Voidwalkin
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Waiting to see Rome, heart of a once volcanic fountain of violence, corruption, general wickedness.
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Being a Tourist in Italy
Down the hall from the half complete statues stands "David" by Michelangelo. It is huge for a marble statue when compared to all the other spread about the city.
In 1465 the Florence sculptor Agostino, under contract from the city, purchased a very large marble block to create a "young David". He started to work the stone but stopped. Agostino was a student of Donatello and when Donatello died in 1466, the worked stopped. the mostly rough block of marble sat on its side until 1500. The city wanted to find an artist to complete the work. The block was set upright and in 1501 Michelangelo was awarded the contract.
"... the Consuls of the Arte della Lana and the Lords Overseers being met, have chosen as sculptor to the said Cathedral the worthy master, Michelangelo, the son of Lodovico Buonarrotti, a citizen of Florence, to the end that he may make, finish and bring to perfection the male figure known as the Giant, nine braccia in height, already blocked out in marble by Maestro Agostino grande, of Florence, and badly blocked; and now stored in the workshops of the Cathedral. The work shall be completed within the period and term of two years next ensuing, beginning from the first day of September ..."
The 17 foot tall, 8.5 ton, statue was completed in 1504. It took four days to move it the half mile from the cathedral's workshop into the Piazza della Signoria. The statue was suspended in a wooden frame and rolled on fourteen greased logs by more than 40 men. Later that summer, the sling and tree-stump support were gilded, and the figure was given a gilt loin-garland.
In 1465 the Florence sculptor Agostino, under contract from the city, purchased a very large marble block to create a "young David". He started to work the stone but stopped. Agostino was a student of Donatello and when Donatello died in 1466, the worked stopped. the mostly rough block of marble sat on its side until 1500. The city wanted to find an artist to complete the work. The block was set upright and in 1501 Michelangelo was awarded the contract.
"... the Consuls of the Arte della Lana and the Lords Overseers being met, have chosen as sculptor to the said Cathedral the worthy master, Michelangelo, the son of Lodovico Buonarrotti, a citizen of Florence, to the end that he may make, finish and bring to perfection the male figure known as the Giant, nine braccia in height, already blocked out in marble by Maestro Agostino grande, of Florence, and badly blocked; and now stored in the workshops of the Cathedral. The work shall be completed within the period and term of two years next ensuing, beginning from the first day of September ..."
The 17 foot tall, 8.5 ton, statue was completed in 1504. It took four days to move it the half mile from the cathedral's workshop into the Piazza della Signoria. The statue was suspended in a wooden frame and rolled on fourteen greased logs by more than 40 men. Later that summer, the sling and tree-stump support were gilded, and the figure was given a gilt loin-garland.
The Piazza della Signoria is also home to the Vecchio Palace. The statue was there until 1875 when it was moved to current home to get it out of the weather. Here it is while in place in the plaza. The fig leaf was an added extra.
Vecchio Palace, the home of the Medici prior to moving to the Pitti Palace. You can see the replica David by the door.
Turning to the left one can see the size of the plaza. Florence is dotted with large and small plazas and the important building addresses are usually the name of their plaza.
Turning to the left one can see the size of the plaza. Florence is dotted with large and small plazas and the important building addresses are usually the name of their plaza.
This picture, taken from a window in the Uffizi Gallery, shows the Vecchio Palace and its tower and then beyond the great Duomo dome of the cathedral. The Uffizi was originally the government office building for Florence.
Part of getting around was taking pictures of the phone screens of locals to follow the correct streets to find my way. Here is one that shows the Uffizi, the Vecchio Palace and the network of streets that are in the old part of the city. I was at the blue dot in the upper left, looking for the Uffizi.
I do wonder if anyone who drew a fig leaf in the olden days had ever actually seen a fig leaf.
Did google maps not work for you? That is a tool that has changed travelling.
When I was in Zanzibar in 2023, there was no way to make sense of the many many tiny twisting streets to get around. I used my phone mapping there to get around for the 5 days I was there. When I got home my phone company sent me a $2,200 bill for international data. We went round and round about that for a time. In the end, I did not have to pay. I am with a new carrier now but have no interest in running up a huge bill for data use or enlarging my plan to unlimited data that may or may not be covered while overseas. Walking around glued to my phone is not very appealing either. I rather enjoyed engaging locals by asking for directions and if they were younger, they always pulled out their phone. Once I had a screen shot, it was pretty easy. When they gave verbal directions, as some did, it was a different ball game. For the most part, street signs are non existent and "right, right, left right and left..." only gets you so far before you are lost once again. Florence being small, getting from place to place was pretty easy once I had spent a day or two in the city.
I grew up in a paper map world.....
I grew up in a paper map world.....
I wonder if "fig Leaf" is a more modern figure of speech less connected to the actual plant.
I always get a local pay-as-you-go SIM when I travel and use that rather than my home one, it is usually loads cheaper.
I think it is called a fig leaf because fig leafs are so phallic. If you are going to hide your manhood behind a leaf you are going to choose choose a leaf with a 12" dangly bit.
EnglishEdward
Deity
Ouch !
All of the various previous palaces now museums have a long history and have seen changes in function, structural additions, and the contents of the building over time. The Vecchio Palace is no exception. This "final" version of the Hall of the 500 was an audience chamber for the Medici and featured mammoth paintings depicting the history of the city and Medici rule. The near painting on the right wall is now thought to hide an unfinished Da Vinci effort that he stopped work on after his new paint mix trials failed. There have been efforts to explore behind the existing work to see if a false wall had been built to cover Da Vinci's work.
As you can see in the video, the ceilings were not neglected.
As you can see in the video, the ceilings were not neglected.
This model of the Vecchio Palace shows the original building and the two additions added by the Medici. The Hall of the 500 is on the first floor of the middle addition, under the pitched roof. The original fortress dates back to the late 13th C and was built atop a Roman amphitheater. The Medici family lived mainly on the upper floors. Government offices were found on the lower floors of the last and right-most addition.
You may be asking yourself how such a massive ceiling as is found over the Hall of the 500 has lasted for 500 years. . For starters, it was very well built from the beginning and money was not an issue. The first picture is a model of the roof structure that holds up the ceiling. The following ones were taken "in the attic" and are of the still original construction.
The access stairs that lead to the depths of the attic space.
Looking down at the top side of the ceiling.
Some of the wood looks newer, but the main support beams are all original.
The access stairs that lead to the depths of the attic space.
Looking down at the top side of the ceiling.
Some of the wood looks newer, but the main support beams are all original.
There are scores of paintings and other art within the Vecchio Palace. I have selected one group to Illustrate the common threads: The private chapel of the Duchess Elenora of Toledo built for her in 1539-40.
Entrance to the Chapel.
Ceiling of the Entrance room.
Ceiling of the Chapel.
Disposition of Christ from the chapel's interior
Another interior painting. IDK the scene depicted.
Entrance to the Chapel.
Ceiling of the Entrance room.
Ceiling of the Chapel.
Disposition of Christ from the chapel's interior
Another interior painting. IDK the scene depicted.
Aha! I did not take pictures of the many stairs in Florence, but I found this one of the stairs in the Vecchio Palace. I went up and down two or three sets of these (or similar) in most buildings.
If one was fortunate enough to have a personal "interview" with one of the Medici rulers while they were in the Vecchio Palace, it probably would take place here while they sat behind this lovely desk. The steps alone provided a formidable barrier to entry....
The audience room was on the third floor of the original building and that meant at least 4 flights of the above shown stairs.
The audience room was on the third floor of the original building and that meant at least 4 flights of the above shown stairs.
The Palace had two courtyards (see model above). This is one of them:
The Medici's also had a current (15th C, map room where they could study the entire world. A sampling.
Spoiler :
So far I have not posted much of the painting and sculpture that Florence has to offer. If you would like to see more, speak up. Paintings by famous artists? Sculptures? More ceilings? Other stuff?
Thorgalaeg
Deity
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