A few days ago I sat on a bench below and at the backside of Michelangelo's David in the Accademia in Florence. It was a reverential and even contemplative experience...I elected it to be such. Not everyone enters that spiritual sphere when looking at notable works of art. I think we must be intentional or find ourselves moving with the crowds in a shallow viewing and a token acknowledgment of amazement as we head to the bookstore to buy a postcard.
In class we had discussion about the ways of seeing art in its context vs. outside its context. It seemed that the general consensus is that it is indeed a good thing.. more accurate and confirming..to view art in the place in was created to be..."The Creation" on the ceiling of the Sistine is in the context of a huge ceiling with similar forms and involves the physical act of looking upward to see it (empathy for all of his looking up in painting it). It is set in the atmosphere of reverence of the church. The idea is that putting that painting on a T-shirt alters the experience intended by the artist. It most certainly does. But beyond this truth is the fact that it is and will continually be replicated.
As I walk down the streets of Florence I see lots of Davids. There are keychain Davids, postcard Davids, plastic Davids in different sizes, color book Davids, books about David, magnet Davids, coffee cup Davids, and T-shirt Davids. As a kid, I probably first saw David in a coffee table art book in my home. I have to wonder if my appreciation of David in the "flesh" is enhanced by my history with David on paper.
Not everyone elects to see or is able to come to Florence. Seeing David in Florence is an exclusive privelege. The rest of the world sees him in a foreign context...beauty spread abroad. Growing up my mom exposed us to good art by renting paintings from the library and changing them out regularly. I have often wondered how much her efforts worked toward planting in me a hunger for beauty....even eventually a desire to come to Florence to see some of those very works in their context.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
trompe l'oeil
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| A contemporary sculpture in front of the palace... |
There are numerous exhibits in the Pitti Palace. Our tickets gave us access to several. One was Russian jewelry and artifacts....I am not a jewelry and knick-knack fan, but it was incredible nonetheless. Another was a history of costume/dress. We initially thought this exhibit was going to be dress from the time of the Medici..and it was in part, but it spanned centuries.
We could not take pictures in parts of the palace. I'm not sure why we are prohibited in some places, no flash in others, and anything goes in others. For instance, in Rome at St. Peter's there are no limits on photography, but no pictures are to be taken in the Sistine Chapel (some cameras did go off but the crowd was way too large to discover the transgressor). Allowable noise or talking is another enigma. In St.Peter's nothing was said about talking or laughing...no "silencio!"... but in the Sistine the guards were contiually reminding visitors to be quiet. In the Pitti Palace our group discussion about a strange looking 19th century dress led to some elevated noise and a stiff rebuff from the guards reminding us where we were. (St Peter's? no..a dress show).
The part of the palace that most resonates with me is a painted room. The 17th century painters, Colonna and Miteili, worked in partnership for 20 years. Between 1637 and 1639 they created a room in the palace for the wedding of Ferdinand II. It represents a palace within the palace. The work of "quadrajura" is the creation of illusionistic space. In this room it is difficult to discern whether the ceiling and walls are painted or sculpted. It was here where I received my second scolding..."do not toucchhh de wulls". I was not touching the walls...I was looking closely to decide what was real and what was painted...a trompe l'oeil masterpiece!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
attending to art
My central interest in the Galleria dell'Accademia was the David sculpture by Michelangelo. I don't want to diminish the Bertolini and Inglesi works, the Pozzi, or the Prigione --also done by Michelangelo...but David's size, his placement in the Accademia, and my entrance into the hallway leading to his form through a heavy lavender drape could only have been better had I been listening--at the same time-- to Mussorgsky's exalted Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition on my ipod (with the volume turned up to drown out the valley girl dialogue going on nearby).
I sat on a bench below David's left side and began to do some gesture drawing...and then I stopped and simply attended to him...noting the form, the texture, the shadows, the lines, the details of his feet, his hair, his veins---really seeking to look deeply and carefully....and quietly.
Italy is not much different from the U.S. in our human resistance to attentiveness and reflection. The crowd gathered at David's feet was not quiet...at least not noticeably or generally. David, Bertolini, and the whole group of artists in the Accademia warrant our internal silence...a shutting of the mouth for a few moments...to embrace the form and its creator..and to hear our own internal response to the deed of remarkable creation.
I sat on a bench below David's left side and began to do some gesture drawing...and then I stopped and simply attended to him...noting the form, the texture, the shadows, the lines, the details of his feet, his hair, his veins---really seeking to look deeply and carefully....and quietly.
Italy is not much different from the U.S. in our human resistance to attentiveness and reflection. The crowd gathered at David's feet was not quiet...at least not noticeably or generally. David, Bertolini, and the whole group of artists in the Accademia warrant our internal silence...a shutting of the mouth for a few moments...to embrace the form and its creator..and to hear our own internal response to the deed of remarkable creation.
a humble family
I am hoping that Blogger allows me to post some photos here soon. The upload feature has not worked the last couple of days.
Years ago when I moved to my current home ...a resort community in southern NM, my real estate agent suggested that one of the ways to keep taxes low on property was to make the outside look humble for the assessor and spend my money on the inside. According to the BBC film: The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance this kind of approach to prosperity was advocated by the Medici fathers in 15th century Florence. Keep the outside simple...travel on a donkey etc....or so the story goes.
The opulence of Medici properties in Florence puts this paradigm in question. The Capella di Medicee and the Palazzo Medici --wealth incarnate....is beyond the imagining of my middle class (New Mexico) mind and experience. This is affirmed even more in Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens--the "vacation" home across the Arno River from Florence.
In a brief discussion with some fellow students we likened the life of the Medici with the straining need for privacy and exclusion of modern day high profile individuals such as move stars and political figures. Their position necessitates finding places apart from the crowds.
Our time immersed in the lives of the Medici was followed by dinner, vino, and a touch of lemoncello.
Years ago when I moved to my current home ...a resort community in southern NM, my real estate agent suggested that one of the ways to keep taxes low on property was to make the outside look humble for the assessor and spend my money on the inside. According to the BBC film: The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance this kind of approach to prosperity was advocated by the Medici fathers in 15th century Florence. Keep the outside simple...travel on a donkey etc....or so the story goes.
The opulence of Medici properties in Florence puts this paradigm in question. The Capella di Medicee and the Palazzo Medici --wealth incarnate....is beyond the imagining of my middle class (New Mexico) mind and experience. This is affirmed even more in Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens--the "vacation" home across the Arno River from Florence.
In a brief discussion with some fellow students we likened the life of the Medici with the straining need for privacy and exclusion of modern day high profile individuals such as move stars and political figures. Their position necessitates finding places apart from the crowds.
Our time immersed in the lives of the Medici was followed by dinner, vino, and a touch of lemoncello.
a priestly view of florence
We met in the hotel lobby shortly after arriving in Florence. Dr. Caputo recruited Father Bruno to give us a brief walking tour of the city. Bruno is an instructor at Gonzaga-Florence and has lived in the city for 30 years. He served as our lively guide to some of the secrets of Florence.
Numerous times Bruno remarked... "Florence was built on towers." He would point out the many towers that are today imbedded within other structures, though many still stand alone. "Watch for the layers" pointing to the evidence of the oldest structure overlaid by other facades and additions. A circle of concrete below the Duomo indicates the landing place of the golden sphere that plummeted from the very top of the church.
Had I taken the care to jot notes in my Moleskin while Bruno shared, I would have more to post about this delightful and engaging personalized tour. I will add later as I remember details.
Bruno and Dr. C invited us to dinner at La Spada (sp). He told us to ask for the Bruno special.
We arrived at La Spada at 6:30. We were seated and told that the serving did not begin for thirty minutes...so we sat and talked..at this point there were eight of us. Enoch, Dr. C, and Dr. Carey joined us later. This was another of several evenings in this past week containing common elements: great pasta, amazing desserts, good wine, and excellent conversations. About 2/3 through the meal and already several bottles of vino, Fr. Bruno arrived with a magnum of red vino as a gift to the Gonzaga group. The conversations and laughter increased in volume..."Fine wine is art you can drink. It is liquid quintessence of the earth's bounty: proof, as Benjamin Franklin observed, 'God loves us and loves to see us happy.'"
Numerous times Bruno remarked... "Florence was built on towers." He would point out the many towers that are today imbedded within other structures, though many still stand alone. "Watch for the layers" pointing to the evidence of the oldest structure overlaid by other facades and additions. A circle of concrete below the Duomo indicates the landing place of the golden sphere that plummeted from the very top of the church.
Had I taken the care to jot notes in my Moleskin while Bruno shared, I would have more to post about this delightful and engaging personalized tour. I will add later as I remember details.
Bruno and Dr. C invited us to dinner at La Spada (sp). He told us to ask for the Bruno special.
We arrived at La Spada at 6:30. We were seated and told that the serving did not begin for thirty minutes...so we sat and talked..at this point there were eight of us. Enoch, Dr. C, and Dr. Carey joined us later. This was another of several evenings in this past week containing common elements: great pasta, amazing desserts, good wine, and excellent conversations. About 2/3 through the meal and already several bottles of vino, Fr. Bruno arrived with a magnum of red vino as a gift to the Gonzaga group. The conversations and laughter increased in volume..."Fine wine is art you can drink. It is liquid quintessence of the earth's bounty: proof, as Benjamin Franklin observed, 'God loves us and loves to see us happy.'"
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
on to florence
I have a warm place inside for Rome. When the wheels of our plane hit Italian tarmac, a girl across the aisle let all the passengers know how happy she was to be here by shouting a loud affirmation ...I quietly shared her enthusiasm. This is the first real visit to European soil for me and Rome is the first place I engaged. I think it will always be special for that reason.
After three days of intensive guided sightseeing, cappuccinos at sidewalk cafes, and pastas between generous glasses of vino, we left to do the same in Florence…Firenze.
Our luxury bus took us on a three hour journey through the hills between Rome and Florence with intermittent views of ancient walled cities and neatly groomed fields. At one point I remarked to Dr. Caputo that the lay of the land looks a bit like Kansas if it weren’t for the Apennines east of us.
About halfway to our destination we stopped for lunch and a bathroom break. Italian fast food is supreme. I had a tiny cappuccino, some kind of flatbread with cheese and spinach, and some amazing French fries…for about five euro.
The language issues are not huge for Americans in Italy. Mostly the Italians are acclimated to American tourists, but it feels a bit selfish to expect them to figure us. I really want to learn the language ….and the coins…We place little value on our coins but Italian coins are valued at whole euros. What feels like a couple of dollars in my pocket may be 10 or 12.
We arrived at our hotel in Florence early in the afternoon...The Atheneum on Via Cavour and prepared for a brief overview of the city with our instructors and an impromptu tour guide...
We arrived at our hotel in Florence early in the afternoon...The Atheneum on Via Cavour and prepared for a brief overview of the city with our instructors and an impromptu tour guide...
the opulence of the basilica
Our final morning in Rome I decided to take a quick look at St. Peter's Basilica down the block from the hotel. Dr. Caputo jokingly spoke of the luminous affect on us of his visit to St Peter's Basilica...that if we did not have time to go we could just be next to him and enjoy the glory of it all. Probably not, but his enthusiasm was convincing.
I had not planned for the Basilica. It has not been a part of my religious life these past 30 years, but it has occupied a large place in the hearts of countless millions through history and that morning I decided to make the effort to walk the few hundred feet to this popular tourist attraction.
When Jen and I got to the entrance there were no lines. It was early and the Vatican yard only had a couple of hundred wandering about. We went through a security set up similar to a small airport and walked up the stairs into the portico and the large entrance.
My experience with religious opulence is the Crystal Cathedral in California. St. Peter's has raised the bar on high-end ecclesiastical architecture and artifact and for this I am glad. I really want to establish a more generous vocabulary so that I never again use the words "pretty", "awesome", "incredible", or "amazing." Until then I am left with those few paltry adjectives to wrap around a verbal picture of my experience in that place.
The excellence of the Basilica's artistic content is sobering. The overload of massive sculptures and paintings as well as the forms of ceilings and designs on the floors called to me for an alternate way of viewing. I found myself seeking an attention to tiny details rather than the whole...looking at texture and careful attention to small sections of sculptures and paintings rather than trying to gather it all in a whirlwind tour.
I had not planned for the Basilica. It has not been a part of my religious life these past 30 years, but it has occupied a large place in the hearts of countless millions through history and that morning I decided to make the effort to walk the few hundred feet to this popular tourist attraction.
When Jen and I got to the entrance there were no lines. It was early and the Vatican yard only had a couple of hundred wandering about. We went through a security set up similar to a small airport and walked up the stairs into the portico and the large entrance.
My experience with religious opulence is the Crystal Cathedral in California. St. Peter's has raised the bar on high-end ecclesiastical architecture and artifact and for this I am glad. I really want to establish a more generous vocabulary so that I never again use the words "pretty", "awesome", "incredible", or "amazing." Until then I am left with those few paltry adjectives to wrap around a verbal picture of my experience in that place.
The excellence of the Basilica's artistic content is sobering. The overload of massive sculptures and paintings as well as the forms of ceilings and designs on the floors called to me for an alternate way of viewing. I found myself seeking an attention to tiny details rather than the whole...looking at texture and careful attention to small sections of sculptures and paintings rather than trying to gather it all in a whirlwind tour.
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