Two Davids

Yesterday I visited the two most famous Davids in Florence - one by Donatello, the other by Michelangelo.

I wasn't allowed to photograph Michelangelo's David (most of the museums this trip are forbidding photography - bah!) thus the improvised image :-) Donatello's is currently undergoing conservation, so the photos of it are a bit different too.

Donatello's came first, and was a sensation because it was the first male nude in the round since antiquity. Here, David is a youth, already victorious, with his foot on Goliath's head. The conservation is going on in full view of the crowds, and it was possible to see the tests of various cleaning substances on the bronze torso. It was also possible to see the details on the top of David's hat.

Michelangelo's came later and was equally sensational. Carved from a block of marble that no one else wanted, this David is older and more muscularly defined. It set the bar for everything to follow for years. The signs in the gallery say that this David is also shown after the kill, but the current director of the Accademia believes that it depicts a quiet moment of concentration before the fight begins. I'll second that.

I have no words to describe how it feels to stand in the presence of a work of art that I have studied for years, and by an artist that I admire and revere. Let's just say that it's not the first time I have cried in front of a work by Michelangelo. I doubt it will be the last.

Coming soon to a waistline near you...

Gelato!

Flavors sampled thus far: lemon, melon, pineapple, and of course, dark chocolate. Alexis, I will partake of the tiramisu tomorrow, just for you ;-)

Errata - Yesterday I spoke about Bramante's Duomo, and what I meant was Brunelleschi's Duomo (the post has been corrected). I was expecting an avalanche of laughter from the art crowd this morning (I can imagine how much I embarrassed my professors!), but not a one showed up. Thanks for understanding that jet lag can do unkind things to a brain!

View of the Dance

After a couple of travel hitches yesterday, I finally arrived in Florence this morning. I am staying at Soggiorno Battistero - literally "sojourn at the Baptistery." Their sign downstairs says "Rooms with a view" and they are not kidding - the first two pictures are the view from my window, looking out on the Florence Baptistery and the courtyard of the Duomo of Santa Maria Del Fiore. I'm not sure it could get better than this.

I watched the dance in the courtyard this morning. Among the cast members are the good people of Florence, the tourists, street vendors trying to make a quick euro, a few horses, and the local police. It goes like this... the vendors set up - sunglasses, prints of Florence sights, wooden trains, battery operated cars that flip. More than one selling each type of item, they move their wares left and right, subtly challenging the other guys' turf without quite invading it. The tourists shuffle in the line snaking around the dome. The horses eat hay, waiting to pull buggies for hire. The bells ring. Strains of an accordion playing something that sounds rather French (or is it just that all such accordion playing sounds French?) A police car wanders through, and the vendors collapse their displays in a wave, dissipating behind guided groups and cafe umbrellas like a waft of smoke. An arm from the police car wags a cautioning finger as the car exits the piazza. Less than a minute later, all of the vendors are open for business again - sunglasses unfolded on cardboard, prints in the racks, but this time the setup is different. The tourists shuffle towards the Duomo. One or two look at some prints, and get hounded for a half a block when they decide not to buy. The accordion plays "Hava Nagila" (huh?) and the tourists shuffle a little more, some getting past the line as they follow a guide with a bright flag. A different police car drives by, and again the vendors fade quickly into the crowd. Tourists walk by with gelato to get in line... rinse, repeat.

The Duomo is a special milestone in the history of art and architecture. Designed by Brunelleschi, it is the first dome of the Renaissance. Many different colors of marble and stone riot across the facade, a welcome change from the unending white of St. Peter's or St. Paul's, neither of which would have been possible without this modest little dome. I hope to climb it tomorrow.

This afternoon, after visiting the actual church (far more interesting on the outside than inside) I decided to climb the Campanile, or bell tower. Last year, my traveling buddy, Alexis, was fond of saying "feel the burn, love the burn" as we climbed every church dome and tower we found. The third picture is the bell tower, the fourth is a view of the Duomo from the top of the tower. There were 414 steps... surely enough burn to justify a second gelato of the day?!

Welcome to Harrisonburg VA

I've been in Harrisonburg the last couple of days, finding a home and finding my way around the town in preparation for moving here in August. According to information supplied by the Chamber of Commerce, Harrisonburg is home to about 40,000 people and 140 churches. It is easy to think that a town that is only 2 hours away from Washington DC is "east coast" but I'm thinking it's closer to the south than it seems. I've been called "ma'am" and "honey," and been offered sweet tea at every turn. The endless politeness is quite refreshing, even though I prefer my tea without sugar!

Today's first picture is of the downtown Harrisonburg courthouse. It sits in the middle of a square, surrounded by a clockwise procession of one way streets and a couple of welcoming cafes. It's not the biggest landmark visible - that would be the new science building at James Madison University, currently several ugly stories of building frame on the highest hill.

The second picture is of where you will be able to find me when I'm not home - this is the building that houses the JMU art galleries and the graduate studios. I chose my studio yesterday - it is cool and quiet, and next to that of a very talented photography student who was my guide earlier this spring.

To those who have asked... yes, the Simi house has been rented, and yes, I've found a home here. It's in a quiet old town neighborhood of dutch colonial houses (the east coast equivalent of our California craftsman beauties, complete with columns and wrap-around porches), a short 1.2 miles from the art department building. It is a townhouse, built in 1950, with wood floors and a full basement that will become my home studio. It also has a wonderful second bedroom that will soon be open for guests!