1 David down

Last night was pretty magical. We walked around Florence as the full moon began to rise and everyone was strolling in the city center. We came across a wild little band complete with flutes, trumpets, tuba, accordian, trombones, and persussion. It was like the Italian version of the Marching Lumberjacks. They were even passing around a couple bottles of "le sauce." The full moon reflected the city perfectly on the Arno and I don't think we could have planned our arrival any better.

Today, Andy and I went to the Uffizi and the Accademia. It is interesting to compare the difference in the way the French and the Italians display their art. The French are all about grandeur and it is impossible to forget that you are in a room, or building, retrofitted for optimum art viewing. But in the Uffizi, it is easier to transport yourself to the purpose of the piece. Still, I found the lighting in the Uffizi to be a bit poor at times and the glass protecting the pieces to be so dirty, it became distracting. The contrast in the way the French and Italians display art is actually kind of funny in the sense that it reflects the two cultures. There is certainly more of a laissez-faire kind of attitude in Italy that I did not experience in France. I've never been to the Met but I wonder what it says about how Americans veiw art.

David is an absolute giant and completely dominates the space. You can read the measurements for him, but it is impossible to anticipate the way he takes your breath away. While there is some speculation as to when this pose is supposed to take place (before or after the battle with Goliath), I found it unmistakeable that it was before the battle. His eyes are focused on some higher plane, presumably his much larger foe and so he shrinks back to the perspective of the moment. The size of the marble piece is equally impressive and I can only imagine what a young girl would have thought of such a piece in 1504. I'm going to see Donatello's David tomorrow at the Bargello and in Rome, I'll hopefully get to see my favorite David, Bernini's David.

This will complete a wish I had when I was 15. Celina was taking an art history class at Chaffey and she thought I would really enjoy it so she let me, her little sister, tag along. I forget the professor's name. Art history can be tough with a bad lecturer. It is mostly lecture and mostly in the dark with slides of the works. This professor was quite excitable and it was such a blast to sit in on his lectures. The midterm was on the 3 Davids and I remember thinking how badly I wanted to see them.

Tomorrow, we'll go the Pitti Palace, and the churches. I'm very excited to see Massaccio's Holy Trinity. I'm obsessed with the progression of perspective and the Holy Trinity is the breakthrough of the Renaissance. It is kind of weird in the sense that I've seen pieces from these painters, Giotto, Duccio, Massaccio but it is when you see those pieces that you associate with these painters that it actually hits you. I don't know if I am explaining this well. For example, I've seen a few Simone Martini pieces but when I saw The Annunciation, it all kind of came together. You see these works of art in your classes and you associate a feeling with them during the lecture, thinking that there is no way you could ever have the opportunity to see the real thing. And then when you do finally see them, they move you to tears, unexpetedly. It has all been very bittersweet.