Sardelli presents the volume The Self-Portrait of the Uffizi

In the collection of self-portraits of the Uffizi Galleries, the oldest and largest in the world with over 2,000 works created from the 1400s to today, there is also a painting by Federico Maria Sardelli, orchestra conductor, composer, writer, and painter from Livorno. This is the Self-portrait 38, an 80×80 painting in oil and tempera on canvas, executed in 2001. The story of this work has been collected in the volume The Uffizi Self-portrait, published in recent weeks by the Livorno publishing house Sillabe, which will be presented on Saturday, March 22nd, at 11 am, in the Great Reptile Room of the Museum of the City of Livorno (cultural center Bottini dell’Olio, piazza del Luogo Pio). The Self-portrait 38, donated to the Uffizi Galleries in November 2023, dates back to a period when Federico Maria Sardelli aimed to combine the rigor of his realistic painting with a search of a symbolic and metaphysical nature. In the work, on a background of opaque black tempera, sectors of oil painting stand out – then varnished in gloss – depicting parts of the artist (the face, neck, and right hand) and symbolic elements such as some books, a crystal chalice, and a red drape. The painting was executed by Federico Maria Sardelli at the age of 38, a number that is found on the canvas itself to fix its memory. The publication The Uffizi Self-portrait retraces the history of the donation to the Florentine museum and delves into the work through testimonies, documents, and critical contributions. Inside the volume, the painting is illustrated with great attention to detail and compared with a wide gallery of self-portraits by the author. “Throughout my life – writes Federico Maria Sardelli – I have painted many self-portraits. I paint one every time I feel there is a passage in my life, to mark the way (…) to make a small point in our favor in the daily struggle against time.” During the presentation on Saturday, March 22nd, the author Federico Maria Sardelli will dialogue with the art historian Sara Taglialagamba, who last year curated the exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci. Beauty and invention” at the Museum of the City of Livorno. On this occasion, admission to the Great Reptile Room of the Museum of the City of Livorno will be free. The volume The Uffizi Self-portrait is available on the online store of the publishing house Sillabe (www.sillabe.it).

The author

Federico Maria Sardelli, born in Livorno in 1963, is the son of the professional painter Marc. A versatile talent in music, art, and literature, he is the principal conductor of the Baroque Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome and a regular guest at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro La Fenice, Moscow State Chamber Orchestra, and many other theaters. In 1984, he founded the baroque orchestra Modo Antiquo. During his career, he has recorded more than forty albums. Twice nominated for Grammy Awards, in 1997 and 2000, he recorded the world premieres of many unpublished works by Vivaldi. His musical and musicological publications are numerous. In 2009, the Tuscany Region awarded him its highest recognition, the Silver Gonfalon, for exceptional artistic eclecticism.