{"id":4556,"date":"2018-08-02T19:52:35","date_gmt":"2018-08-02T19:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/?p=4556"},"modified":"2018-08-02T19:52:35","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T19:52:35","slug":"larte-di-firenze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/larte-di-firenze\/","title":{"rendered":"L’Arte di Firenze"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a post of images, so get yourself a drink of choice and settle in.<\/p>\n

When we last visited Italy a dozen years ago, our days revolved around its magnificent sights, its food, wine, and the camaraderie of our traveling companions. This time around included all of the same, yet with the distinct benefit of also being able to devote a large chunk of time on our own, immersed in the artistic treasure trove that is Florence.<\/p>\n

Despite factors being such that we visited during peak tourist season, crowds never really seemed to be an issue — the only time we had to wait in line was to get into the Uffizi, and even then for only about 20 minutes. I mostly credit that ease to having the Firenze card<\/a>\u00a0which allows easy and swift access to most museums and sites. Keep it in mind if you’re planning a trip in the future.<\/p>\n

Now for a bit of armchair travel…here is a taste of the art of Florence and Ravenna as I saw it, divided into digestible sections. As you can see, those divisions are somewhat arbitrary as they all seem to overlap in one way or another. Such is the beauty of art.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pattern<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"San

Basilica di San Lorenzo<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 This cathedral’s relatively stark (certainly in comparison with the Duomo)\u00a0facade is heightened by its stonework relief in tandem with the sun.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Baptistry

Baptistry of San Giovanni<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Marble flooring<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Carpet

Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (Domus of the Stone Carpets)<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0This important archeological project in Ravenna unearthed a complex of buildings dating back to the Roman Republic through Byzantine times, including a small palace where every floor was covered with marble mosaics. After being restored, the ‘carpets’ of stone were placed back to their original collocation in an underground room that can be entered from the Church of Sant\u2019Eufemia.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Palazzo

Palazzo Vecchio<\/strong> ceiling<\/p><\/div>\n

Color<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Mauseleum

Mauseleum Galla Placidia, Ravenna<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Low light made photographing these stunning glass mosaics incredibly challenging. I think my husband did an admirable job here. All “windows” were filled with alabaster, an example of which you can see on the left side of this picture, with the figure almost pointing to it \u00e0 la Carol Merrill. A close-up below.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Alabaster\"

Alabaster window panel within Mauseleum Galla Placidia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Glass

On the more contemporary side, the colors inside this closed shop drew me like a magnet.<\/p><\/div>\n

Street Art<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Clet

I read about Clet Abraham<\/strong> before we left, so had my eyes peeled for his street art from the get-go. We weren’t disappointed. You can follow him on instagram @cletabraham<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Clet

Another Abraham piece – photo courtesy of my husband<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Michelangelo

Even Michelangelo<\/strong> made street art … or at least that’s the legend about this carved portrait on the front wall of the Palazzo Vecchio. I read several stories about it: Popular urban legend has it that it was Michelangelo Buonarroti who created the portrait after taking on a bet that he would be able to do it with his back turned towards the wall, without looking at what he was doing. Another story tells how Michelangelo passed the Palazzo Vecchio one day and under the Loggia dei Lanzi he spotted a man in the pillory who owed him money. He asked the guard who was watching the unfortunate for how much longer the punishment would last and the guard answered: \u201cNot long enough\u201d. To make sure that the Florentine people would remember the criminal for a long time, he chiseled the man\u2019s face on the wall of Palazzo Vecchio.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Swim

Once we began noticing them, these images of classical figures with swim masks cropped up all over, and not just in Florence. I was able to find this interview<\/a> with the anonymous artist.<\/p><\/div>\n

Humanity<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Portrait

Portrait of an Old Man, last quarter of the 15th century, Fresco on tile. Attribution swings between Filippino Lippi and Domenico Ghirlandaio<\/strong>.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Despite his attire, this man looks so contemporary to me, the warmth of his skin tones and kindly eyes speak across the centuries.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Calder

Alexander Calder<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 We came across two exhibits in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi that were a total surprise, and happily so. This wire sculpture of Alexander Calder’s, not unlike the facade of San Lorenzo,\u00a0 was dependent on shadow for full effect.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Sofonisba

Self-Portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, 1552-3.<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In light of Reclamation, the ongoing exhibit at the Helen Day Art Center, which\u00a0I wrote about here<\/a>,\u00a0 it was so lovely to see a female painter among the sea of male artists at the Uffizi. Anguissola’s father supported her passion for painting, as well as that of her four sisters who were also painters.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pang

Pang Maokun,\u00a0\u201cSalotto di Diego Velasquez\u201d, 2017<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The other surprise exhibition at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was a series of paintings by Chinese artist Pang Maokun. His sense of humor, weaving traditional references with a contemporary twist, is delightful.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Ermine\"

Pang Maokun, “Dama con l\u2019ermellino”, 2017<\/i><\/strong>.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0If this piece looks vaguely familiar, your memory isn’t fooling you. Here’s a link to da Vinci’s original.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawing<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Maokun

Pang Maokun<\/strong>.\u00a0 \u00a0 It was so interesting to see this series of drawings, copies of master works combined with contemporary portraits, set in pairs, and hung so that if you stood to the right only the contemporary portraits were visible, while standing to the left revealed only the copies.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Rider\"

Pang Maokun<\/strong>.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Another wonderful drawing of facility and humor.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Calder

Alexander Calder<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 This sketch outlines Calder’s idea for a poster announcing his sculptural gift “Teodelapio” to the city of Spoleto.<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s humbling to include these, but a section on drawing wouldn’t be complete without the addition of several of my sketches, made along the way.<\/p>\n

\"YUL\"

Waiting at the Gate<\/strong> \u00a92018 Elizabeth Fram, 5 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil.\u00a0 \u00a0I look forward to that first sketch of every trip, often done while waiting to board the plane.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Tickets\"

Biglietti<\/strong> \u00a92018 Elizabeth Fram 5 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sketching takes the sting out of waiting, this time at the Roma Termini train station<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Plaza

Plaza Santo Spirito<\/strong> \u00a92018 Elizabeth Fram, 10 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil. Lunchtime at an osteria before heading to Capella Brancacci to see the famed frescoes by Masolino da Panacale, Masaccio, and Filippino Lippi<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Sabine

Kidnapping of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, Loggia dei Lanzi<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a92018 Elizabeth Fram, 8 x 5 inches, Pen and colored pencil.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 There aren’t words to express the experience of sketching one of the world’s most famous sculptures from an outdoor cafe, in one of the world’s most iconic places (Piazza della Signoria), while sipping a Campari soda.<\/p><\/div>\n

Textiles<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Blue

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi had rooms filled with tapestries. They were huge and so finely woven that it is hard to imagine their production. Most of their colors have faded away. I think of blue as being among the most fugitive of colors, but was very interested to see that it was one of the few that remained in many of these pieces. Do any of you have an explanation? This small corner of a much larger work displays a glimmer of its former brilliance.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Red

As the following pictures show, the ecclesiastic textiles showcased at the Opera del Duomo Museum<\/strong> were sumptuous and beyond imagining. These are from the 18th century.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Embroidered

Thinking of the strong lighting and magnifying glasses I need for my own work, I couldn’t help but feel for the eyesight of the artists who made these extraordinary pieces.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Embroidered<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi<\/span><\/h2>\n

I have saved the best for last. If there is one single work of art that stands out among all the many masterpieces and historical treasures we saw, it would be Benozzo Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi<\/em> in the tiny and spectacular Medici Chapel within the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.\u00a0 I can’t begin to do it justice with words, and am still awestruck by the fact that we had this little jewel box all to ourselves, left to marvel at its vibrant colors and striking details in peace and quiet.<\/p>\n

\"Journey

Procession of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Medici Chapel 1459-61<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Bird

This is one section that I could get close enough to for a detail shot. I have lightened this image hoping to make it clearer for you to see. I was amazed by the glazes and layers of color, and the ability to follow the ancient brushstrokes.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Journey\"

The glory of these paintings doesn’t begin to translate through my photos. The gold glimmers and the landscape seems to breathe with the life of its flora and fauna. Each person is an individual portrait with personality, cheeks glowing with life. There are no windows. Imagine the wonder of sitting in this room in flickering candlelight.<\/p><\/div>\n

Please, take the time to read more and to see much better images (the frescos are so high up, there was no way to get a photo that isn’t distorted), through this information page on the Traveling in Tuscany website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To sum it up, if there is one word to best describe the sights of our week, it would have to be “rich”. And I’ll just leave it at that.<\/p>\n

\u2756<\/span><\/h1>\n

And I can’t let you go without mentioning that I just installed my exhibit “Being Home”<\/strong> at The Kendal Gallery of Kendal at Hanover, 80 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH. The show is open daily and will be up through the month of August. I hope you might consider stopping in should you be near there.<\/p>\n

\"Cut-off

Cut-Off, detail<\/strong> \u00a92017 Elizabeth Fram, 14 x 11 inches, Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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