Tuscany trip 2014 (part II)

Walk with me...we are walking down a charming street in Florence, we stop at a little gelato shop.  Eric (as always, why don't I just say "ditto" to whatever he orders?) orders the best gelato on the planet, and is kind enough to share with us.  Yummmy.  We turn a corner and are BLOWN AWAY by the majestic building in front of us...but even before the heavenly gelato, we stop off at the Accademia, and we stop breathing for a few seconds so we can really concentrate on Michaelangelo's David, and we are mightily impressed.  

Wow!  Wow! Wow! 

The line at the Accademia 

Michaelangelo...not just a teen-age mutant ninja turtle.  

Michaelangelo made an impressive masterpiece...BUT not even the David compares to this stinkin' cute fellow.  I mean really, if people new how freakin' awesome he is, they would fly to us and pay us money to look at Seth.

Can you see how the veins (David's not Seth's) in the hands protrude , pushed toward the surface of the skin?  I confess that I had high expectations of this master piece.  It did not disappoint.  Eric was concerned about the boys seeing naked statues.  We had a chat about it, and I tried to explain that many Renaissance artists believed the most beautiful of all of God's creations were His children, and that they sculpted, in part, as a way to worship Heavenly Father.  Actually, it wasn't that big of deal to them (they are nudests at heart).  Anyway, I thought we were good, until Eric told me that upon entering the David hall, Benj whispered to him, 

"I can see his peanuts."  Ugh. 

(I am unabashedly stealing this bit about the David statue from www.accademia.org) David and Goliath thus confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David armed only with his rock, his sling, his faith in God and his courage.... Michelangelo[], for the first time ever, chooses to depict David before the battle. David is tense: Michelangelo catches him at the apex of his concentration. He stands relaxed, but alert, resting on a classical pose known as contrapposto. The figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg forward, causing the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposing angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso.

The slingshot he carries over his shoulder is almost invisible, emphasizing thatDavid’s victory was one of cleverness, not sheer force. He transmits exceptional self-confidence and concentration, both values of the “thinking man”, considered perfection during the Renaissance.

I think I almost liked the 4 Prisoners, in the same hall, as much as the David. Almost. 

 These two plaster sculptures were not Michaelangelo's, but Lorenzo Barteloni

This is a famous sculpture by Giambologna (I knew the sculpture but didn't know who the artist was).  It enticed you to walk around it once, and then again.   

This was simply a poster, that said a truth.  Naturally, we appreciated the statement as food is one of the core Hatch family values. 

This is the Duomo that blew us away at the beginning of the post.  Remember? This part had been cleaned and you could sure tell a difference, sorta like what happens when our 3 gents take a bath. 


We saw some musicians by the Duomo.  I think Isaac was guarding THEM. 

Across from the Duomo is the Baptistry.  The door of the baptisry is a famous work by Lorenzo Gibherti.  Michaelangelo dubbed the commissioned piece "The Gates of Paradise".  I certainly favor seeing art in the location where is was commissioned to be.  

Lastly we went to the Uffizi Gallery.  Notice the posters on the ground?

We got a little show when these two police officers picked up the posters and chased the sellers away.

Our tickets were a little later so we went for a walk down to the bridge

and the little gentlemen got their pictures drawn. The dude said "no" to drawing Benjamin.  Huh? "He is to young to hold still." Well, I pushed him because Isaac's and Seth's didn't look like them anyway, and he consented.  You can see, by the end, he and Benj were bosom buddies...and Benjamin's didn't look like him either. 

Our three little gentlemen were VERY well behaved.  I was proud of them and while we were in line at the museum I was telling them so when a stranger stopped me and told me what amazing, well behaved boys they were.  Thanks, kind stranger.  Later, another stranger stopped me to tell me how well they conducted themselves.  E maybe didn't agree, but they were his excuse to sit out in the hall and forgo all the art gazing. I think he owes them one.