When we were planning our trip to Italy we put the Uffizi Gallery on the list. We were travelling with friends, but when I looked at the list of over 2000 works of art in the gallery I knew it would be crazy to try to see it all in the one day we had for the Uffizi. So being the group's biggest art fan, I printed out a list of all the art, then marked the ones I felt we really must see. The list contained about 20 pieces, and we beelined to them passing so much up! But by the time we'd seen the "must-see" list we were tired and hungry. Later everyone in the group thanked me for creating the list, and proclaimed it a great idea... We saw what we all agreed were the highlights. When we go back someday we'll make up a new list!

Anyway, just a suggestion in case you get overloaded by too much art and stop enjoying it after the 200th painting!

Could you post your list? I'm curious.

This is the list of 20 from the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ma...etuffizi15.xml

Last month I was at the Uffizi, and I was surprised that I didn't spend two hours. I had seen many of the reproductions already.

I thought I did quite a good job. yk, though, tells me that I missed Caravaggio's "Medusa" (not on the Telegraph list).

The Giorgiones were not on view when I was there.

Bashawik, I think that is a great idea. I just returned from Florence and my friend and I were both a little overwhelmed by the volume of amazing art works. I tried to focus on the works I was interested in but discovered so many new favorites since my last trip. I could have spent more time but my friend had mentally checked out after two hours so we left. I might try this out next time. Thanks!

111op, that is one great link you provided! Even if one were to disagree with the top-20 list, the strategies are very useful. I see there are links to similar approaches to the Louvre, Orsay, Br Museum, and Vatican Museums.

I have a two hour max limit on museum visits, after which my eyes glaze over and my head and back throb. Any strategy to help me appreciate an overflowing cup of art is very welcome.
As for what I miss, there's always next time.

Yes, the Telegraph series is a nice series. I've looked at the ones for all the museums I've been to (usually after the fact) -- as I only discovered it within the last year.

The one for the Metropolitan in NYC is interesting. yk and I had a "discussion" about it when I saw her during her visit. The #1 in that museum is Memling's "Annunciation," a painting that's housed in the Lehman Collection.

I'm eagerly hoping to cross Vatican and the Hermitage off my list in the future (I've been to the Vatican, but I've not looked at the things there all that systematically).

By the way, I happen to think that the Telegraph list for the Uffizi is quite good. My favorite from my visit is Gentile's "Adoration of the Magi," the #3 of that list.

111op, have you seen the Russia! exhibit at the Guggenheim,and the Prague art exhibit at the Met yet?

It's on the list (I've a long list of things to do).

I also do modern art, so I need to see the Smithson exhibition at Whitney.

And yes, I did see "Floating Island," and I went to Diaeacon on Saturday.

Someone should give me an award.

By the way, what I'm really curious about is the Memling portraits exhibition at the Frick Collection. People may recall that I spent some time learning about the Flemish Primitives (to prepare for my trip in February).

But more on topic, in December, there'll be a Fra Angelico exhibition at the Met.

Oops.... Sorry

Dia : Beacon

And don't forget the Memling's exhibit opening at the Frick tomorrow!

Yes, I was reminded to check the schedule.

You know how much I'm itching to cross that Nieuwenhove Diptych off the list (if I rememeber right, it'll be shown -- it's from the Memling museum in Brugge).

111op: I can't find my list, I must have tossed it! Just go thru the list of Uffizi's art on the web and pick the artists you favor. I also printed the location of each piece we wanted to see so we spent less time lost!!

An exhibition of Van Gogh drawings is opening at the Met soon. It might be next week, I forget. The Fra Angelico show looks really good.

I checked and the van Gogh exhibition opens on Tuesday. The review by Kimmelman has appeared in the Times already (I didn't read it).

The Memling exhibition has opened and I took a very quick look at the review on Friday, which I think was quite good.