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Published: September 19th 2004
Proof I'm here
My camera comes with me wherever I go...but sometimes the best moments are without it, happen within seconds, or simply that a camera won't do what the memory can.Saturday/Sunday September 18/19, 2004
* Boticelli, Gentileschi, Ruibens, Andrea del Sarto, Raphaello Sanzio, Filippo Lippi, hung in tremendous frames one hanging from the next, 3 rows high…some hanging in dimly lit corners, others high and bold, recognizable by the lovers of art history. The Galleria Palatina, in the Pitti Palace, held my attention for a full 2 hours, with room upon room, antechamber upon antechamber, stocked full of imagery-either wall to wall frescoe, rich fabric, gold and crystal, or walls filled floor to ceiling with various framed images. To see some of these paintings within inches brings them under critique, analysis, adoration. I looked at technique, the softness or vividness of color, the accuracy of anatomy and form, the realistic or idealistic rendition, the folds of cloth, stylized or not, the repetition of symbols, use of perspective, depiction of fish and mammals with front-facing eyes, the saints and their martyrdom. (A few times during my slow wandering, I managed to catch a few words of a tour, being given by a young Italian who seemed taken by me at first…like the commercial for whitening toothpaste, and the young tour guide who refers to the Mona Lisa’s bright smile, unconscious of this
Communal park near Piazza Dalmazia
Browsing the streets near my new apartment, I stumbled upon 10-15 families celebrating a child's birthday. One little girl ran after a pidgeon for 10 minutes, mumbling "Mama mia..." while giggling and gasping for breath... mistake in giving the young woman in the tour a compliment…this wasn’t all that different and gave me a thrill for 30 minutes, as I admittedly joined the tour when I could not only to catch his smile, but also to catch some interesting information. For instance, in the antechambers of the Palatina Gallery, the guests coming to stay with the Duke would be given the honor of staying in a chamber-an honor on a descending scale-the further away from the Duke, the lower on his list of priority.)
I have many observations, but two that seem to repeat themselves are this: there is almost always someone staring OUT of a frescoe or large painting-looking directly at the viewer. This is interesting because I hunt for the gaze of this person, and am in a way then invited into the piece…an allusion, perhaps, to the sense of informality or humanity of the scene, or that the viewer is placed in such high esteem to BE invited into such a scene, being that most viewers were those with money who commissioned the piece in the first place…Secondly, the ceilings are of great humor to me, and of great pains in
Galleria Palatina-Palazzo Pitti
samples of paintings that I enjoyed in the gallery-Raphaello Sanzio, Gentileschi, Caravaggio my neck, literally, because the gentlemen painting the ceilings wish to trick their viewers into believing all sorts of things. One ceiling was frescoed so that it looked like a piece of humongous cloth strung from all 4 corners, taught tight with areas where the cloth is buckling a bit…but I had to really study this illusionistic painting to decipher the all too perfect rendering of buckling fabric. Another room has both 3D sculptures along with images painted monochromatic, to give the illusion of sculpture lit from the same place the actual, dimensional sculpture or relief is lit…brilliant! These 15-17th century paintings love this trickery-convincing the inhabitants of the room that the ceiling is not only 30 feet high, but 40 feet and going higher with each set of arches, cupolas, towering insets! Sometimes above me are birds, children playing in the corridors, looking over the banister to meet my gaze.
Instead of spending 8 Euro on a visit to the movies, I can use that money to visit these incredible museums again and again…the wonderful thing about LIVING here and not just visiting for a few weeks.
* I found a darkroom, in the area of Oltrarno. Just
when I was completely lost, and had wanted a mile north instead of West, I stumbled onto the exact street I was looking for! Speaking of coincidences-with all my talk about bus tickets never being validated by the machine, and thus must passengers never paying, today I stamped my ticket, sat down, and 1 minute later 3 men began checking tickets for validation…thank god I validated mine! The men wear particular looking vests, badges, and seem to enter buses on weekends and when the buses are not packed with 100 people…I wont’’ gamble my ticket again! Close call! Good instincts! One woman was asked to get off-and all 3 Politzia off with her!
* An incredible morning, and in the afternoon I visited my new neighborhood using my tried and tested technique of getting lost. After 2 hours of wandering down streets and finding my way back to those that were familiar, I discovered near my house (within 15 minutes walk): an elementary school, a local playground/park, 2 movie theaters, a modern/hip café, a small brook, several banks/pharmacies, 4-5 restaurants, 8-10 pasticcerie/pastry shops/cafes and a mini merry-go-round for children in a local piazza. We are at the foot of
Santa Maria Novella-frescoes
In their natural state-exposed to the environment some beautiful hills and yet within 15 minutes bus ride to the center of Florence!
* I am wrong about my deciphering of some of the saints in the paintings. I will do some research…as I have found that there is a martyr, Saint Peter, as well as the Apostle St. Peter, often depicted with the keys to heaven. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are the 4 Evangelists and depicted as the ox, winged man, eagle and lion…but I have not memorized as of yet who is who. I am very interested, however, in the iconography and styles used and shared in Medieval, Renaissance painting. I look forward to learning and relearning my art history!
* Sunday morning-Parco delle Cascine…90 % of the people usually here are men, and most seem to be over 60 years old…they are in great shape, going up and down the park a few times with ease…over 5 miles! This morning, more than other mornings, there are LOTS of people. I pass a huge pack of bikers in uniform, 3 soccer teams practicing, many families with baby carriages, people sitting on benches reading or eating, groups of men (and once in a while
Energia in Banda
Hundreds of people in Piazza Signoria for a concert to celebrate the passion for music in Italy-some groups very professional, others mixed with young adolescents and older students!!! a woman in the midst) jogging, walking or running at high speed.
* Sunday afternoon-Santa Maria Novella- where there are frescoes by Massaccio, Filippo Lippi, Ghirlandio, Vasari and Giotto. After my 45 minute visit, I notice people giving attention to a baby, but then leaving. I noticed the child in it’s carrier earlier, unattended. I actually went to the authority in the church and told them that I think the child is alone, but have not seen anyone attend her for 15-20 minutes. Just as I had told them, the child leaned over the back of her carrier, tipping over onto the floor, the boom echoing in the grand church, and the parents coming running. Amazing that the family, who kept repeating that she was sleeping, had left the baby alone for almost 20 minutes. I was thanked repeatedly, but all were amazed and thankful that the child did not fall to further harm.
* In the cloisters of S.Maria Novella, I also had a chance to see outdoor frescoes, aging and falling away from the wall. Interesting to see some pieces restored, while others are fading but eerily beautiful in their natural state-experiencing nature. For example, I
The Eye of Intrigue
I'm having fun with Photoshop...ok?! saw a placard next to these out door frescoes saying that in the year 1966, on November 4, “l’aqua di Arno” (water from the river Arno-a flood that destroyed much in Florence) reached a certain height, which I estimate to be about 9 feet from where I was standing.
* Time continues…the same day, Sunday, September 19th, 2004. It is now 7:30pm, and I have arrived home to make a quick dinner before I head to San Lorenzo for a free classic concert, having just had, in the following order: a cappuccino with my a friend, a Spumante with girlfriend Sofia (our special drink!) and some other friends at an Irish pub, and a visit to Piazza Signoria where tonight there is a celebration of music with a variety of bands from around Tuscany. After hearing and watching the introductoring ceremony with banners, flags and procession, I was fortunate enough to catch a band from Messina play a rendition of Battle Star Galactica, and some theme songs from West Side Story. Unbelievable, that here in Florence, Italy, along with 700 people, with the backdrop of buildings thousands of years old, I am listening to the theme song from my youth!!!!
* “Concerti in San Lorenzo” 9:15pm for the next 7 nights, performances by several of Italy’s schools of music. Since in college/university, students do not have the opportunities that American students have to try out various electives besides their majors. Tonight’s group of young men and women, age ranging approximately 18-25?, was from the Laboratorio Artistico Musicale di Bibbona, named Gruppo Strumentale del L,A.M.B. Violin, Fluit, Clarinette, Guitar, piano, flute and a small percussive section played selections from Mozart, Beethowen, and Piazzolla. Imagine having a school recital in these huge churches, no little school auditorium! Now, take the sense of godliness away, get over the face that this is all so different and new, and we have a huge hall made of marble and stone, with ceilings hundreds of feet high and acoustics that make every note resonate for minutes. Listening to the group tonight reminded me that not every piece of art is finished, and that loving art is about loving its process as well, as in this young group of growing musicians with a heavy percussive section!
* As I’m looking around at the church during the concert, and begin thinking about the process of the painters. I envision them laying on the scaffolding, unable to step back, see their work in perspective, like we are trained to do as young visual artists. Once they climb back to the ground, do they realize the hand is not big enough? Or that the shape of the chin and beard makes the man look like he’s laughing outloud? Did they make mistakes? Did anyone question them? Did anyone get hurt? This concert brought me down to consider reality for a few minutes-the human feat that it is to MAKE art that is powerful….takes time, practice, sacrifice, mistakes…and sometimes witnessing it before it is perfected is just as wonderful as it is to see/hear/feel it as the final gem.
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anonymous
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The eye of intrigue
Questa tua foto è quella che mi piace di piu'. Inoltre i tuoi commenti sono molto interessanti e si leggono con piacere. Brava, Anche noi impariamo quello che tu impari. Saluti da Alberto.