I wasn’t quite as slow to stir on the morning of Wednesday, May 13, 2009, but I still wasn’t breaking any records. I awoke a little before 8am, got on Facebook for a bit, and ate that bag of bacon chips that had been calling my name. Sarah got up not long after, we got ready for the day, and headed out for next day’s walking tour and adventures in Florence just a little before 10am. Fifteen minutes later we were arriving at the Bargello National Museum. Sarah had a student pass that got her into all the museums for free – but for the average tourist the cost was 7 Euros. Florence knew that tourists would basically have to pay whatever they charged.
The Bargello itself, built in the 1200’s and the oldest public building in Florence, was once a palace, a barracks, and prison, but since 1865 was opened to house a collection of Gothic and Renaissance sculptures. The most famous of these works is Donatello’s David (or as Sarah refers to it, the effeminate David). Unfortunately, this statue had been taken to Milan for an International Expo going on there, so I didn’t get to see it. There should have been a discount.
Still, we spent over an hour and a half exploring the famous and not-so-famous works of the museum. Two of the most interesting pieces that we saw were the competing designs of Isaac’s Sacrifice by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi. Each had created one square of what would be the North doors on the Florence baptistery. Ghiberti ultimately won. Among the other works of art in the museum were pieces by Michelangelo, Giambologna, Cellini, Gimeto, and Sansovino. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed (grrr) but that didn’t stop me from getting one or two.
Outside the unassuming Bargello, indicated by the simple sign stating Museo Nazionale
Fountain by Bartolomeo Ammannati. Commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1556 to sit outside the Palazzo Vecchio, it was completed five years later – but never installed. This was my substitute for a face-in-the-cannon shot…
…until I found this, the Cannon of St. Paul from 1638
Donatello’s other David – created in 1409, more than 30 years before the more famous effeminate one
In the Bargello Courtyard
Sarah’s college symposium had been on The Gesture of Silence, so here at the Bargello, she and I spent a goodly amount of time in search of works of art that included the gesture of the finger at the lips (as if saying shush-up buttface), mostly as seen on the Baby Jesus – although he probably never referred to anyone as buttface. She found some new ones, which verified much of her research placing the origin of these works in the 15th century. And I was there.
An example of the finger gesture in Madonna col Bambino
After the Bargello, Sarah and I made a brief stop in the Chiesa di Orsanmichele, a church witha facade that includes 14 niches for sculptures by such famed artists as Donatello, Ghiberti, and Giambologna. All of the sculptures currently in these niches are reproductions of the originals. Again, no photos permitted inside.
My photo of the ornate tabernacle inside Orsanmichele
By this time, naturally, we were ready to sit down for lunch, so we chose the Caffe Concerto Paszkowski in the Piazza della Repubblica (not to be confused of the piazza in Rome with the same name – how unoriginal) , where Sarah had eaten before. She ordered in Italian, but I stumbled through my order – even in English – of a bresaola rucola parmigiano (salted beef and parmesan) sandwich and some farfalle al salmone (salmon and farfalle noodles). The food was good, but there seemed to be little viable option for a beverage as I spent about two and a half euros for a glass of water, the size of which I would normally rinse after brushing. Live and learn.
Noodles, meat sandwich, and an eye-dropper of water at the Caffe Concerto Paszkowki
Sarah points out the location of her home in this graphic relief map of the historical center of Florence in the Piazza dell Repubblica
A street artist creats a lovely image on the streets of the piazza. Sarah said that she could make a living doing this.
The Uffizi was the big visit of the day. Originally designed as the offices (which is how the world uffizi translates) of the ruling Medici family, this huge museum is one of the oldest and most famous in the world. There were long lines here, but with Sarah’s student pass, we were able to get in right away – although I had to pay a little bit extra for the privilege.
There were no photos allowed inside the museum, so my words will not it do it much justice. We spent a full two hours admiring the works Michelangelo, Rapheal, Donatello,Leonardo, and the other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Botticelli, Rembrandt, Francesca, Martini, Caravaggio, Verrochio, and Bill Watterson. Okay, just joking about that last one. But he should have been. I naturally kept my eyes peeled for the shushing gesture, in hopes of impressing Sarah with a new and exciting discovery.
Outside the Uffizi
View from inside the Uffizi, taken between the long corridors that make up the museum. The Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio are seen in the background, naturally with a crane in front of it. Afterall, Italy was under construction.
From the opposite side of the Uffizi as the photo above, a nice view of the Vasari Corridor along the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno
Okay, one picture. Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus
It was around 3pm as we made our next stop at The Florence Baptistry (also known as the Battistero di San Giovanni). We didn’t go inside but instead checked out the famous Gates of Paradise on the east side of the building. The ones now seen there are reproductions with the originals housed in the nearby Museo dell’Opera del Duomo – but we didn’t see these originals. Since these were only reproductions, I didn’t pose with them, opting to just get a picture with the original South Doors, crafted even earlier by Andrea Pisano. Three days later, Chris talked me into posing with the East Doors as well.
The South Doors of the Florence Baptistry
One of Sarah’s favorite place in all of Florence is the Medici Chapel, which is part of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, one of the largest churches in all of Florence. Consecrated it 393, although the present building was begun around 1419, it is one of several churches in Florence that claim to be the oldest. All of the principal members of the ruling Medici family are buried in here.
We started in the Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of the Princes), which also included some museum pieces, and then worked our way into the most celebrated area of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapel in the New Sacristy. This was interesting because it was Michelangelo’s last work before he left Florence and it was never completed.
In the 1550’s it was completed, over 25 years after it had been started. Michelangelo’s masterful sculptures of Day and Night and Dawn and Dusk were henceforth used on the tombs of two lesser Medici family members, Lorenzo, Duke of Nemours and Giuliano, Duke of Urbino.
The more famous of the Medici clan, Lorenzo il Magnifico and Giuliano dei Medici, were entombed under inferior sculptures, although one of these was also crafted my Michelangelo. Giuliano had been assassinated during mass at the Duomo by the Pazzi family during an attempt at overthrowing the Medici government. His brother Lorenzo escaped and thwarted their plan. No photos permitted naturally.
Outside San Lorenzo
The Medici Chapel entrance
The tombs of Lorenzo il Magnifico and his brother Lorenzo. The middle sculpture of Madonna and Child was Michelangelo’s, flanked by the Medici patron saints Cosmas and Damian
The Dawn and Dusk sculptures of Lorenzo’s tomb
And with that, it was after 4pm – which means it was time for gelato. We again stopped at the Gelateria dei Neri and I enjoyed a combo of crostata e fragoline di bosco (strawberry tart) and banana (banana). We got back to the apartment at about 4:30 and viewed the uproariously funny videos of Trigger Happy TV on You Tube. Nothing like ending a day of upscale art and culture with the lowbrow humor of a man screaming into a giant cell phone in the middle of the library (“HELLLOOOO!” became an obvious catch-phrase after this). We played on the laptop until Chris arrived home.
Chris arrives home and makes his presence known
The three of us headed for a nice walk as the sun began to set and some Döner kebabs from the Paninoteca Babilonia, which were incredibly delicious: roasted chicken, sauces, and french fries wrapped in a soft shell. Very greasy, gas-inducing, messy, and unbelievably mouth-watering.
Three Americans in Florence who are crazy about Döner kebabs
During our walk, we headed across the Arno River, toward the Chiesa San Miniato al Monte, a hilltop Romanesque church from the 11th century. Of course, since it was now dark outside, it was closed up for the day. On the way was the Piazzale Michelangelo, where we saw the second reproduction of Michelangelo’s David, this one in bronze. From here there was a stunning view of Florence at nighttime (as seen with me at the top of the posting, and with Chris and Sarah below).
On the way up the hill, I found a turtle who slowly told me that he’d be willing to pose for a photo
Sarah and Chris overlooking Florence Nightentime
San Miniato, closed up for the night
Chris has fun with slopes
An old city wall at the bottom of the hill
We headed back down the hill, over the river and back to the apartment. That night we watched the Eddie Izzard stand-up comedy DVD Dress To Kill. I had never seen this transvestite comedian before and found him to be uproariously funny. His comedy only added to the cache of catchphrases for the week so “hat” and “like you do” were placed neatly along side “mmm-hmmm,” “son of a biiiitch,” and of course… “that’s what she said”.
Chris and I polished off a bottle of some good Bolla Red Cabernet. It was the perfect way to end the evening. It had been a great two days with Sarah in Florence, but Chris and I would be back on the road (and the tracks) for the next two days.
Italy will continue in Siena…
They never let people know when certain buildings are being restored or works of art not available. Just as I’m sure tourism sights for Florence probably never advertised the fact that both Michelangelo’s David and Bandinelli’s Hercules & Cacus statue were completely enclosed in wooden boxes for restoration for about six months.
Chris
July 3rd, 2009
The “Chris arrives home and makes his presence known” photo:
A great picture…but is it art?
Eddie Izzard is a strange, yet funny man.
Dave Chasteen
July 3rd, 2009