NO ROME

On Friday morning we had a short lecture about the Renaissance origins. Then I worked on my essay all day in the hot, hot, hot library at the institute. The students organized a party, so I had a small lunch for dinner and supper and stayed up there all day confusing myself with my reference material. Well my research is done but it is not very well organized.

I so wanted to get to Rome but Friday in Florence was a full transportation strike and I felt I could not chance not getting back to here from Rome. Just as well I have work to do and would really like to see Rome with my own family.

We did have fun at the get party and Giuseppe brought me safely home in his car. He invited Corinna and I to go on a car trip with him on Sat. We accepted. We got up early and had breakfast on Sat. morning by the Duomo. It was open and so we went into the church and climbed the tower. Our legs were quaking after the four hundred steps. We decided to leave the dome for another day and the Baptistery as well. We got ready and went to meet Giuseppe. He said he can 'profit' a lot from coming to a place like Florence for he learns to relax and relaxed was his approach for the day. We left in the afternoon and went to San Gimignano, the philosopher Giovanni Baccaccio's house, and then Siena. I wish we had gotten to Siena sooner. We were short changed here and definitely have to return. Joseph took his time doing some shopping for his house, always stopping for wine and coffee and then wine and coffee. Did I say and then more wine and coffee? The towers were fantastic and you should Google them to really understand their significance in history. When the families wanted to move to the city apparently they took their towers with them for the new place in the city. Let me know when you have figured out how they moved the towers. Renaissance mobile homes! Siena is very significant. St. Catherine of Siena's chapel is there which houses the relic of St. Catherine - her head. I must admit this, although a Catholic Pilgrimage was not top of my list and I was not disappointed that the chapel doors were closed. I however could have cried that we just missed entering the Duomo. It is so amazing. We walked around the cathedral and were in awe at every inch. It is the horse, or animal church, as it has many animal sculptures on it as this is the town of the horse race - Palio - which is on July 2 and Aug. 18. We saw the chapel where they bless the town horse and the one where all the horses go in to be blesses. There are 25 communities in Siena so there are 25 horses that go into the chapel to be blessed. The town hall is beside it and it is converted into a stable for this event. The square is a shell shape and is huge. There is a fountain, I believe where the horses also drink from. We were there in time for the parade. It is a week after the first race so the parade was done to make fun of all the loosing horses. It was quite a carnival feeling. A very ancient tradition. One day it would be neat to see this race. We got home late because we enjoyed a great meal there. I had the 'beer chicken' - Pallo alla birra. Delicious new menu for home. That is the end of Sat. July 10

CANADIAN MEN AND CONLY BOYS TAKE NOTE

Well it is Friday, July 9th. I just got dropped off at my hotel after a evening get together with the students up at the institute. It was a fun relaxing time after a tough week of study. I worked all day in the hot, hot, heat at the library with NO air conditioning. I am done my research on my chapel, so I decided to hang out with the under 25 gang. However, one of the students is older and he is from Italy and all week he has demonstrated excellent gentleman manners. He would have never seen me unescorted back to my hotel so he gave me a lift as he has his car here. The other night he walked Corinna back and would hear nothing of her walking by herself. He pulls out our chairs, offers to take our load from our arms, stands when we leave the table - it seems odd to us Canadian gals. I truly appreciated the lift as I had my computer with me and it is quite heavy. It is also 12:30 a.m. but surprisingly quiet downtown. He could not get all the way down my street as there is a 'camera' and you need a permit. It is a 250 Euro fine. In two years time they are also going to levy an emissions tax on all goods to help the environment and to raise public funds. Giuseppe (Joseph, the Italian gentleman) said even the 'camera' fines have helped to keep taxation down in the cities. It also reduces the use of vehicles in the city. They call downtown - the city - as it is the old walled in city. So I hope my boys and others now have learned a lesson or two about treating an old lady like me!

Yesterday we had a fantastic tour. It was with our other instructor, Stefano Corazzini who was very knowledgeable about the Medici family. He toured us through the Palazzo Vecchio. This is the old palace built by my friend Cosimo Medici. I am so interested in their story. Remember Eleanor did not like her castle and went out and bought the Pitti Palace on her own. So in we went to the palace she rejected. One thinks she had a lavish life, but really she was a prisoner in her own palace. She had 11 children. The first born thankfully was a boy but not a warrior like his father. In fact he loved alchemistry and was obsessed with collections of coral and pearls and plants and seeds for his potions. This was blasphemy against the teachings of the church. When you go into the palace you enter the court yard. Vasari did all the decorations, paintings and design schemes. Inside it is extensively decorated. The next room is the great hall. On one side is the scenes from the victory over Pisa by the Republic and the other side is the victory over Sienna when Cosimo was in charge. It took four years to conquer Pisa and only 14 months I believe for the Medici to take Sienna. The ceiling is covered with paintings. We were able to go above the ceiling to see the truss system, original beams and the way they have supported the paintings and frames in place. Then we were taken to the 'secret' tunnels and rooms. The oldest son has a room built that resembles a treasure box. Vasari's paintings are on all the secret cabinets and they make a map with clues in the painting as to what is stole away in the cupboards. Of course the door is camouflaged and part of the 'secret'. Francesco I de' Medici was different than his father and had this private secret studiolo made for him. However the tunnels lead us on - his father too had a secret room for his treasures, and of course Eleanora had her special room as well. Her room though had a spy screen, so she could amuse herself and peer down at the great hall to the many goings on that women were not allowed to partake. Then we entered Eleanora's private chapel. It is something to consider her living in this manner at such a young age. But, she never left the palace, it was unsafe out there, that is why everyone lived in towers. If I recall correctly she never did live over in the new palace. It was not ready until after her death.

After class I went back to my chapel to study and then into the Spanish Chapel which was made for Eleanor's relatives when they came a callin' from Spain. It is amazing as well. Many of them are buried there. Then I went up to the institute till late and wondered down to the golden bridge for supper. I ate a modest meal at a fancy restaurant that looked over the Arno.

Today our tours were canceled due to the 'strike' with transportation. They respected the workers and ran the buses in the a.m. I went to the institute for a lecture with Michele and then stayed there to work all day on my research. I am done my research. Now to formulate all that I learned into an essay and power point. That is why I stayed out late to celebrate with the other students. In many ways the hotel is nice, but in others we miss out on the interactions with the other students, which is part of the experience.

It is very late here and I am too tired. I do promise photos. I may have to insert them when I get home. I am so pleased that all my technology is working well.

ARTISTIC REVELUTION OF THE 15 CENTURY

Class notes: The last couple of days dealt with sculpture, which is the art form that began the Renaissance movements. Painting then followed. We began at the institute for a presentation on Gentile da Fabriano, Masaccio (the hero of the day), Masolino, Fra Angelico, and Fra Filippo Lippi. Masaccio is the one who perfected single point perspective, which ended the flattened Gothic and Byzantine method of painting figures as symbols. Now paintings gave us the illusion of space, form, emotion and action. Masaccio only lived to the age of 27, however in those few years he changed painting forever. We looked at Fabriano's 'Adoration of the Magi' to give reference to the perfered art to the shocking new techniques of Masaccio. The bankers like the Medicci were the patrons and they liked the style of Fabriano. One can only imagine how the gold in the painting would of glowed in candle light in those dark chapels. It would have been magnificent. The Medicci family every year would act out the 'Adoration of the Magi' with the family members playing the Magi. They would parade from Santa Maria Novella to the Church of the Annunciation. The Stozzi family, also very rich, loved the gold in the art work and illuminated manuscripts. The pearls and gold were added on to the painted surface like a relief. This was the height of the Gothic style. Then in 1426 Masaccio painted the Madonna on the Throne in a natural form.The angels instruments are angled along with their halos to give them space.

The objects appear real - a visual illusion. You really believe Mary is there and thus she is looking at you and she sees you. That means that Christ sees you.

"Crucifixion" - Massaccio - he shows us great grief with tricks like covering the subjects face with their hands or showing the back of Mary Magddlene. Great stress and emotion is conveyed now in paintings.

"Trinity" - with Mary, St. John the Evangelist and the two donors is an excellent demonstration of single point perscpective by Masaccio. I viewed this painting today in the Santa Maria Novella. There is possibly a flaw or was it intentional. God seems to defy the laws of perspective as to the placement of his feet on a shelf on the back wall. He is inconsistent with the space.

All this lead us to the Fresco cycles of St. Peter in the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine. We were a half hour looking at the Frescoes. The limit is 15 mins. and no photos anywhere today! This church had a fire and we are very lucky that this chapel had little damage. Masaccio's most celebrated paintings are in this chapel. 'Tribute Money' 1420's is the story of Peter getting a coin out of the fish's mouth to pay the tax collector for the taxes Jesus also owes. This is a comment on Florentine taxation at the time as it was now levied on the citizens. Even today this Bible story is used for reference when questioning if priests should pay taxes too. Well, Jesus did. The perspective and communication between the figures in this painting is brilliant. The fresco also covers three separate time frames; the tax collector's demands to Peter, Peter getting the money, Peter paying the tax collector. Thus Peter appears three times in the fresco. The scene plays out in front of a Florentine landscape. There are many Biblical stories here that the patrons commissioned which illustrate the stories taking place here in Florence.

As a side note the Frescoes were very important as many could not read the word. Thus in the 8th century Pope Gregory the Great allowed visual art work to be devoted on as a substitute to the word of God. Everyone would no the stories and events even if they could not read. with in the Fresco cycle of the life of Saint Peter Masaccio conveys human drama and grief, as seen in the one of the expulsion of Adam and Eve. The images could now move people to tears. Move them to Faith, not simply used as decoration.

Many of the portraits are inspired by the classical sculptures, especially in 'Baptism of the Nyophytes. The cold figures are shown quite 'buffed'. One of the most emotionally moving figures is the lame man that Peter walks by and heals with his shadow. People have never seen this naturalistic drama before. Christ was working through the painter and the image.

It is referenced that Michelangelo was inspired by Masaccio and there are many similarities between the Adam and Eve in this chapel, to Michelangelo's in the Sistine Chapel. Only the emotions and gestures of the figures are important, the background is nonexistent.

The other side of the chapel has been painted by Masolino. They were both hired by Medicci and worked side by side in the chapel. Masolino fails to execute the perspective as his partner does. His frescoes are not as successful and more confusing to view, as our eyes are drawn away from the main figures to the center of the plane, thus separating the miracles of Peter into two different paintings unrelated, yet they are in the same fresco. Fra Giovanni Angelico would have finished the frescoes. He worked on the faces and one can see the style revert more towards flattening. On the left side there are five heads but only four pairs of feet. The heads also seem to be all finished unnaturally at the same height, unlike 'Tribute Money' done entirely by Masaccio.

The lecture and viewings today also demonstrated the first use of perspective in alter pieces. They now always include one figure looking out at the viewer. It is an invitation into the story. Alter pieces now by Angelico are less Gothic in style. They still have Gothic arches but they do not separate the scene. We saw this alter piece in the San Marco Museum. It created a stir in its day as Angelico used ionic columns with corinthian columns, which would be blasphemy! Why would he do this? I think he was showing that the annunciation of Mary leveled everyone from their status. The mother of Christ need not be of the highest court.

The artist also began to place 'ads' for themselves in the paintings. Angelico created beautiful tapestries and glass vases to show off his skill of painting glass that looked so convincing that we knew the painting was real. The story is real.

After the Chapel as mentioned above we toured the Musio di San Marco. Here is where we saw the alter pieces. The more intriguing part of the tour was the second floor. This museum was a Dominican Monastary. The monks cells were on the second floor. Each one had only a painting done by Fra Filippo Lippi. Most monks had the crucifixion or the suffering Christ on the wall. Some had his baptism or the ascending Christ from the tomb. The paintings emphasized Christ's wounds and many had blood pouring or gushing out of him. Imagine this life of prayer. To be in these 8x8 foot rooms with out comforts. I need to check if they even had a bed, desk and chair.

Of course Cosimo Medicci paid for all of this so he had the 'penthouse' cell to come and go as he pleased to pray. It was a two story with windows and 12x14 on each floor or so. Quite the guy. I understand why he needed to pray so much!

After the tours Corinna and I had lunch with Giuseppe from Italy, who is in our class. He is an Agricultural Engineer with a passion for history and is taking the class for his holiday this year. I guess that is what I am doing as well. Then we went to the Santa Maria Novella. We found chapels we both felt we could study. I should be working on mine, as Corinna decided to do so this evening. However, I skyped my husband then went to the bank bought some gifts and now am doing my journal and photos. I hope to add in photos here about the art work. I decided I am writing accounts down in too many places. So this blog will serve as my class journal as well. Hence the lecture notes and information on the art.

News today of a strike. This changes our schedule for the Uffizi. This is David's home and they are on strike. Usually in Italy when one service goes on strike they all follow in solidarity and it actually shortens the strike time. However, this is my time in Florence!!! I also am concern about train travel for if I venture out of town to Rome, I could be stranded.

Gates of Paradise are gone:(

The biggest disappointment today. I studied in my undergrad Roden's Gates of Hell and Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. In France I waited two hours to see the Gates of Hell. Now I traveled to Florence to see the Gates of Paradise and they are gone. Who knows, taken for restoration or something. The Italians are going to reinstall them in the museum in a new spot to make it look like they are once again in a wall. So the fake ones must do. The fake ones are in the original entrance of the Baptistery. Most visitors do not know the difference, but I do. The doors were center to our lecture today, as well as David I, II and David III. We have yet to see, the David, yes the one in Palazzo Vecchio is a fake, reproduction, and the real David is in the Accademia. So what did I learn today? You have to be patient. We did see the Donatello's and Verrocchio's Davids and had a great coffee and super. We studied during the afternoon. The weather cooled as we were graced with a thunder shower. Then the heat was restored. We are trying to get into Chapels but it is hard as they are only open in the morning when we have class and then for a short time for evening prayers. Our assignment is to research a chapel and it is getting frustrating not being able to access them.

Now to bed. I did not sleep due to the noise of the street. So last night I used ear plugs and I was shocked to wake up at 9:00 - half an hour to spare. Corinna can sleep through a bomb. We got an alarm clock now and the ipods are set too.

Forgot to mention that we did see the Santa Trinita, most importantly we discussed the Chapel that has the St. Francis Cycle of Frescoes. We revisited here during evening prayers. I lit candles for Loralee and Nathan.

Naked Victorious Men and Draped Saints

First class today. Corinna and I tried to follow our bus instructions but ended up getting more exercise than necessary on such a hot, hot morning. We arrived just after introductions and the walking tour of 'the city'. Michael our instructor lead us on a historical walk. We began with 'Political Renaissance Florence' by explaining to us the status of the statues in Palazzo Vecchio. The Old Palace of Cosimo I and his wife Elenora di Toledo continues as a civic building. Elenora did not like the old palace and bought herself a new one, the Pitti Palace. Cosimo moved with her and thus the story of the old palace. The Medici family ran things for many years and thus commissioned statues of victorious men. Here you see a replica of David, and Ammannati's fountain of Neptune, but Neptune is actually Cosimo and also you have an Equestrian sculpture of Cosimo victoriously riding in on a horse. There is also Judith and Holfernes and Perseus and Medusa, both cast in bronze. This square is filled with history. Civic events including burning Christians occurred here for public viewing.

Then we walked to Museo Orsanmichele which is very interesting. This represents the Christian center of Florence. It has 12 niches around the building housing saints sculpted in a 'new' way - the renaissance style of sculpting was born here. The figures are so life like that the people believed the 'free statues' to be possessed with demons. They do look like they could step out at any time and that was scary in those days. It was an inspiration to Michelangelo. The Orsanmichele was used at one time as a grainery to provide storage for food in case Florence was ever attacked. The second floor had no entrance. It now houses the original sculptures from the niches. The ones now in the niches are replicas. We were fortunate to be able to go into the building to see the originals. I was not allowed to take photos. These sculptures are very protected so much that they were put in a room with no door. It was the second time only that the instructor was allowed in. The Dantesca Society run the place and guard the statues. There was a period for 15 or so years that no one could see them on display.

The tour demonstrated the three controlling powers of Florence, the Church, the government and the tyrants or rich families like the Medici. It was an excellent way to frame the past history and influences they had on the art of the Renaissance.

We had a class session at the institute and then Corinna and I rested. Did some reading and tried to get our heads around the assignment. We got groceries and now are working.

STROLLED ALONG THE ARNO AND LOCKED MY LOVE

Had a lovely stroll this evening along the River Arno from the Ponte Delle Grazie to the Ponte Vechhio. Monique Martin and Georges Vanier's lock installation is installed between the two bridges. The idea is to lock a padlock to the growing cluster of padlocks then throw away the key off the Vechhio Bridge. It symbolizes the locking of your love to someone and thus once you throw away the key - your love can never be unlocked. I locked a padlock on to the installation inscribed ILYWMB and threw the key into the Arno River.

My flights were all on time and 'smooth sailing' one would say. However, I did get up Sat. July 3 at 4:30a.m. to fly out of Saskatoon at 6:10a.m. I flew to Calgary to connect to Minneapolis and then on to Amsterdam and Florence. The flight across Europe was spectacular -clear all the way. It was 39C at 12:30p.m. today, July 4, when I landed.

The airport shuttle brought me about three blocks to my hotel. However, I was so exhausted from the flights that I think I was disorientated and so, I walked around in circles till I managed to find the Hotel Margret. Corinna my roommate followed about three hours later due to her flight delays. I moved in showered and napped at the hotel while I waited for her. We opted for the hotel last week. The Dutch Institute called and their dorms were full. So we decided to take the private bathroom, only two to a room and air-conditioning over the campus. We will move to campus on the 13th when another room becomes available, since the institute is picking up the tab. We are in a busy area but the room is very clean, comfortable and safe. Three doors to lock before you get to our room on the second story.

Of course we had pizza and local beer for supper and gelato for dessert. Corinna is exhausted so we are turning in and will make our way to the institute for 9:30a.m. class. The learning will begin.