For our first portfolio pieces, I wanted to reflect on the cities that we visited. I wanted to comment on the accumulation of art that is visible in Italy. Walking through the streets, everything is layered with graffiti. Often it references famous images as well. I also wanted to reflect on the art through time. I drew architectural schematics in pencil and then did paitnings of figures by Michelangelo on top. I then took modern clothing and graffiti that I had seen in the city and put these on top. The female figure represents Florence while the male figure represents Rome.
In comparing the two cities, Rome was very masculine. Its wide boulevards allowed for a lot of traffic. There was hustle and bustle. Rome has wiped out and rebuilt itself many times. Florence has narrow streets and everyone seems to take their time. For the most part, the city layout hasn't changed.
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This morning we got up very early to get into St. Peter's Basilica. We waited for three hours to get in, and the line went all the way around the large circular courtyard. We got to admire Bernini's columns and Michelangelo's Dome very well. The wait was worth every minute. The first site we were greeted with was Michelangelo's Pieta. Never before have I seen a more tender sculpture in marble. It is as if it were transformed from stone to pure love. Learning about this sculpture in school, I had always been told to notice how large the Madonna is in comparison to Christ, but none of that matters in person. All that one is tuned in to is the intimate relationship between the two figures. "His religious faith he projected in terms of the sublimity of the figures; the harmony between them was his way of portraying the harmony of God's universe. He did not attempt to make Christ divine, since he would not have known how, but exquisitely human. The Virgin's head emerged delicate, the features Florentine, the face of a maiden with silent pale composure. In her expression he made a distinction between divine and sublime; sublime, for him, meant supreme and perfect. He reflected, 'The meaning of the figures lies in their human qualities; the beauty of face and form portrays the grandeur of their spirit'"(Stone 378). Stone, Irving. The Agony and the Ecstasy ; a Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961. Print. The Baldacchino was entirely different. Bernini managed to create a behemoth of a sculpture rising towards the heavens. Viewed from the front, Bernini's Throne of St. Peter is easily on view. Together the golden light coming through the portal as well as the light reflecting off of the gold create a heavenly ambiance. All of the factors are amplified by Michelangelo's ceiling which is above. The vault isn't as big as the duomo in Florence, but it is just as capable of alluding to the sky. The light pours in through the windows, and in Michelangelo's dome, their is a sense of architectural balance. No flamboyant decorations are needed. It is interesting how well the intricate baroque sculptures and architecture balance so well with the Renaissance dome. After seeing the majesty of St. Peter's, what could we do next? We went to see the Pantheon, and I paid tribute to Raphael's grave there. It is easy to see the influence the Roman architecture had on the Renaissance architects. We then went to see Trevi fountain, but it was shut down for restoration. Then we tried to go to a church to see Caravaggio's paintings, but it was closed. To add to everything, it started to rain. We decided to pop into a nearby church for shelter. Little did we know, that church housed Andrea Pozzo's ceiling. It was as if the ceiling was open to the sky. The painting used illusion and perspective to seem as if the architectural elements were taller than they actually are. Heaven overlaps with the building. Church congregations would be moved by how close they were to heaven. After it quit raining, we returned to the streets, and found our way to the Capuchin Crypts. I didn't really want to go, but everyone else was, so I went anyway. Funny enough, in the museums before the crypts, there was a Caravaggio painting. After this, we went to see Bernini's sculpture of St. Teresa. Later that night, we went to visit the Colosseum. Our last day in Rome, the first thing on my list was to see Michelangelo's carving of Moses. This sculpture was full of power and majesty as opposed to the fragile looking Pieta. Very few people were in the church to see it, which felt very strange. Moses seems as if he is about to spring into action. The toes of his left foot are pushing off the floor, and his body is twisting as if he is focused on something. His whole body is tensed ready to explode into action. He is a warrior.
After this, we wondered through the Roman forum. It is a place for contemplation as it is amazing to think of the people who once occupied Rome. Their impact still shows. The train ride to Rome lasted a few hours. Here is a couple I drew to pass the time. We registered to have a evening viewing of the Vatican museums. We made it to rome okay, and walked eight miles to get to the Vatican. On the way, we saw the Colosseum, Trajan's Column, and the Roman Capital building. Luckily, we did not have to wait in line to get into the museums. We wondered through galleries filled with ancient art. We saw Laocoon and his sons, and what an amazing sculpture is was!
"A crowd had already gathered in the vineyard behind Santa Maria Maggiore. In a hollow, the bottom half still submerged, gleamed a magnificent bearded head and a torso of tremendous power. Through one arm, and turning around the opposite shoulder, was a serpent; on either side emerged the heads, arms and shoulders of two youths, encircled by the same serpent. Michelangelo's mind flashed back to his first night in Lorenzo's studiolo. 'It is the Laocoön,' Sangallo cried. 'Of which Pliny wrote!' added Michelangelo"(Stone 485). Stone, Irving. The Agony and the Ecstasy ; a Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961. Print. Michelangelo himself helped excavate it, and it is obvious that the sculpture had an impact on the robust muscles of his figures. We also saw the Belvedere Torso which practically lived and breathed. It is a sculpture full of potential energy. I stopped for a moment to sketch it. We wandered through many corridors until we came to the Papal apartments which Raphael painted. I had a bit of a nerd moment that Brandon managed to sort of capture. I didn't realize how large the mural of the School of Athens was until that very moment. It is so very different to see art in person rather than in a book. Next of course was the Sistine Chapel. No photos were allowed, but I believe that was for the best. It is a work that should only be experienced with human eyes. I stayed in the chapel for about thirty minutes. Each figure had their own aura, and each section of painting was its own world. Even though the ceiling is so high, it feels close and personal. The figures representing the holy figures do not have disks on their heads like the the religious figures we have seen so far. They feel more like real people. The bodies feel like a weaving tapestry, especially on the Last Judgement wall, but their is a level of organization. Michelangelo spent four years painting the ceiling, and another two on the Last Judgement wall later on. He faced opposition for his nude figures. He thought man should be depicted the way God created him, but many church officials disagreed. One must also remember how important the Sistine Chapel is to the religious world. This is where the cardinals go to choose each new pope during conclave. I cannot help but wonder if the men get inspiration from the paintings? I left feeling overwhelmed with emotion, and walked all eight miles back to my hotel room. "Galli thought he could secure an excellent contract on the Mouscrons' next visit to Rome. He had also interested Cardinal Piccolomini in employing Michelangelo to carve the figures needed to complete the family altar honoring his uncle Pope Pius II, in the cathedral in Siena" (Stone 387). Stone, Irving. The Agony and the Ecstasy ; a Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961. Print. Today we went to visit Siena and San Gimignano. Siena is much more hilly than Florence. Their cathedral is also called the Duomo, and it is on the top of the tallest hill. This was my favorite place in Siena. There was so much art underneath one roof. I was surprised to see sculptures by Michelangelo here, but my book explained it to me later on. These were commissions, and it took Michelangelo many years to complete them. He only carved nine small figures to be placed in niches. This is mostly because Michelangelo often got torn from projects by popes and other powerful commissioners. This church also housed many other famous and unexpected artists. Raphael and his master painted murals for a whole chapel, Bernini designed a chapel, as did Donatello.The pulpit was designed by Nicola Pisano, and it was an object to behold. The carving was incredibly intricate. It is made of pure Carrara marble, but after centuries of use, it is now a brownish color. I was excited to learn that they were going to republish back to white soon. Giotto, the father of the Renaissance had designed both the stained glass and the altarpiece. The altarpiece is now in the museum for safe keeping. There were also busts of every single pope in the upper level of the cathedral. On the floor, there were intricate mosaic inlays of battle scenes and sibyls. This proves that art equals power. Great art can evoke emotion, and it also shows the wealth of the donors. By creating family chapels, families were able ensure a place in heaven as well as show their status. Our trip to San Gimignano demonstrated the beauty of the Italian countryside. Set up on top of a high hill, San Gimignano is one of the remaining medievel cities. It still has towers built by opposing families. It was hit by a plague that rendered it empty for many years. Today it is a tourist town, but that is besides the point. Looking out towards the countryside, it is easy to see that the land has been sculptured through years of use to be a beautiful green rolling tapestry.
This morning we made the hike up to the top of the dome. I got to see Vasari's paintings up close and personal. As a student of Michelangelo's, it is obvious the impact the master had on his student. This figures and their placement recall Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling. Personally, I do not much care for his paintings, but I respect his biographical writings of the important artists of Italy. They give so much insight to the working methods and thought processes of the works we can still see today. The view from the top of course, was stunning. What amazes me the most is that this dome remained unbuilt for almost a whole century. No attempt was made to cover it until Brunelleschi came along. To me, this is a symbol of humanity. They knew that one day, a man with enough architectural knowledge would come along to cover the opening. Just like many cities built train tracks years before a train arrived in their region. We must always look forwards to the innovation of the future with hope.
Our first assignment was to assemble an art piece with what we could find outside. Ours hearkened to the thinkers of the Renaissance. We called it "Thought as a natural Process". It alludes to the fact that thinking occurs as organically as things bloom and die in nature. Ideas come into existence and either grow or crumble away to be replaced with new ones. The words on the paper are quotes from famous Italian philosophers. Here is a quick sketch that I did of our learning facilities at Accent. It is a beautiful and wondrous place for learning.
Today we hiked up into the hills to the Church of San Miniato. From here, we could survey all of Florence. The Duomo was easily visible in the middle, and it is surrounded by a sea of red tiled roofs. The 300 hundred foot Palazzo Vecchio was easy to identify, as was Santa Croce and San Lorenzo. The river Arno wound through it all. To the south, all was green Tuscan countryside. Green cypress trees stood like sentinels throughout the landscape. The blue mountains reminded me of my home back in Georgia, Pine Mountain. We could see parts of the old city wall still surrounding parts of the old city. Upon further inspection, we found out it is now a world heritage site. This was once the gate through which all people had to pass to get in and out of the city. It is part of what made Florence in the microcosm that is was; a republic, and this freedom allowed for the arts to grow. Most importantly, I saw my first Michelangelo sculptures tonight in the Bargello. A wooden christ, the David Apollo, a Madonna and child, and most importantly, The Bacchus. I now understand why Michelangelo is considered a master. Unlike all of the other older sculptures that I have seen thus far, Michelangelo's have life. The muscles bulge outwards, underneath skin, and the model becomes human instead of just a likeness. The marble appears as flesh. After touching marble here in Florence, I also understand the "softness" of marble as a stone. I want to try carving some, now that I have seen his chisel marks in the Bacchus! I am simply overwhelmed. A quick sketch I did of the Bacchus.
Early this morning, I woke up to see the words from my book come to life. I left the apartment to meet our guide in front of the Cathedral. There was a slight drizzle, but that was not going to stop me from exploring. "Florence... so close that he felt he could touch the Signoria or Duomo with his fingers, was a sight of such incredible beauty that he drew in his breath sharply. No wonder the young men of the city sang their romantic ballads to their town, with whom no girl could compete. All true Florentines said, 'I will not live out of sight of the Duomo.' For him the city was a compact mass of pietra serena, the streets cut through with a mason's chisel, looking like dark rivers, the cobbled piazzas gleaming white... The palaces stood sentinel, a couple of ranges higher than the modest houses clustered so tightly about them; and piercing the creamy gold sky the spires of Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, the magnificent three- hundred-foot thrust of the Signoria. Making a little group of its own were the great red dome of the cathedral, the glistening small white dome of the Baptistery, the noble flesh pink of the Campanile. Around all was the turreted, tower-studded city wall"(Stone 104). Stone, Irving. The Agony and the Ecstasy ; a Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961. Print. Irving Stone's words ring true for my first view of Florence in the daylight. The Cathedral has an irrefutable presence in the city. I felt so small standing next to it. The architecture is larger than life, much like the sculptures that I saw today. Around every corner is a new sight. The art is everywhere, both old and modern. I loved all of the frescos covered by glass on some of the buildings. One of the first ones I saw was by contemporary painter Pietro Annigoni. After our practical walking tour was over with, we go to explore on our own. Florence is a city that is on a human scale. We were easily able to visit all of the important landmarks in one day. We saw the Duomo, Republic Square, the Signoria, Loggia, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, and Santo Spirito. The baptistry is currently covered for renovations. It is easy to imagine the city during the time of the renaissance as little seems to have changed. Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance. Perhaps I will be inspired here as well.
Flying in, the little villas in the hills looked like jewels spread out on the countryside. It must be one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
We took taxis to our apartments and have now settled in. Ours has arches, exposed wooden rafters, and even a little fresco. We are located in the Jewish Quarter, and Professor McCrillis says that we are near Santa Croce and Michelangelo's house. Somehow, reading my book here makes everything come even more alive. I am so excited to explore tomorrow. I caught my first glance of the Dome tonight, and I cannot wait to see it up close. After we have our practical walking tour, we should get some time to explore. I want to get lost! Buonanotte! |
Julianna WellsJulianna is a student attending Columbus State University, and she recently traveled with the art department to Italy. She is seeking to understand Italy through Michelangelo's eyes, as well as through what she saw during her visit. |