Libreria Piccolomini, Siena

If we thought the Cathedral was a feast for the eyes, we could not comprehend the beauty of the adjoining Piccolomini Library. Housing precious illuminated choir books and frescoes painted by the Umbrian Bernardino di Betto, called Pinturicchio, this room literally takes your breath away. The visual impact of these very colourful frescoes is stunning. The frescoes tell the story of the life of Siena’s favourite son, cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who eventually became Pope Pius II. The ceiling is covered with painted panels of mythological subjects, executed between 1502 and 1503 by Pinturicchio and his assistants.

Unlike the cathedral, there was only one statue standing in the middle of the library, The Three Graces, a Roman copy of a Greek original. The smooth marble of the beautiful statue is in stark contrast against the colourful backdrop of the frescoed walls. This room rivals the beauty of the Scrovegni Chapel and the workmanship, the rich glazed colours, the well-preserved manuscripts, there is so much beauty and so much to admire. This is a photographer’s paradise.Read more