Tuscany Spring 2013
The Vasary Corridor, Firenze
TUSCANY Spring 2013
A guided cultural Tour led by E V Borg held during Eastertime between Thursday 28th March and Thursday 4th April 2013 The contrast of urban built-up
spaces compared to open rural areas, the stress of the former contrasting with the serenity of latter, the living in a group with its discipline and attendant growth, the visiting of museums, churches, palaces and urban spaces or squares and lunching and dining together have contributed to our education and orientation. It was really a pleasure leading the group and wish to thank you all for your disposition and cooperation. E V Borg
Text: E V Borg
Photography and design: Mary Attard
The river Arno and Ponte Vecchio in Firenze 1
1 y Da
2
On our arrival (28.03.2013) in
Florence we visited ‘La Primavera del Rinascimento’ at Palazzo Strozzi – 140 masterpieces produced between 1400 and 1460. This event was perhaps the most complete orientation of the early Renaissance we could obtain under one roof. And what a roof! Palazzo Strozzi is a Renaissance palace ‘par excellence’. Ghiberti, Donatello, Masaccio, Castagno, Filippo Lippi seen side by side as represented by famous masterpieces in painting, marble, hard stone, wood, ceramics, bronze and gesso made us breathless and excited.
Donatello
Palazzo Strozzi and its treasures
3
Our first impressions of the artistically abundant wonderful city of Firenze
4
5
2 y
Da
Michelangelo
6
The next day (29. 03. 2013) we really enjoyed our visit to
the Opera del Duomo, behind Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral and the National Museum of sculpture: the Bargello. Perhaps it was tiring, true, but really satisfying. In the Opera del Duomo we focused and admired ‘La Porta del Paradiso’ in bronze by Ghiberti and the Palestrina Pieta’ by Michelangelo, finished by Tiberio Calcagni. In the Bargello, the rich collection of sculptural masterpieces by Donatello, Michelangelo and Tribolo strengthened our desire to learn more about the history of Florentine sculpture.
At the Opera di Santa Mria del Fiore we saw the models of the Duomo by Brunelleschi amongst other treasures
7
La Porta del Paradiso’ (1425-52) by Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455) took 22 years to complete while that referred to as the North Portal (1402-24)’ actually being restored will be ready by 2015. The first portal that to the South (1330-36) is the work of Andrea Pisano (1290-1348) of Florence; not a relative of Nicola and Giovanni Pisano who hail from Pisa and who have unique pulpits in marble at Pisa and Siena to their name. Lorenzo Ghiberti’s portrait on the ‘Porta del Paradiso’ (coined by Michelangelo) is formidable in its realistic and natural properties and marks the influence of Roman portraiture stemming from the new humanist trend.
8
Bargello - National Museum of Sculpture
9
Dawn and Dusk sculpted by Nicolo Pericoli (1534-1537) after Michelangelo
Bacchus (1496-1497) - marble by Michelangelo 10
A wooden crucifix (41cm high) attributed to Michelangelo acquired by the Italian State for 3.25million euro
On Saturday (30. 03. 2013)
we left for Siena or better still our main scope was to get a good taste of this medieval city. We visited the Duomo (in style a fusion of Romanesque, Gothic & Renaissance) and the Piccolomini Library that celebrates Pope Pius II’s life and career as a humanist Pope. The Opera del Duomo with the masterpiece by Duccio of the Madonna Enthroned, the Oratory of San Bernardino, the Crypt under the Duomo and the magnificent Baptistry with works by Donatello, Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia and others. On the same day we entered the Duomo of San Gimigniano to marvel at the decorative cycle of frescoes and Santa Fina Chapel and the Duomo of Volterra with its famous ‘Deposition from the Cross’ in polychrome wood. On our route we stopped at Piazzale Michelangelo and at Monteriggioni.
Day
3
Piazza del Campo, Siena
The Medieval walled city of San Gimigniano referred to as the ‘city of beautiful towers’
11
The Romanesque Church of San Bartolo dedicated to St Matthew in San Gimingniano. Reconstructed in 1173.
‘Deposition’ in polychrome wood in Volterra Cathedral 12
The historic centre of San Gimigniano is a Unesco World Heritage site and has also been awarded the Italian Orange Flag award for sustainable tourism.
The Church of San Domenico, (14th C), is one of the most sacred buildings in Arezzo for the presence of the wooden cross painted by Cimabue
Monteriggioni
13
‘The Virgin appearing to St. Bernard’ (c.1485) by Filippino Lippi
Tomb found on one side of the Badia of Count Ugo, son of Countess Willa, sculpted by Mino da Fiesole
14
The Badia was founded in AD 987 by Countess Willa the mother of Ugo, Margrave of Tuscany. It was the richest Monastery in medieval Florence. Rebuilt in 1285 and reconstructed in 1627. The choir after the main altar is baroque but the monuments are Renaissance. Dante supposedly grew up across the street in what is now called the ‘Casa di Dante’, rebuilt in 1910 as a museum to Dante
Il Duomo di Siena
15
16
The baptismal font of the Baptistery of Siena is a sculptural work of various artists, realized between 1417 and 1430. There worked, among others, Jacopo della Quercia, Donatello , Lorenzo Ghiberti and Giovanni di Turino , a set of sculptures of great value, a fundamental step in the transition from Gothic sculpture in the Renaissance
17
The Golden Rose (1658) on a design by Gianlorenzo Bernini. This was donated to the Siena Cathedral by Pope Alexander VII in 1658. The leaves are all in gold and it is an important and sacred gift which can only be blessed by the Pope.
18
Lucca was our main destination on Sunday (31.03.2013). We
arrived late morning but somehow managed to visit the Duomo and the tomb of Ilaria del Caretto by Jacopo della Quercia. We dined in a traditional osteria Da Leo in grand style. Some of us enjoyed Montecatini Sopra for the panorama and the fresh air; others were thrilled by the Campo Santo in Pisa: the magnificent Cathedral, the Baptistry and the leaning tower. We found San Miniato quite unique with arches and tunnels converging on the main square and appreciated Vicopisano for its Romanesque church and a ‘Deposition of Christ’ in sculpted wood similar to that in Volterra Duomo. There are only five of these Depositions in all Italy, one of them at Terni, Umbria. At Citta di Castello we met a friend who became our guide. He demonstrated so much love and enthusiasm for his birth place that completely surprised us.
Day
4
The group enjoying a coffee break at Montecatini in a burst of some sunshine which had been hiding up to now
Piazza in Montecatini Sopra with monument to the war dead 19
20
Illaria del Carretto - a marble sarcophagus by Jacopo della Quercia
21
Lucca is the place of Giacomo Puccini. Here is a unique oval square built over the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre now known as Piazza Amfiteatro
22
Basilica of San Frediano, Lucca
23
Vicopisano is a small hamlet with a Visigothic sounding name won by Florence in 1406. It is well known for its tower ‘Rocca Nuova’ built by Brunelleschi in 1434 and the Romanesque Pieve dedicated to St. John The Baptist, beautiful in its simplicity and decorated by 13th century frescoes and a rare ‘Deposition’
24
San Miniato
Church of San Michele in Foro, Lucca. The Roman Catholic Basilica was rebuilt in 1070 by Pope Alexander II
Piazza Napoleone, Lucca surrounded by large poplars (luq in Maltese) 25
Campo Santo, Pisa, with the leaning tower, Duomo and Baptistery
Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, Pisa 26
5 y
It was another full day in Florence (01.04.2013)
where we visited with a cumulative ticket that we acquired at the Opera del Duomo: the Baptistry, the Giotto Campanile, the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and its crypt with a large excavation site including Giotto’s grave. Perhaps the highlight was the bird’s eye view of Florence from the top of the Giotto campanile. It was really breath-taking after climbing 464 steps, a test on the heart and tension and stress for those claustrophobic enough. The dinner at il Latini in via Palchetti with our guests from Florence and Faenza was much appreciated for the rich quality in food and surroundings. On the evening of the same day we went round the massive edifice of Orsanmichele, which means ‘orto’ (orchard) San Michele the Archangel Church or Chapel. This gothic building was originally an orchard with a chapel that was finally converted into a grain silo or store in 1284 on the design of the famous Arnolfo di Cambio. Now it is a Museum. In the Gothic niches around it there are patron saints of the guilds that include that of the armourers and swordmakers with St. George by Donatello (1416) and ‘Quattro Santi Coronati’ (1408) by Nanni di Banco and at least three statues: St. John the Baptist (1416) for the merchants of Calimala; St. Matthew (1422) for the Guild ‘del Cambio’ (Exchange) and St. Stephen (1426) for the ‘Arte della Lana’ by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Another famous group in bronze is ‘Doubting Thomas’ (1484) by Verrocchio and ‘St. Luke (1562) by Giambologna.
Da
27
Climbing the 464 steps inside the steeple and getting a glimpse through portholes along the way up to view the Florence skyline
28
29
The dinner at il Latini in via Palchetti with our guests from Florence and Faenza
30
6 y
Da
Arezzo was our main stop on Tuesday (02.04.2013).
The main treasure is the frescoe cycle of the Leggenda Aurea (The Golden Legend of the True Cross) by Piero della Francesca in San Francesco, the famous crucified Christ in San Domenico, the Duomo and la Pieve with its piazza behind it. Arezzo the birth place of Vasari is blessed with a tranquillity and serenity that makes the heart sing. We visited like pilgrims San Sepolcro, the birth place of Piero Della Francesca and the Museo Civico where we lingered in front of his ‘Resurrection’. We entered the Duomo too and visited Monterchi, the birth place of Piero’s mother, a belvedere that straddles Latium, Umbria and Toscana. We lunched in style in a country house with loggia near Anghiari.
Aldous Huxley had discribed Piero della Francesca’s Resurrection as ‘the greatest picture in the world.’
31
Piazza Grande, Arezzo
32
Trattoria: Castello di Sorci, near Anghiari where we lunched in style
Holy Face of Sansepolcro wooden crucifix, IX sec. ca Borgo Sansepolcro basilicacathedral of San Giovanni Evangelista 33
The glorious scenery as we pass from one village to the next
34
35
On Wednesday (03.04.2013) we left towards Cortona
7 y
Da
where we visited the Duomo; the church of the Madonna del Calciniao ( of the limepit) by Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Then came to Montepulciano where we stopped near San Biagio, a masterpiece by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. We ate at the Fattoria Pulcino near Montepulciano (Siena). A beautiful rural landscape caressed our disposition: an artificial lake with grazing sheep, hedges, trees and rounded hills enriches this restaurant with an old wine cellar of great beauty. The renaissance town of Pienza was our next stop, built by Aneas Piccolomini (Pope Pius II); skirted San Quirico d’Orcia, and entered Montalcino. But perhaps the San Antimo Church and Imperial Abbey near Castelnuovo dell’Abbate (SI) was what struck us most. In the middle of nowhere peace reigned supreme. The silence of the place is music to the ear.
Montepulciano
Monterchi: the borgo of the ‘Madonna del Parto’ by Piero della Francesca
San Biagio church, Montepulcino by Antonio di San Gallo the Elder
Montalcino 36
Visiting the wine cellar and lunching at the Fattoria Pulcino near Montepulciano (Siena)
San Biagio, centrally planned church by Antonio di Sangallo the Elder near Montepulciano
37
Sant’Antimo, Castelnuovo dell’Abbate (SI)
Piazza in Pienza
38
Da
8 y
On Thursday (04.04.2013) the group had some free time to
do some shopping up to 11.30am. At 11.45am as planned our driver came for us to drive us to the airport at Pisa. By 5.00pm we arrived safely in Malta after an incredible experience that stimulates one’s self-confidence.
Graphic disply of merchandise and a very good use of colour in window displays
Coffee blends outlet with each colour sachet representing a different blend - and a sampling counter
39
Some captured images that reflect everyday life in Firenze ranging from a Dante impersonator, fancy facades, beggars, cell phone absorbtion, and rooftop treatments
40
Ponte Vecchio on the River Arno, Firenze
The Vasary Corridor, Firenze