No city that I know of packs more art into a small space than Florence. Today included three amazing statues, and no: One of them was not Michelangelo's David, although the original is here as are many copies, some of them just as large.
I want to start with one of the most significant statues in the history of western art, Donatello's bronze "David," which is in the Bargello, a building originally designed in 1255 as a prison. This statue, was commissioned by who else? One of the Medici clan, to be installed in a garden. Part of its significance is that it's the first male nude sculpted in over a thousand years. It was finished around 1440.
Like its later and far more famous "David" sculpted by Michelangelo, this one represents little Florence having already slain the Goliaths that threatened it—the Pope, the King of France, you name them. What is striking about this version is that the kid is barely out of puberty and rather effeminate.
It was not uncommon for boys like him to be preyed upon as they have been in modern times in the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, and Penn State. Part of the seduction "game" was for the preditor to snatch the victim's hat. But this kid, who wears a 15th Century shepherd's cap—the Biblical David was a shepherd, after all—is not about to let anyone take his hat, or let any giant threathen his city. This is one tough dude you don't want to tangle with, no matter how small, beautiful and vulnerable he may look--not even the King of France or an assistant football coach.
Another statue in the Bagello, Giambologna's Winged Mercury, is my favorite. Hermes, who also goes by the Roman name Mercury, is the messenger of the gods, and he carries his symbol of the staff with coiled snakes, the source of magic, later associated with Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. He seems to float on air. I have no idea how Giambologna could have done this.
Gary's friend Alberto from Sienna arrived late morning and has joined us for a day. In the afternoon, we all strolled to the Basilica of Santa Croce. Karin and I went in to pay our respects to some of those buried there including Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, while the others waited for us in the square.
I want to start with one of the most significant statues in the history of western art, Donatello's bronze "David," which is in the Bargello, a building originally designed in 1255 as a prison. This statue, was commissioned by who else? One of the Medici clan, to be installed in a garden. Part of its significance is that it's the first male nude sculpted in over a thousand years. It was finished around 1440.Like its later and far more famous "David" sculpted by Michelangelo, this one represents little Florence having already slain the Goliaths that threatened it—the Pope, the King of France, you name them. What is striking about this version is that the kid is barely out of puberty and rather effeminate.
It was not uncommon for boys like him to be preyed upon as they have been in modern times in the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, and Penn State. Part of the seduction "game" was for the preditor to snatch the victim's hat. But this kid, who wears a 15th Century shepherd's cap—the Biblical David was a shepherd, after all—is not about to let anyone take his hat, or let any giant threathen his city. This is one tough dude you don't want to tangle with, no matter how small, beautiful and vulnerable he may look--not even the King of France or an assistant football coach.
Another statue in the Bagello, Giambologna's Winged Mercury, is my favorite. Hermes, who also goes by the Roman name Mercury, is the messenger of the gods, and he carries his symbol of the staff with coiled snakes, the source of magic, later associated with Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. He seems to float on air. I have no idea how Giambologna could have done this.
Gary's friend Alberto from Sienna arrived late morning and has joined us for a day. In the afternoon, we all strolled to the Basilica of Santa Croce. Karin and I went in to pay our respects to some of those buried there including Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, while the others waited for us in the square.
