace is the presence of some “fake windows”, made in part with the pictorial technique of trompe l’oeil and in part with the application of stone or stucco cornices absolutely identical to the real windows. These “illusionary” windows were made with pictorial mastery in order to deceive the eye of the observer thanks to the care of the details, such as frames, glass and railings, painted to give the impression of three-dimensionality.
The restoration of the palace allowed for the complete recovery of the building and the enhancement of one of the most popular and famous urban views in the world.
Once again, Sansone put its professionalism at the service of beauty and history, helping to safeguard an important part of the city’s identity.
