Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Rafael

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Dear Max and Dominic,

Do you recognise those names? Did you know that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were named after some of the most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance, that time 500 years or so ago when there was an explosion of creativity in just about every part of city life here in Italy?

Last weekend was our second to last one together in Italy so we decided to have an Art Weekend and visit three of the most beautiful and famous art galleries in the world. They are famous because they all do a remarkable thing - they show the most stunning art from the Greek and Roman worlds of around two thousand years ago with the best that the Italian Renaissance came up with around five hundred years ago. And they do so in such vast quantities that sometimes you just have to sit down and have a rest. Or, like the TMNTs, eat a pizza to get your strength back.

The first museum is called the Uffizi and it is in Florence, a city part-way between Bologna and Rome. My favourite there was a painting by Lippi with a cheeky angel in it. Have a look by following this link:

http://www.art-prints-on-demand.com/a/lippi-fra-filippo/madonnaandchildwithangels-5.html

Mary is meant to be paying attention to the baby Jesus but instead she is focussing on the angel holding him up. I think Jesus is about to get a bit cross! Some people think that Lippi painted the angel to look like his own son and Mary like his partner.

The second museum is called the Villa Borghese and it is in Rome. Some extremely rich people used to live there and they not only filled their palace with art, they had the walls and ceilings painted by famous artists too! One of the pieces I liked the most there was a sculpture of David about to throw a stone at Goliath with his slingshot. Do you remember the story? Have a look at this version of David by following this link:

http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edavid.htm

Doesn't he look very intense? He is about to try and do what the whole army of Israel couldn't manage, to kill the giant Goliath, with just one stone from a river bed. He is determination, courage and concentration frozen in stone for ever.

The last place we saw is called the Capitoline Museum and it is also in Rome, perched on the edge of the hill that looks down on the heart of ancient Rome where the Ceasars ruled. It is hard to say what my favourite thing there was, but I will pick a cunning picture by a guy called Caravaggio who is at least as famous for getting into fights as he is for amazing paintings. Follow this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Fortune_Teller-Caravaggio_(Rome).jpg

The first time you look at this picture called "The Fortune Teller" you think that these two look like nice young people, and you wonder if the man really believes the woman can read the future in his palm or if he just likes her touching his hand. He's probably saying to himself "I wonder if she thinks I'm handsome". Then you notice that she's actually stealing his ring with that pretty smile on her face. I reckon she's probably thinking "You are a stupid stuffed peacock".

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