Lucca and Prato

Uncle took us to see a wonderful exhibit in town at the Palazzo Ducale on Pompeo Batoni. It was such a treat to go around with Mum and he. They both enjoy it so much, that I think even if one didn't like the pictures, one would have a good time. Even better, many of the pictures were fabulous. My particular favourite was 'Sacra Famiglia'
The next day, Mum stayed in. Uncle took me on the train to Prato. We went to the Duomo - S. Stefano Cathedral and saw the frescos by Filippo Lippi. There is a wonderful scene of a woman in a diaphanous gown dancing and presenting the head of St John. It turns out that the model was a novice or a nun - Lucrezia Buti - who had a son with Lippi (the great painter in his own right Filippino Lippi). There is also a lovely lunette by Andrea della Robbia. We went on to a couple of the museums and saw the original Pulpit reliefs by Donatello (the ones on the church are replicas) and a lovely strip by Bernardo Daddi of 'Seven Scenes from the Legend of the Holy Girdle' - It must sound better in Italian, yes?