Florence Arno River

In The Know – When the world answered – 1966 Great Flood in Florence, Italy and Women in the Artworld

Published on by dgkaye

I was a very young child in 1966 and knew nothing about the world, let alone that Florence, Italy had one of the worst floods in modern history. The Arno River flooded after long periods of rain, and burst LaPenna and Levane dams, leaving in its wake, over 600 thousand tons of mud, and killing dozens of people. The flood over three meters high, drowned homes, businesses, people, and over 14,000 pieces of precious art from centuries ago taken down in its wake as water quickly engulfed the Ponte Vecchio and swept through, sending damaging floods some 200 miles north to Venice. There was barely any warning of these floods coming, leaving no time to remove artwork. Restorations are still being made.

This event came to my attention when I came across and watched a documentary on PBS called, When the World Answered. As Italy is probably my most favorite country in the whole world, I’ve always wanted to go back to Florence to visit art and museums because, quite frankly, I was definitely too young to fully appreciate it all the first time I’d toured European museums. Going back to Florence is a definite on my bucketlist!

Amid the aftermath of the event, a woman art historian from Pisa, named Kirsten Aschengreen Piacenti, got on a bus, headed to Florence, and joined a group of both local volunteers and young people visiting from abroad, named angeli del fango – translating to, the mud angels who were young men and women from around the globe who banded together to help salvage what they could of some of the world’s most treasured art and artifacts. Much of the art that was saved was thick with mud and oil. The floods also ruptured the heating tanks in buildings, causing oil to spew and mix with the muddy waters. Piacenti and a professor from the Uffizi Gallery met up, and along with other art officionados, organized opening new chemical labs to treat the ruinations and residues on marbled artifacts to help restore. Donations poured in from around the world to help restore the art of Florence. Because of all the new developments that came from the restoration efforts, Italy is now known for its excellence in art conservation.

Besides the aid of the mud angels, there were also the flood ladies. After the flood, Florence put out a call to the world for new art donations to open a ‘Modern Uffizi Gallery’ and among the many, 32 international women artists donated artwork to Florence to replace the damaged art in many museums. Some of these women were already famous artists, but many were not yet, then. This restoration project was sponsored by the AWA – Advancing Women Artists Foundation.

Amazing efforts have and still are ongoing to restore artwork from the Arno Florence flood, and one of the most treasured pieces of art – The Last Supper by Giorgio Vasari that was kept in storage for forty years, was finally restored in 2016 after fifty years, from being severely damaged after submerged in water at the Basilica di Santa Croce, and is considered the last important piece of ‘injured’ art to go back on display.

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More about the ladies who helped Florence:

More about Mud Angels

The Flood Ladies

©DGKaye2023

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68 thoughts on “In The Know – When the world answered – 1966 Great Flood in Florence, Italy and Women in the Artworld”

  1. HI Debby, That was so interesting. I think I have vague memories of that as a child, but it was so far away. I didn’t realise how massive it was. Toni x

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  2. Florence is a treat in and of itself, I loved it and I hated it, it rained almost every day and lots of cafes and bars were closed around new year’s. The food was great especially when we finally found ‘Mama Toscana’ where price and quality made my heart rejoice. Piazza Michelangelo is a magical place highly recommended, probably never flooded due to elevated location. I don’t remember much art in Florence but I do remember sitting in a bar where ordering 2 glasses of wine you get a free t-shirt that says Florence Pub Tour, such a good memory of the year 2008.

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  3. Hi Debby – this sounds a fascinating book – I’ll make a plan to get it from the library … thanks for review – cheers Hilary

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  5. I was also very young when this happened and I hadn’t heard of it, but having visited Florence a few years back, I am putting this documentary on my list and I will check the sites. It is great to see people pulling together in the name of art. Thanks, Debby!

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  8. This was so interesting,Debbie. I love Florence too and wish to visit it again. We went there in 2015 and visited the art galleries. But, I’d love to go back again and do it slowly this time. The restoration efforts that you’ve spoken about are praiseworthy. Thank you for sharing it. Am sharing this post.

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      2. Thanks so much for the link Smitha. Yes! I’ve been to Rome twice, and each time, threw in a coin, which means, I’m definitely going back again. ❤

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  11. A wonderful post Debby and great to hear how the Mud Angels and Flood Ladies answered the call.. I know that not all the art could be saved but what a great idea to open a new museum of modern art. My Texas friends daughter lives in Italy and got married on 20th and I hope the recent floods and rains did not affect them. Will include in this week’s blogger weekly. ♥

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    1. Thanks so much Sal. Yes, I wasn’t aware, but Stevie told me Italy has had torrential rains. That is scary. But at least, from watching this documentary, and after, reading several articles about, I’ve learned their process of protecting art now is a lot safer. No more, floor to ceiling artwork as all has been raised on walls at least ten feet from floors since the flood, and they are much better prepared. In the doc you can see the painstaking detailed work it takes to repair a painting that would appear to the average eye as unsalvageable. I know you’ll appreciate the doc. ❤

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  14. My daughter is over there now, it’s been raining cats and dogs for weeks, she said they had to close the flood gates this week. I have very vague memories of the flood in 1966 as I was very young but I had no idea about all the restorations. Fascinating. Thanks for sharing Debby! Hugs, C

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    1. Glad you enjoyed a bit of history Cheryl. And yes, one of my friend’s told me they are having torrential rains. I sure hope all those dams are strengthened. ❤

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  15. Pingback: Smorgasbord Blogger Spotlight – 26th May 2023 #Laughter Pete Springer, #Poetry Elizabeth Gauffreau, #Texting John W. Howell, #Chess Stevie Turner, #Eurovision Janet Gogerty, #Genres Jacqui Murray, #Florence D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

  17. Hello Debbie,
    I love Italy. It’s where half of my family is from! However, I would never have known of this flood if I hadn’t read your post–nor of the generous restoration efforts! I also have Florence on my bucket list. I’d like to go for the first time! I had only been to my grandparents’ respective small villages in 2016–for the first time–each on difference shores! Hopefully life will bring me back to Italy again. Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!

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  18. Amazing post. Thank you, Debby!
    How sad that that happened, and how wonderful that art can be restored.
    You come up with some very interesting topics.
    xo❦❦ox

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    1. Thanks so much Resa. I love learning anything history. When I come across something historic I didn’t know about, I thought others may want to know. And glad you are one of them. ❤ xxx

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  19. Thank you for shining a spotlight on this uplifting piece of history, Debby. Very inspiring to see young people restoring precious works of art, not throwing tomato soup on it. (Excuse the snark.)

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  22. A fascinating yet devastating art history lesson, Deb. Thanks for sharing this. I will be checking out the female artists who helped to restore some of the damaged art. What an incredibly inspiring story of ‘the world’ coming together.

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  23. I was a kid back then too, so don’t have any memory of this flood. What a huge effort to save/restore all that beautiful artwork. It’s really a treasure. I can’t wait to go to Florence and Venice. They’re on my bucket list too, Debby. Thanks so much for sharing this. I’ll have to find the PBS documentary. It sounds fascinating. ❤

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      2. We have to have something to look forward to. And, we get what we focus on, so just put it out there like I do. When the time is right, we’ll get there. ❤

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  25. I’ve been to Florence and did not know about the flooding! What an extraordinary group of people and all those who donated to save such precious treasures.
    Fantastic to see women taking centre stage in this too!
    Thank you for sharing, Debbie x

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    1. Thanks so much Luciana. Funny how many of us never knew this. I suppose we were just too young at the time. Yes, women rock! And long before the ‘me too’ movement came along. 🙂 xx

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