On Tuesday we set off to find the ancient pharmacy that was run by the Dominicans attached to the Santa Maria Novella church. It went private in 1866, but is in a building attached to the cathedral cloister. It is a high-end perfumery. (Generally not my thing, as I am sensitive to scents.) It also has creams, soaps, etc.
The entry way was striking, with masses of foliage hanging. It was nice, even if it was fake.
The first room was a small sacristy with all four walls covered with frescoes, mostly depicting the life of Jesus. I was struck by this unusual depiction of the Last Supper, with a round table. Notice that in both pictures Judas has a black halo and dark robes.
The ceiling of the main room, which was once a chapel, has allegorical frescoes of the four continents. And a crystal chandelier.
All of the rooms (not that many) were beautifully decorated.
This hanging perfume bottle on display was designed by Dolce and Gabbana. It says Caterina in gold.
At the room farthest from the entry, we could look into the cloister courtyard of the cathedral, right where we had walked a couple of weeks before.
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