Lorenzo della Volpaia's Planetary Clock

The exhibition features the working model of the planetary clock that Lorenzo de’ Medici commissioned Lorenzo della Volpaia to make in 1510. The clock has been faithfully recreated from Della Volpaias’ workshop notebooks. The innovative dial made it possible to observe at a glance the motion of all planets known in the 16th century – namely Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – and showed the phases and ages of the Moon as well as the precise position of the Sun. The clock also marked the hour (announced by a chime), day and month. This imposing “time machine” is a sophisticated mechanical device and a real artwork, which symbolizes the major scientific and technical achievements in Renaissance Florence.

Exhibition Dates