Siena – Florence 1/04/2024
We awoke late in a comfortable room at Piccolo Etruria hotel and then set out to buy 2 tickets for 24 hours to see major sights (all unnecessary when I was a student in l968!). The streets were crowded as we set off for Museu Santa Maria dela Scala…built in 1200, including the hospital with impressive frescoes that lined the hospital ward… Simmilarly striking was the chapel alter-piece by another artist hero of mine: Duccio (1278-1319) – a major innovative painter from Siena, with a radical approach to painting – comparable to Cimabue (1240-1302 in Florence.
We walked to the Siena Duomo (Cathedral): impressive Gothic exterior with multiple sculptures of white marble figures. Equally impressive was the interior with marble images on the floor, stained glass, marble columns and the impressive Piccollomini Library: here were excellent frescoes done in 1458 by Pintonicchio, also illuminated manuscripts, an excellent statue of St. John the Baptist by Donatello (1386-1466). Being Easter Sunday, the interior was busy but we managed to view a touching portrait of St. Catherine, painted after her death in 1387 by Vanni. She got stigmata (How?) and she famously influenced Popes. There were also impressive monumental figures by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in 2nd Chapel (to left of alter).
We walked slowly to the Medici Fortress with impressive views of the Cathedral and houses in historic district below. Clearly, the state is protecting old culture and not building modern blocks…We noted this while walking toward Piazza Grande with its striking tower Mangia and Palazzo Publico….Siena was full of interesting alley-ways and beautiful buildings.
Before leaving for Florence, we decided to visit the Palacio Civico:an impressive building in Piazza Grande (13th Century) with magnificent frescoes by Simone Martini (1284–1344), also Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1280-1348) – also done in 1300s. There were many rooms, the palace had endured varied rulers, the Medici, fights between factions, Florence etc. We enjoyed an impressive view over the Cathedral of S. Domenico and old city roofs. So, I did a quick sketch…
As it was raining, we decided to take an early bus to Florence….1/15 hours later in comfortable seats, we arrivd 3.35pm at bustling Florence bus station. There were puddles every where as we trundled our bags to our rented accommodation: No.5 San Jacopo, managed by friendly Sri Lankan and closely situated to the famous Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno. During our early dinner, we noticed many people and a different atmosphere to Siena: we often heard English spoken. Everything historic site was booked – so, fortunately, Ken had earlier reserved our visiting times to the Uffizi Gallery (designed for Cosimo I of Medici family by Giorgio Vasari) and Accademmia Gallery: a very different experience from my student days!
After an early breakfast, we crossed Ponte Vecchio to the Uffizi Museum… bustling with visitors – a vivid contrast to Siena and Arezzo… As we climbed the stairs of this grand palace and walked through many rooms with brilliant art-works, we marvelled at the grans collection by the Medici family: Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli (1445-1510), Rubens, wonderful self-portrait of Rembrandt (1606-1669), Pieter Brueghel(1525-1569). We saw the art-work of Artemisia Gentileschi (1620)- the only woman painter who worked under Caravaggio (1571-1610) and we saw her gruesome painting of Judith executing Holofernes… There was much to absorb, as well as wonderful views of Florence.
3/4/2024
Early morning, we set off for Giotto Tower (Campanile) of Florence Cathedral, designed by Giotto. Amazing views of roofs and I did a hasty small sketch… We had also tickets for the Baptistery, Duomo, the Duomo museums and Crypt! A busy day filled with visual wonders…
The next cultural wonder was the Accademia Gallery: we beheld the famous sculpture of David by Michaelangelo surrounded by many visitors. We also marvelled at the beautiful unfinished marble figures by Michaelangelo (1475-1564): the uncut marble areas created a stirring mood that related to his subject.
Duomo (cathedral): this interior was relatively sober – compared to the rich, varied and colourful exterior, with marbled patterns and many niches of saints, as well as the “great and the good” (patrons). The crypt had some rich remains of Byzantine mosaics.
The Baptistry, Cathedral Museum: impressive interior, beautiful marble floor patterns. The Museum had a magnificent display of art-works laid out in what used to be the workshop of Michelangelo (displaying a brilliant Pieta sculpture), as well as Donatello (who taught Michelangelo). Here we also beheld the work of one of my artist heroes, Donatello: his brilliant sculpture of Mary Magdalen.
4/04/2024
We set off early to the Bargello Museum with its very large collection of sculptures: Donatello’s (1386-1466), David (in Bronze) and the frescoes (recovered from later white-washing) by Giotto – so I could see the portrait among ‘common people’ of the Italian poet and philosopher DANTE: both the painter and the poet admired each other.
Penultimate wonder of the day: Convent of San Marco where we saw Fra Angelico’s (1395-1455) magnificent “Annunciation“. He is another artist hero of mine. We also saw an excellent Last Supper by Ghirlandaio 1448-1494 (a teacher of Michelangelo) However, as the museum was soon closing, I had to rush through the corridors and without time to document the brilliant paintings by Giotto (1267-1564): in each cell (there were over 40) he had painted a cross with Christ OM EACJ. However, I managed to see the last cell of Savonarola – who was burnt as a heretic.
Finally, we walked to the Pitti Palace: a huge building with a vast collection of paintings in all the luxury apartments. A friendly official talked of how Rubens (1577-1640) lived there for 10 years (hence there were many of his paintings). Rubens told fellow artist Van Dyck (1599-1641) to go to Florence – hence many striking Van Dyck portraits. Another Flemish painter who did excellent paintings was Justus Sustermans: the official explained that the Medici family often did not pay, if the portrait was not perfect and even sent the artist to prison! Many busts and portraits of Cosimo I: the Medici family ruled for 300 turbulent years. Some good portraits by Rafael, Titian. This magnificent collection brought home how art has been so powerful in Italy. We admired a fine bust of the Italian composer, Verdi (1813-1901), and we also saw the influence of French Impressionists… also very good.
We walked out of the grand Pitti Palace into nearby Boboli Gardens: warm, sunny and formal clipped hedges – like Versailles. I tried to do a quick sketch of castle in the distance but the loudspeaker said it was time to close. It was our last day in Florence and there was much to ponder as we walked toward the entrance: Ken and I had experienced an intense, joyful 2-month journey into a wealth of Italian art history…!