‘Winning Women:’ Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda
Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda is incredibly passionate about Florence and its art, as is evident in her work. She is the founder of “Friends of Florence,” a foundation that is responsible for the preservation of many of Florence’s most precious works of art. Their first major project was the 2002 restoration of the sculptures in Piazza Signoria’s Loggia dei Lanzi. Since then, Friends of Florence has provided for the restoration of 22 large panel paintings in the Accademia Gallery and the conservation of Michelangelo’s David, just in time for commemorated the 500th anniversary of the completion of the iconic statue in 2004.
Simonetta’s first experience living in Florence was the Smith College study abroad program during her junior year. While in Italy she met her husband, and together they founded a luxury home rental agency. Simonetta became involved with “Save Venice,” an organization that raises funds to restore and conserve monuments and artworks in Venice. In the 1990s, Brandolini noticed that nothing similar existed in Florence, home to many incredible works of art in need of restoration. She used her fundraising experience and her network of contacts to make her dream a reality. Her sister in Washington D.C. helped with the paperwork of getting 501/C3 charitable status, and in 1998 “Friends of Florence” was born.
In the last two years, the foundation has been focused on the restoration of several Michelangelo works, including the Pietà Bandini, which is on display at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (see article here). Another recent project provided for the restoration of Michelangelo’s Madonna della Scala and Battaglia dei Centauri (see article here). The donors who made the conservation of Battaglia dei Centauri possible also provided for the renovation of the display room at Casa Buonarroti on Via Ghibellina, where visitors can see the two incredible sculptures in a new light. “Before, the room was very unremarkable, and you couldn’t really marvel over how beautiful the marble used in these works of art is. Now, the room is much better suited for viewing Michelangelo’s masterpieces.”
“Friends of Florence” also awards a restoration prize every two years, the most recent having been given in May of 2020. After the winners are selected, the process for the restoration project begins. “The first aspect is the research and diagnostic tests to find what exactly is on the sculptures,” Brandolini explains. This step is important for determining what type of damage has occurred and how the restoration team will proceed. “A whole library of information is given through the tests. Then begins the cleaning.” The steps for each project are recorded, and kept in archives for future reference.
“Friends of Florence” is currently involved with over 25 projects, including the restoration of Rosso Fiorentino’s 1521 Volterra Deposition painting. “Thanks to our donors, we’re able to do so much. To describe all that the foundation has done for Florence would be impossible without them.” It is hard to miss the iconic works of art that have been conserved, with the help of Friends of Florence, if one knows where to look. She mentions both a growing awareness by Italians that their monuments need help from the private sector to survive, combined with the “art bonus” the government has created to allow for tax deductible gifts.
What does Simonetta love about Tuscany? She replies, “Everything… I love the history, art, architecture, landscapes, culture, foods, wines and my life here. I founded Friends of Florence to give back to this glorious city and region.” (sarah moats/ additional reporting by elizabeth wicks)
More information on the foundation can be found at www.friendsofflorence.org.
