Post 3

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As I reflect back on the past couple of days I still can not believe that I am in this beautiful place called Italy. Not only am I in Italy, but in Firenza, Italy! Never in my mind did i ever think that any one single place on this earth could hold so much of its great history preserved so perfectly. The history in itself is a treasure, but to get to experience learning all about it with the team of teachers that have so much pride, love, and passion in their reflection of all of the acts that took place to birth and build this fine city is quite enchanting. I can picture it as if I were watching it myself.
Thinking back on my knowledge of art, I recall my art classes growing up and in college. I can definately say that I have a different understanding and appreciation for both the art and renosaunce movement. I had heard about the different names of the time periods from a text book but did not see the big picture. Now, I have a close up view.
Yesterday our instructor Antonio gave us a tour of the street our school is on and some of the city. We began with the first real home of the Medici family. What was once designed as a outrageously boldusterous facade for a family with much wealth changed quickly into a modest, strong, protecting palace that heald little beauty to the eye from the outside. Mr. Medici hired a different designer because he didn't want to draw too much attention to his home from the town's people, and passerbyers to keep from showing off their wealth. He felt that this could bring harm and hate to his reputation and affect his purpose in banking and leadership which would grow emensly as Florence became established. Though Mr. Medici had wealth, he also had a deep passion for his God and church. He loved them so much in fact, he built his home at an angle on the street so that he and his family could view the church from the windows of their living quarters in their home. In fact, Mr. Medici continued to hire the outstanding artist that first designed his home to also design the church in which he would worship God. He magnificently designed the entricant details of the church Duamo using lines of green and white marble, wisted marble columns, sculptures and paintings to depict scenes of the Christ child and his mother Mary and many other significant individuals and symbols spoken of in the Bible.

Reflecting on the history of this beautiful city, it is easy to see that the renosaunce movement meant much more to the people whom broke away from the Roman Empire to start their own, but they also held the stories and experiences from the past close to their hearts and reflected them throughout their new homes by using like architecture, sculptures, Roman designs with tall columns and arched ceilings that remind them and made them feel at home in their new dwellings.

While viewing the breathtaking buildings, sculptures, and paintings today I recalled the epiphany parade and as I had thought, the structure and characters represented the focus of the religion here, Christianity and the structure of the leading families of Firenza from long ago. I recieved today a better understanding of how and why these famous artists such as Leonardo Di Vinci and Michelangelo came to be, and why their works of art are all housed here in this city of rich art.

The Medici family continued for generations to hire great artists to decorate and adorn the homes with paintings that hung on walls and on the ceilings. The Mesici's kept many artists busy as the family empire grew. They then used art in their newer business offices that were the meeting place of dignitaries when they visited. They had the ceilings painted with a wide range of of pictorials that expressed stories, fruit, crazy faces that made no sense at all which would entertain the guests for fun. They also included portraits of great leaders around the top of the entertainment hallways and just above the windows that opened high up on the third floor viewing the vast beautiful lands. Using this display depicting wealth, power, and beauty, the Medici earned even more power and respect for Firenza from other countries and regions in thwir political hostings.

The renessaunce era reflects in great detail the lives and events that came before this time, and created a culture that would follow. By documenting history in a way that was pleasing to the eye, all people that viewed it could learn the stories by seeing the pictures. We have to remember that not many people in this era could even read words that written, and there are no language barriers in pictures. Pictures have documented the stories of the past all the way back from the earliest civilizations since creation. It was the renessaunce time when the artists began to study the actual muse in intamate detail. Leonardo used the technique of perception that was discovered shortly before his time by the artist Brunelleschi. He founded the concept while sitting on the front steps of the Duamo and reflecting upon the stripes in the design of different colored marble on the Baptistry He saw that the closer the lines were together in an angle showed distance. He started using this in the arcitectual drawings and Leonardo reflected upon it and used this within his paintings to make the illusion of real three dementional objects on his flat surfaced mediums and brought emotion, the stories, and meaning to life in his masterpieces. Leonardo worked endless hours perfecting the way he painted each stroke with a specific pattern in his paintings to make the frescos in some of his creations. He pondered and experimented to see which way was the best to complement the medium with each subject. Sadly, some, like his own personal church and the Honeration of the Magi, were never finished before he died. Luckily however, during very tedious restoration of this piece, the technique Leonardo used was discovered and the way he produced these illusions of real life are now understood.

As Micalangelo reflected upon the techniques and mediums that Leonardo used to make his paint, Micalango changed his paint to include linseed oil instead of egg yolks. This technique made colors so bold and beautiful that the clothing in the pictures looks like you can reach out and touch it. The paint has to this day not faded or descrinigrated.

It was after the death of the last Manici decendant leader that the cousin closely reflected the love, tradition, and pride that the Medici family held for Firenza. She she made a wise decision and willed all artwork and belongings to always remain within the region.

I have learned so much by coming here and experiencing in person the stories handed down over time, I have reflected the stories that I was taught and the techniques that I was taught in school art
I still can not believe that I am here seeing with my own eyes the documents and to stand in the same spot on the same step that Brunoici discovered perception on. I am So excited to reflect upon all that I have seen and heard to teach in my classrooms. I will start as soon as I get home by visiting the art department at the local high school to present what I have learned and to promote EKU for giving me this opportunity to come here and learn and reflect in my teachings with a richer, more personal understanding. Monday Steps: 26035 Tuesday Steps: 14,542

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