The figure of Galileo Chini has always fascinated us in its entirety: his charisma, pride, avant-garde spirit, and his art, deeply rooted in tradition yet capable of evoking the refined allure of distant exoticism. The painting we had the opportunity to acquire, “Florence Wounded”, tells a story of deep identity, strong belonging, and profound connection, stirring an irresistible sense of participation.

All the paintings in this series, despite their dramatic themes, radiate attraction and seductive beauty through their freshness and harmonious chromatic accords.

Ruins of Florence

The series on the bridges destroyed by the bombings of 1944 | Collection of the Municipality of Florence

During World War II, both the Germans and the Anglo-American Allies inflicted severe wounds on the city of Florence, targeting its historic center and areas near key railway junctions. Air raids and destruction were concentrated between late 1943 and September 1944. Returning to Florence from wartime evacuation in Prato, Galileo Chini found a city ravaged by war.

The Campo di Marte railway hub, Via Mannelli, the Viali, Piazza della Libertà, and other less central areas were bombed in seven successive Allied raids starting in September 1943 to hinder German movements. However, it was the German assault on the city center and its bridges in 1944 that left the most tragic scars on Florence’s population. Towers, noble palaces, the Arno embankments, and the medieval and Renaissance centers were left in ruins, with despair everywhere amid the rubble.

The areas most devastated were those around the Arno River. The most brutal attack occurred on the night of August 3, 1944, when the Nazis systematically destroyed all of Florence’s bridges to block the advancing Americans.

Only the Ponte Vecchio was spared. The reasons remain unclear: it may have been deemed too narrow for American tanks, or perhaps, as some suggest, an unknown hero disarmed its explosives during the night. Others believe the Germans intentionally preserved it for its historical and aesthetic significance. Whatever the truth, Ponte Vecchio remained standing, though the surrounding areas were obliterated to create massive barriers of rubble—Por Santa Maria, parts of Lungarno Acciaioli, Via Guicciardini, Via dei Bardi, and Borgo San Jacopo were severely damaged. These haunting images left a deep impression on Galileo Chini as he returned to the city.

Shocked by the brutality—as evident in his letters preserved in the archives—Chini began documenting the destruction through sketches and paintings. These works, almost monochromatic, reflected the colors of the ruins: yellows, blacks, browns, and the red earth tones of the ancient bricks used for centuries to construct Florence’s landmarks. Among these were the Ridolfi and Rossi-Cerchi towers, the Torre della Parte Guelfa, the palaces of the Bardi and Mannelli families, and the façade of Palazzo Guicciardini.

Above the ruins, a white sky, like a shroud, loomed. Chini’s quick, fragmented strokes captured the urgency of recording the devastation, almost like a war reportage. Through his art, he depicted the city’s most ravaged corners, including the Bailey bridge rapidly erected by the Americans to reconnect the divided city.

Aware of the historical importance of these works, Chini decided in 1945 to donate a significant portion to the Municipality of Florence, which today holds fifteen of them. Thirteen depict scenes such as Via Vacchereccia with Palazzo Vecchio in the background, the houses of Via de’ Bardi, Borgo San Jacopo, Ponte Santa Trinita seen from Lungarno Acciaioli, the Church of Santo Stefano and its surroundings, the towers and ruins of Borgo San Jacopo, the broken remnants of Via de’ Bardi, Via Guicciardini, the towers and Via Por Santa Maria, the Ponte degli Orafi, Lungarno Acciaioli, and the houses of Vicolo del Buco. Two additional paintings, purchased later by the Municipality from the artist, depict Ponte Vecchio.

These paintings are part of the municipal collection formerly housed at the “Firenze com’era” Historical-Topographic Museum and are now stored in the depots of the Florentine Civic Museums. They have been exhibited only during temporary shows and are currently not on public display.

Curated by Claudia Menichini
Special thanks to the Florentine Civic Museums for their collaboration.