26 dicembre 2008
- Orientation walk
- Accademia Gallery - David and Michelangelo’s Prisoners
- Giotto’s Campanile
- Medicee Chapel
After a short night in which I got only 4 hours of sleep, I went on our orientation walk to the Accademia Gallery.
What better place to begin The Week of Art than with the most prominent symbol of Florence and the Renaissance, than with Michelangelo’s David (1501-1504). Marble dominates the space, which seems as a sanctuary to sculpture. David is the altar, while four unfinished Prisoners, intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II, line the nave.
Michelangelo was born in 1475 near Arezzo in Caprese, Tuscany, and was only 26 years old when he was commissioned by the Florentine Republic to create what has become the symbol of the Florence and the Renaissance. The Biblical story of David tells of a 14-year-old Jewish shepherd boy whose tribe was surrounded by Philistines, who challenged the Israelites to send their own champion to battle Goliath in single combat. Although his body appears to be relaxed, this manly king is full of tension, poised at the moment before he hurls his sling. He has already decided that he can defeat Goliath – mentally, the outcome is certain. On a larger theme, David represents the small man defeating the giant, the strength and independence of Florence over rival city-states.
Physically, David is almost a perfect specimen, and he is captivating. His right hand is significantly larger, linked to the divine power of God, while his left hand holds the sling at the ready. His hands introduce an intriguing question – where is the stone that will defeat Goliath? If the stone is already in the sling in his left hand, then, having made the decision to fight Goliath, all he has to do is let go of the sling, and begin swinging it in his right hand. If, however, the stone is in David’s right hand, then does he place it in the sling in his left hand and thus, defeat Goliath with a more sinister power? (Note: the word for left in Italian is ‘sinistre’, from which we get “sinister”, meaning singularly evil or presaging ill fortune or trouble, unlucky, inauspicious.)
Before freeing us to wander the Accademia, our tour guide, Donato, told us about a physiological, historical mistake to look for on the sculpture. It’s not hard to miss – ahem – David’s not circumcised. As a Jewish boy, he would have been, however it would not have followed in the style of the Renaissance, or been politically astute to cast an obviously Jewish man as a symbol of Florence.
There are four “incomplete” sculptures called “Prigionieri”, “Prisoners”, that are grittily determined to escape their marble confines.
We walked down to Dante Alighieri’s (attributed) house and into Dante’s Church, where his wife Gemma and his muse Beatrice Portinari are both buried. As political punishment, Dante was exiled from Florence, never returned and is buried in Ravenna.
We passed a narrow sandwich shop where they offer lampredotto, a traditional dish in Florence, made of the stomach and intestine parts of baby calves is a local delicacy. The main reason behind its popularity is it low price as it is made from the parts of the animal which are not so desirable… I’ll pass, thankyouverymuch!
On the Piazza della Signoria, the wind was biting and ferocious like an angry Doberman Pinscher.
We had the afternoon and evening free, so I had a little panino (salame e fontina), and a much-needed espresso, and climbed up al 414 steps to the top of Giotto’s tower. It was very cozy at the top of the last portion of the steps! It certainly wasn’t designed for crowds moving up and down at the same time! At the top, the views were stunning and clear! I spoke with a British man named Terry, who took a hair-raising picture of me with the Duomo in the background!
A brief tour of the interior of the Duomo revealed an austere decoration in comparison to Orsanmichele or the Baptistry. On our morning walk, we passed and entered Orsanmichele, to see a gilt Madonna delle Grazie by Bernardo Daddi inside an elaborate tabernacle. An example of art that exists in the place for which it was intended, the Madonna inspired quiet introspection and gratitude in this lovely space.
We also had a tour of the Baptistry, with stunning gold mosaics on the octagonal roof. Vibrant and shimmering, the mosaics tell the stories of Adam and Eve, Mary and Joseph, John the Baptist and Jesus. Three sides are devoted to a “triptych” of Jesus Pantocrator with Paradise and Hell – complete with a horrific devil and terrifying demons.
Dinner at the little trattoria next to our hotel, was interesting. I tried ‘capitone’ a rather gamy fish, and panna cotta with chocolate – simply fabulous – and no espresso. And finally, a good night’s sleep!
