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Collezione Contini Bonacossi

Donated to the state by Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi in 1969, this 144-piece collection contains seminal paintings, sculptures, and ceramics from the medieval and Renaissance periods. Scandalously, since 1998 it has been housed in a (usually) closed section of the Uffizi. Pieces include a marble sculpture of San Lorenzo—one of the earliest known works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini—and paintings by Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto, Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco. An outstanding picture by Il Sassetta depicts a rare August snowfall in 1352 in Rome. The collection's 11 rooms should open permanently to the public when the Uffizi's ongoing renovations are completed in 2011. Meanwhile, contact the museum for a biweekly tour (in Italian only; or you can hire a private English-speaking guide from Città Nascosta).