Feasting on Michelangelo, Botticelli, Fra Angelico and lots of Pasta

Instead of sun, I was seeking a pre-Christmas feast of Renaissance art by the magnificent artists of Florence, and then on to a special spiritual pilgrimage to Rome.

There is budding research that viewing beautiful art can be a mood elevator.  Feeling powerless to change a world plagued with cruelties of wars, injustices and moral ineptitudes, I, perhaps like you, seek mood-elevating activities that instil hope.

Art, like music, is one way.   Soaking one’s retina with beauty could contribute, among others, to Eudaemonia, a state of happiness and living well that should be paired with virtues and benevolence.  

We are responsible for looking for joy and beauty in our lives, wherever we are.   These attentive children seen at the Fra Angelo’s exhibit were quite inquisitive about the art they were being introduced to.  European children start young in art appreciation.

It was the perfect prelude to the Advent message of hope, which Christians throughout the world focus on as they prepare to celebrate the upcoming birth of light and love in the Christ child.

This wasn’t my preferred slow travel mode, but a time-conscious effort to fit in all that I wanted to see and do in a short span of time.

There are so many things to write about that I will divide my posts into several.   Some, about Florence, then Rome, and maybe with some contemplative writings about my favourite Italian artists.

Florence is considered the birthplace of Renaissance Art, where artists who achieved fame were born there or in the near vicinity.

The fact that Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Fra Angelico were born there, plus the famous literary artists of Dante and Machiavelli, makes me think there was something in the water or soil!

 

 

 

 

 

The Renaissance beauty of Florence permeates all quarters, richly endowed with wonderful architectural edifices, sculptures and churches, to corner Madonnas watching over a neighbourhood.

I first came to Florence at the mere age of 20, then years later with my two children, in tow, aged 10 and 16, so there were many memories to revisit.

This time, I came back with more aptitude to absorb the exquisite beauty that these artists gave to the world, yet grief that my son was no longer with us.

I also left with increased appreciation of these artists’ work and curiosity about the lives they lead.

One of my first memories was being totally mesmerised by Michelangelo’s David. Then, developing a fetish admiration of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and his Madonnas.

Another incentive to go was learning that there was an exceptional special exhibit of Fra Angelico’s work.

Since this year is also a Jubilee year in Rome, the thought of combining the two solidified this as being a perfect time to take in both of these wonderful cities, not that far apart.

A little detail that I had apparently not retained in my memory was the tortuous sidewalks of both Florence and Rome. Perhaps they weren’t bothersome at that time.

I would certainly have thought that, after all these years, it would be improved.  No luck. If the beauty of these magnificent cities remains intact, so do the cracks, crevices and broken stones in sidewalks that were murderous on my feet!

I walk a lot in Paris, which, in comparison, has wonderful, fairly flat sidewalks, except in its medieval cobblestone quarters.

I came back feeling I had been Olympic training in slalom walking, weaving here and there to avoid slipping, falling and just staying upright!

Since I like rooms with a view, I lucked out in staying in a place, La Tana Dei Leoni, that offered a spectacular view of the Ponte Vecchio and the river Arno from the room.

To say that I was enthralled again with seeing the stupendous beauty of Botticelli’s soft pastel Madonnas is an understatement.

At the Uffizi, there was a bevvy of them filling the rooms.  For me, he is the only artist who captures the exquisite, sweet tenderness and innocence of the Virgin Mary’s face looking at the Christ child.

The softness of his pastel colours is ethereal, with outstanding facial detail of both Mary and baby Jesus.

Below is the ethereal Botticelli painting of Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His most famous tableau, the Birth of Venus, portrays the Greek myth of Venus rising from the sea on her scallop shell, being blown by Zephyr, god of the West wind, towards the goddess of Spring to dress her.

A lot of Botticelli’s art, as well as other artists of that time, was commissioned by the ruling and influential Medici family of Florence.

I stared at the painting a long time, admiring the silky pastel colours and the rich symbolism it embodied, and felt sad to have it leave my vision.

The Uffizi has an outstanding collection of Renaissance artists and halls lined with large male statues of various sculptors that exalt the handsome masculinity of mostly young Roman men who served as models.

At the Uffizi, you start your visit on the top floor. I didn’t bother to look for the elevator, and instead started climbing 4 flights of really (no exaggeration) very long stairs to the 4th level, a nice little cardio workout, which also offered excellent views over Florence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After such a vigorous day, Il Ristorante proved to be an excellent choice for our first night dinner.  The chef served warm house bread with olive oil from his family’s estate.  A succulent homemade pasta and seafood followed, complemented with their house white wine.  Dessert was a perfect ending with an excellent, rich walnut sabayon.

The next day, we took in the fabulous exhibit of Fra Angelico. He was a Dominican friar whose stunningly vibrant paintings, in such bright colours that they seem to burst beyond the canvas. His beautiful Madonnaicos reflect his passionate faith.

 

 

Fra Angelico’s portrait of the suffering Christ is stunning in its intensity and emotionality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, headed towards the Central Market and ended up sharing a huge Schiacciata, a favourite sandwich of Florence.  It is a focaccia-type bread  overstuffed with excellent Italian charcuterie and cheese.

The reigning favourite sandwich of Florence is the  Lampredotto, made of various tripe.    Though, I have enjoyed tripe a la mode de Caen, I wasn’t in the mood for this speciality, which I later regretted.

 

 

Then on to the Academia, to see David again!  The first time I saw this magnificent, enormous statue, I was overwhelmed with awe at how Michelangelo could have chiselled, in marble, a human body with tremendous anatomical precision of musculoskeletal detailing and prominent veins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember that David’s eyes evoked a sense of struggle I attributed to the artist.   This time, I saw trepidation or fear.  Was it the model, Michelangelo, or my projection?

Later in Rome, I might have found the answer that had always puzzled me about David.  I hung around quite a long time, only leaving occasionally to see some more paintings of Botticelli, Lippi and some unfinished statues of Michelangelo, said to be his favourites.

 

To say I had a hard time saying goodbye again to David.    More accurately, I had to wrench myself away, as if saying goodbye to an old friend.

After such a rigorous day, I was famished but our second night’s dinner was disappointing, save for the wines.  I hate when this happens, but try to be truthful in a polite fashion when asked about our meal.

Montepulciano and Bulgheri red wines of Tuscany are excellent, rich-bodied and perfumed, more so than the well-known Chianti.

The morning before catching the train to Rome, we braved the rain and slippery climbs up the famous Medici Boboli gardens.

Again, I just remembered the lovely views, but not the very steep climb up to the top level. It was not the best time to go, as they were in the midst of maintenance and many pathways were blocked with ugly barricades.

The Boboli excursion left me feeling like I had been on a long hilly hike and was starving.  I wanted one last chance for excellent pasta with wild boar before training to Rome.

The Casa del Vin Santo, near the Piazza Signoria, was truly exceptional in the quality of the homemade pasta and the generous, outstanding wine stewed boar.

 

The most popular Florentine speciality is their aged grilled beef t-bone steak, seen displayed behind me.

Well fortified, the 20-minute walk to Santa Maris Novella train station was our last Florentine obstacle course, made worse with knapsacks on our backs, for the train to Rome.

On the way, I passed by Porchetta shop, an Italian speciality in several regions. It is a whole huge double pork loin stuffed with herbs, chopped pork meat and liver that results in a paté-like center that is delicious as is or on sandwiches.

I left Florence with new memories and new experiences, enough to want to return again to focus more on the culinary scene.

P.S.  Beauty can be found in your own communities, be it in nature or by supporting your own local artists, where a Botticelli, or other great artists, may be in the making!