Assignment 3

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Florence, Italy Trip

Assignment 3



Jo Ann Smith



On reflecting the last two days, I have come to appreciate the many art forms in this wonderful city from the Renaissance period, from the statues all around on the buildings and galleries to the painting in the Uffizi Gallery.



Antonio started our tour of the city by giving us the history of the building that the Accademia Europea Di Firenze (AED) (that is the name of the school) is housed in. The first owner was Gio Batta Niccolini, I could not remember what he said about Niccolini, so I looked him up on the internet and everything was in Italian. The only part I understood was Academy of Fine Arts at Florence.



From there we went to Palazzo Medici (Palazzo Medici Riccardi). This is a massive stone building that was designed by Michelozzo Di Bartolommeo in the Renaissance period for the head of the Medici family. The family was very important in banking and did not want their home to show off their wealth. Therefore, the outside is like a fortress, but inside there is a beautiful courtyard with sculptures and beyond that is a peaceful garden.



Continuing the tour is the Basilica di San Lorenzo Church, this is the family church and burial place of some members of the Medici family.



Our next stop was the outside the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiori) with it's beautiful white, green and rose marble and the Baptistery with the white and green marble. While setting on the steps of the Duomo and staring across at the Baptistery, the artist and architecture for the dome on the Duomo, Brunelleschi discovered the concept of perspective.



Then on to the Piazza Della Signoria that feature the statues of David by Michelangelo and Judith and Holofernes by Donatello. I have never noticed in the pictures of David that he had a slangshop over his shoulder and a rock in his hand, until Antonio told us about it.



The most interesting and exciting place so far has been the Uffizi. To be able see up close the paintings of the most famous artist in the world and told about details of the paintings and artists. We saw:



1. Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto with a 3D effect

2. Adoration of the Magi by Gentile Da Fabriano, this painting shows the procession of the Magi, that brought to mind the Epiphany parade I saw the other day.

3. Diptych of the Duchess and Duke of Urbino by Piero Della Francesca

4. Primavera (Spring) by Sandro Botticelli (one of my favorites)

5. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

6. Pallas and the Centaur by Sandro Botticelli

7. Doni Tondo by Michelangelo (noticed the difference in the bright colors)

8. Portrait of Cosimo l de’ Medici by Bronzino

9. Baptisms of Christ by Leonardo da Vinci

10. Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci

11. Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci

12. Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi (a female artist)



After seeing these great masterpieces I am interested in taking art appreciation classes at Eku in the fall.



1-8-18 walked 18,824 steps

1-9-18 walked 13,048 steps

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