So much can and does happen in a week. We arrived last Monday and we have been busy exploring the city. There are so many people visiting so everything is very crowded. Food is on the expensive side. In general there has been little time for me to sketch and take things in until today. And tomorrow we go back to do things in the city. On Tuesday we leave for Venice. We will be there a little less than a week and the trip ends for the students. We stay a couple of days more to fly out of Milan.
From everything I have seen and done this week, the most impactful has been seeing David by Michaelangelo, Judith Beheading Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, Venus of Urbino by Titian, and The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, all in Florence. I had seen works that stopped me in my tracks before but these pieces were different. I had studied each of these in my Art History classes but no detail escapes when seeing them in person. Or better yet, I am pretty sure that it will be years before I can say something along the lines, I have seen them enough. There are aspects in each artwork that are not really appreciated unless one can see them in person. For instance, the violence in the painting by Artemisia Gentileschi is much more intense than what one can see in the books. Below is a picture of the painting and right after a picture showing the detail of the beheading.
See below the care the artist took to even splash blood on the arms as well as the dripping of blood on the sheet. One can almost feel the agony and torturous pain of Holofernes. According to the story she was a widow who decided to put away her widowhood clothes to seduce Helofernes to save her people.
These works are exceptional for many reasons but to me they are impressive because of the extreme attention to detail. Michaelangelo’s David being a prime example. I could not believe that I was standing in front of this work of art. I can barely believe I am here in Italy! Standing in front of David and seeing even the veins on his hand. Remember we are talking about a sculpture made out of stone sculpted with such care that David stands almost as a Greek god in the middle of the room. I had seen people gather around the Mona Lisa but it does not compare to how many people were standing around David. It is really the kind of work one has to be there to really appreciate the work it took. Even then, one can’t really understand what it really took.
In short, Florence was the biggest highlight for me this week. Not to say I did not enjoy the other places we had been. But there is something about these works that really moved me.
Below are my sketchbook entries this week as well. Take a look.
All of these are about things I have seen around and wanted to play with sketching them. Though I felt really rusty sketching them. I have not been able to sketch daily on the trip.
Our guide Luca, is very good and professional. But, he constantly tells us how our places are at a short walk and we have teased him so much with it that I made him a lettering artwork for a tshirt. He is a good sport and does not mind. I hope to send him the tshirt once I get back home.
It is a tad late now in Rome and I need to get up early tomorrow. I am still collecting pictures of icons and some signage I will share with you soon. Until next week!
Love,
Alma