Charity4: L’Ospedale Degl’Innocenti

Before I visited L’Ospedale degli Innocenti, I researched it a bit to understand its purpose and history.  I found out that this hospital had been around for over 500 years and continued running until 1875, aiding the “innocents” of society.  This term “innocenti” refers to the infants and children, the vulnerable and helpless.  The building itself is also an architectural work of art, with the façade having been constructed by Brunelleschi, the same architect who constructed the dome of the Florentine Duomo!  I know from past Art History courses that symmetry and order are characteristic of the Renaissance style both in art and in music!  So, I found the whole symmetrical layout plan of the hospital to be quite typical of the Renaissance era.

            When I visited, I saw that on the outside, there were ten depictions of babies in swaddling clothes created by Andrea Robbia, one at each roundel.  These babies are fitting as décor for the outside, signifying the objective of the hospital.  Inside, there is a gallery containing well-preserved masterpieces, panel paintings, and even original furniture, believe it or not!  There are also cloisters that are separated by gender… one for men, and one for women.  However, the most interesting thing that I saw on my visit there was the door with a revolving piece so that parents could drop off their unwanted children shamelessly and anonymously.  Inscribed at this Wheel of the Innocents it reads, “For four centuries this was the wheel of the Innocents, secret refuge from misery and shame for those to whom charity never closed its door.”  This gave me the chills.

Even a lot of the art within depicted scenes of charity!  From nearly every aspect, this facility remains the epitome of charity.  I could only imagine how selfless the employees of the hospital must have been to dedicate their time to such a relief effort.  These women were, essentially, strangers to the children that were abandoned at the revolving door of the hospital, and yet their charitable efforts saved innocent lives! Walking through the museum, it was also interesting to see some of the original utensils that the doctors and nurses used to aid the children that sought their help, having been abandoned.  When I actually sat and thought about how much medical advancement Florence had seen as a result of the growing regard for the innocent and marginalized, even without what we would today as more modern technology, I was very much surprised.  I wonder how many modern-day Florentines’ ancestors were saved by this hospital!