Select Study Abroad Florence

What is in Season: Zucchini Flowers (Fiori di Zucca)

Kellin — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:49:32 +0000

This month I tackle: Zucchini Flowers.
Before moving to Italy I had never even heard of zucchini flowers (aka fiori di zucca), let alone seen one. Perhaps I missed them at the grocery store. Perhaps they were in a special aisle. Perhaps they were too implausible for me to comprehend. Or, more likely, I thought they were simply decorative and not edible and conveniently designed for stuffing with cheese. Had I known this, I assure you, I would have made every effort to find them. Luckily, once I moved to Italy, these decorative AND delicious treats became a reality and one that I looked forward to every late spring and summer.
These yellow and green flowers grow out of the side of the zucchini like enormous claws. When they’re in season, you can either buy the zucchinis with their flowers still intact or, at certain stores and markets, just the flowers. Since I cannot imagine getting through the quantity of zucchini required to yield the quantity of flowers I desire on a daily basis, I usually go for the pre-separated flowers. Quality-wise they are roughly the same and cost less without all the extra zucchini attached. Once you’ve found them, purchased them, and brought them home, the question is, of course, how to make these beautiful blossoms into a delicious dinner.

First things first: observe the awesomeness that is nature. Aren’t these flowers just amazing?

Left: view of the stamen inside the flower; Right: the stamens removed and set aside

Step 2: Take one of the flowers and open its petals. Notice how they are almost hinged and also how they expand and stretch (this will be helpful later). Now, take a look inside. You will see at the center of each flower a stamen, which will have some pollen on it. These need to be removed before cooking. Doing your best not rip the flowers skin, take your thumb and pointer finger and extract each stamen. If you do rip the flower’s skin, don’t worry, it’s not a deal breaker as the cheesy stuffing we are about to add can also act as glue.

Left: the ricotta, egg, basil, mix in the making; Right: stuffing the flowers with the cheese

Step 3: Put the now stamen-free flowers aside. Time to make the cheese stuffing mix. In a bowl, mix the following:

1 cup ricotta cheese (this is based on 10-14 flowers)
2 – 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated is always better)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn (about 2-3 “branches” if you’re working with the living thing)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg
salt and pepper

Note #1: This is just one version of the stuffing, of course. Get creative and mix in other things! A popular addition in Italy is one single anchovy added during the stuffing process. It’s a salty punch right in the middle of all that subtle ricotta.
Note #2: Though many recipes suggest it, I choose to not coat the flowers in flour batter before frying. If the ingredients are fresh (and in season!!), I think they taste better uncoated. Besides, with some recipes you have to wait an hour for the batter! First rule in my kitchen is no waiting. We go with what we got! (I feel your judgment, “real” chefs.)

Step 4: Take your flowers and grab a spoon that is no larger than the blossom. Take the spoon and scoop some of the mix. Use one hand and prop the flower open while inserting the ricotta with the other. The quantity is up to you. Since I don’t fry them in batter, the cheese stuffing is really the main event. Hence my flowers end up looking like overstuffed sausages. But just a little ricotta and a deeper fried flower can also be delicious (and is technically the more “traditional” way). Rule #2 in my kitchen: when necessary, ignore tradition without shame or embarrassment. As you’re scooping, try to keep the stuffing from getting on the outside of the flower (which as you will see in the below photo, I failed to do in at least one instance). When you’re done, twist the top of the petals and seal each little flower into a bag of cheesy goodness and set aside. Repeat for all flowers.

Left: frying pan art; Right: the final product!

Step 5: FRY THOSE SUCKAS!
This is pretty simple. I use olive oil and get the pan pretty hot. If you have a lid or a splatter-stopper (technical term), use it. Or at the very least, wear an apron. Slowly turn the flowers over until each side is a lovely brown. Pull them out and place them on some paper towels to soak up some of the excess oil.

Step 6: Enjoy!
I usually make these as either an appetizer or a side dish. When you fill them like I do, four per person is plenty. However you serve them, it’s win. They are such a crowd pleaser since, ya know, they’re flowers and they’re pretty and you eat them. At least that is what seems to be the draw for me.

What is in Season in Italy:

Spring: Fava beans, Carciofi (artichokes), Ciccoria (chickory), Asparagi (asparagus), Rucola (rocket or arugula)

Summer: Zuccini and Fiori di Zucca (zucchini flowers), Melanzane (eggplant), Peperoni (bell peppers)

Fall: Barbabietola (beets), Cavolfiore (cauliflower), Porri (leeks), Castagne (chestnuts)

Winter: Cavolo Nero (cabbage), Finocchio (fennel), Cavolini di Bruxelles (brussel sprouts), Cavolo Riccio (kale), Radicchio Rosso (red chicory)

*Note: some of these fall into multiple seasons

Technorati Tags: Fiori di Zucca, Italian food, Italian recipe, Italy, Recipe, What is in Season, Zucchini Flowers

Photo of the Week: Lucca & Alfredo Catalani

Kellin — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:10:00 +0000

While this may look like a dream, it is in fact a real place. A place that feels a little like a dream every time I go there. A place called Lucca. This photo was taken from atop the city’s 16th-century walls that are now home to a park/promenade that circles the city. A park on top of a wall, you ask? Well these are not just any walls. They are more than 10 meters (almost 33 feet) tall, and up to 30 meters (almost 100 feet) thick at the base. On top of all those fun measurements, this massive defensive structure is almost 2.5 miles long. There is a whole other world happening on top of these walls. You can walk on them, ride bikes around them, take a nap in the grass that grows on them, or just enjoy the view from 33 feet above the stunning city of Lucca.

One of the lovely works of art on top of the walls is this bronze sculpture that was made to honor the 100th anniversary of the birth of the operatic composer Alfredo Catalani, who was from Lucca. There must be something in the water in Lucca because it has produced an incredible number of famous composers, including the one and only, Giacomo Puccini. Catalani died quite young and while his operas have not enjoyed Puccini’s fame, he was highly respected by contemporaries. In particular, Arturo Toscanini, who named his daughter after Catalani’s most famous work, “La Wally.” Listening to Catalani while standing on the walls makes for a dramatic soundtrack to this gorgeous city.

Here is a taste of Catalani’s work and there is plenty more on YouTube. This one is called “A Sera,” or At Evening, which became the prelude to the final act of his opera “La Wally.”

While you’re there, drink the water. You never know.

Like our pictures? Follow us on Instagram @selectflorence

Technorati Tags: Alfredo Catalani, Bike riding, Defensive Walls, Lucca, Visit Lucca

Finding Florence in London

Kellin — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:26:45 +0000

In a week we will be taking a much-awaited trip to London. I have been looking forward to it for months and, of course, getting slowly overwhelmed by how many things I want to see. If it wasn’t obvious already, I have a bit of an obsession with Italy and Italian Renaissance art. So of course, I am going to England, but everything I want to see is Italian. I know, I know. But it’s just one of those ridiculous things (I blame 19th century art dealers) that in going to London, I will get to see some of the most important works of art from Renaissance Florence. So, instead of fighting it, I thought it would be fun to try and recreate Florence in London: what to see, where to eat, and where to sleep to make me feel at home, away from home.

What To See:
Without question, the item I am the most excited to see again is the Burlington House Cartoon. Just look at it. It’s stunning.

The Burlington House Cartoon, Leonardo da Vinci, 1500
Title: The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and the Infant Saint John the Baptist (aka “The Burlington House Cartoon”)
By: Leonardo da Vinci
Date: 1499-1500
Material: Charcoal and white chalk on paper
Size: 141.5 x 104.6 cm (4.64 feet x 3.43 feet)
Where to see it: The National Gallery

Scenes of the Virgin sitting on her mother’s lap, while she in turn supports the Christ child, were popular in middle ages. Medieval artists had little issue showing Mary (and hence also Christ) unusually small so as to allow her to realistically sit on her mother’s lap. However, in the Renaissance, this was no longer suitable and so the once popular image posed a significant challenge. How do you show an adult woman on the lap of her adult mother without it looking a bit awkward? It was a design issue Leonardo struggled with frequently. The Burlington house Cartoon was one of his solutions to this problem.

Rather than sitting directly on her mother, the Virgin Mary is positioned on just one half of Saint Anne’s lap. The potentially awkward pose and space between the two figures is united and unified by the horizontal figure of the Christ Child, who is focused on the act of blessing his cousin, Saint John the Baptist. No longer are the figures piled like Russian dolls, but rather, they are gracefully united in a pyramidal form that appears natural and compositionally strong.

Centrally placed, and difficult to miss, is the simple outline of Saint Anne’s hand, which points towards heaven. This distinctive gesture appears frequently in da Vinci’s work. Here it would appear to allude to Christ’s destined end, as the same gesture by Saint John the Baptist foretold of the future of Christ’s coming – both events ordained by heaven.

Perhaps most striking of all when seeing the work (technically a cartoon or preparatory sketch) is its size. At over 4 and half a feet, you’re looking at two nearly life size figures. Typically cartoons were used to transfer designs and usually showed clear signs of this. Our drawing, however, is untouched. For whatever reason, it appears to have been viewed as a finished work, or at least worthy of being preserved regardless of its state of completion. And in fact, we know that another drawing of the same subject was actually exhibited in Florence in 1501 and drew enormous crowds.

For students in Florence learning about Leonardo’s working technique, the unfinished Adoration of the Magi in the Uffizi provides a useful window into the master’s initial preparatory methods. However, when discussing his drawing style, his tones, highlights, and use of chiaro scuro we could not ask for better than this cartoon. The figures go from outline to three-dimensional forms before our eyes. It is truly astounding.

The Virgin of the Rocks, Leonardo da Vinci, 1483-86 and 1506-08
Title: The Virgin with the Infant Saint John the Baptist adoring the Christ Child accompanied by an Angel (aka “The Virgin of the Rocks”)
By: Leonardo da Vinci
Dates: 1491-9 and 1506-8
Where to see it: The National Gallery

This particular piece is part of a complicated story (what isn’t complicated with Leo?) that involves an earlier painting of the same subject but of a very different style now hanging in the Louvre in Paris. That earlier version may have been painted in Florence, but this later version, we know, was painted in Milan. Why it was painted (to replace or to copy the earlier version) is still debated. Time to use your eyes and decide for yourself.

Basic story: A confraternity in Milan, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, commissioned an altarpiece from Leonardo who was to be assisted by two local artists (Ambrogio and Evangelista de Predis). At some point the earlier version was purchased by, and sent to, the King of France Louis XII (how do you say no to a king, right?). It is believed by some that this painting was the one that had been painted for the confraternity and that subsequently a second one, the one that now hangs in the NG in London, was made to replace it. However, other scholars believe it may have simply been made to look similar, as there are no comments in the documents about it being made to “replace” anything. These documents, however, do complain about the protracted length of time it took to finish the second painting. If it was the only one commissioned for the confraternity it was commissioned in 1483 and only saw finishing touches added in 1508.

For some National Gallery fun, see these interesting looks at the under drawings of this painting here and here.

Venus and Mars, Sandro Botticelli, c. 1485
Title: Venus and Mars
By: Sandro Botticelli
Date: Around 1485
Where to see it: The National Gallery

This painting has always struck me: its curious shape, atypical scene, and the humor of its characters. The idea is not unusual: love conquers war – the alert Venus, goddess of love, looks out over her sleeping lover, Mars, the god of war. It is rather how Botticelli depicts this concept that is most amusing. Mars is not just sleeping, he is, well, passed out. He has been unarmed (by Love) and he doesn’t appear to hear the ruckus going on around him; some little satyrs have stolen his weapons and are playing with them. One is either about to or is currently blowing a conch shell in his ear, and yet, the God is unmoved. War is out for the count, as it were.

The figures display a typical Botticelli corporeal exaggeration. Venus has unusually long arms and Botticelli’s standard sloping shoulders, while Mars’ legs seem a bit too thin. The nature around them, while varied, is rather uninteresting and the perspective is off. Yet Venus is still enchanting, wearing an ethereal gauze gown with a prominently places gem and braids that are either part of her hair or part of the dress. She is graceful and lovely. It was an ideal work for its intended setting in a home, perhaps even as part of the furniture in the bedroom.

Taddei Tondo, Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1504–1506
Title: The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John (aka Taddei Tondo)
By: Michelangelo Buonarroti
Date: 1504–1506
Where to see it: The Royal academy of Arts

This little beauty is the only Michelangelo sculpture in the UK. It was begun in Florence, just after the David, for a Florentine wool merchant by the name of Taddeo Taddei right as Michelangelo’s fame was beginning its never-ending upswing. Before the artist could finish it, he was called to Rome by Pope Julius II to begin a project some 20 times larger and more complex. (Can’t say no to the pope, right? Are we seeing a pattern?) Taddei, in a somewhat unprecedented move, accepted the unfinished work.

Michelangelo made two sculpted tondi (aka round works) during this time. Both the Taddei Tondo and the Tondo Pitti show very feminine versions of the Madonna, something Michelangelo would all but abandon after his move to Rome. Unlike the Tondo Pitti, the Taddei Tondo shows a wonderful sense of play and intimacy between mother and child. The entire scene hinges around Saint John, patron saint of Florence, who holds out a goldfinch, symbol of Christ’s passion. The Virgin seems to reach out to caress Saint John’s cheek while Christ observes the bird intently while sprawled across his mother’s lap.

Need some more incentive to see this, here’s a great piece on the work.

The Raphael Cartoons, Raphael, 1515-16
The Raphael Cartoons
By: Raphael
Title 1: St Paul Preaching in Athens
Title 2: Healing of the Lame Man
Date: 1515-16
Material: Tempera on paper, mounted on canvas
Where to see them: The V&A

The most expensive works of art ever made for the Sistine Chapel were a set of tapestries designed by Raphael, woven in Brusssel, and hung on the lower wall underneath the frescoes by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Perugino, and the other greats of the 15th and early 16th centuries. Made with silk and gold thread, each piece cost the exorbitant sum of 15,000 ducats. For a point of reference the Medici, the richest individuals in Europe in 1453, had wealth of 200,000 ducats.

The set was commissioned by Medici Pope Leo X in 1515 and depict the Acts of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. To carry out the production of these luxurious items, Raphael did a series of full size cartoons, seven of which are displayed in the Victoria and Albert museum in London. The figures depicted are over life size. Conscious of the ultimate medium, Raphael kept his compositions simple and free of unnecessary details. This made them also ideal for reproduction in print. The cartoons, usually returned to the artist, remained in England and were eventually acquired by King Charles I. Thanks to the later popularity of Raphael in the 18th and early 19th centuries, these cartoons became some of the most widely imitated images in the world.

Frizzante, London
What To Eat:
What’s a day of art without good food? In London you have every possible cuisine to choose from, but should you be craving Italian delicacies there is only one place to go: Frizzante
Frizzante, has three locations. I had the pleasure of dining at Hackney City Farm, the original location. The restaurant concept is based on an Italian agriturismo and hence much of the farm produce, including wine, olive oil, and food that is on your plate is also for sale. As if this amazing food was not enough, it is served in an amazing setting that feels just like an Italian farm, right in the center of London.
If you need to practice your Italian, the owners are available for conversation. I will never forget the grilled peach and goat cheese salad or the enormous merengue stuffed with strawberries and cream that I ate there. It was enough sugar to fuel two full days of museums. Bless them.

Where to Stay:
Staying in London is always a bit tricky. Prices are high and location is key. I have had my go at the hotels here and there and they are basically what you would expect. I don’t always find that the more you pay, the better they get until you break through about 300 pounds a night. I also think its silly to spend too much if you’re there for a short time and planning on using it only as a place to rest your feet after site seeing. I think B&Bs are the most cozy and have the most potential for meeting locals who know where to go, what to see, and where to eat. However, for long-term stays, there is really only one way to go and that is a residence. That is becoming more and more popular in Italy as well. One residence with several locations in London called Urbanest (clever, no?) caught my attention as it is exactly what I wish we could find for our students here in Florence. Instead of the hotel, you stay in clean, comfortable student housing with public spaces for hanging out, quiet study zones, wifi throughout the building, little kitchenettes, and apparently even heated floors! Not so helpful for our summer program, but still, pretty fancy. In the summer you can stay for a short as 4 weeks. For anyone coming to do research, it seems like a great option.

Technorati Tags: Art History, Italian art, Leonardo da Vinci, London, London Museums, Michelangelo, Renaissance art

Photo of the Week: Notte Bianca

Kellin — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:20:10 +0000

This is not photoshopped.

On April 30th, the city of Florence celebrated Notte Bianca, an all-night event with performances, exhibitions, and late opening hours for stores and museums all over the city. The night leads up to May 1st, the day of the worker, a holiday from work for almost the entire city. Each year the Notte Bianca events focus around a theme that plays out all over the city’s main piazzas and public buildings. The theme this year was “Volare,” to fly, and it included incredible displays on tightropes, dances the sides of buildings, opera singers hoisted into the air by cranes, and enormous sculptures floating overhead, such as the one pictured above in Piazza Santa Croce.

This performance was thanks to an amazing troupe from France called Plasticiens Volants. The main actors were enormous (we’re talking 3-story building big) balloons filled with helium that were either stationary, moved through the crowds via handlers, or actually worn on the ground and brought to life by actors. Each performance began with two large birds floating into the sky and through the piazza. These were soon followed by an enormous blimp, complete with Leonard da Vinci-inspired cockpit with wings and manned by a woman in ethereal white robes. As she floated into the air, beating the wings of her flying machine, the sky was suddenly filled with 5 or 6 more large balloons in the shape of planets. Our explorer had gone from the sky, into space. Music played on loud speakers as the handlers made their way through the crowd bringing the balloons to life and playing out the scene in the sky above.

It was such an incredible site and so ethereal we stayed up and watched both performances that night. Occasionally the handers would bring the balloons quite close to the crowds and you would be reminded of their incredible size, especially in reference to the female pilot. It was almost too much to comprehend. I felt as if I were a child again, at the circus or a theme park for the first time, where everything appears too magical to be real, and yet it is.

Technorati Tags: Florence, Florence Events, Florence Festivals, Florence Holidays, Notte Bianca

Art in Florence: Top Twenty Artworks to See Before You Leave

Kellin — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:38:28 +0000

As adamant fans of the art in Florence, it often breaks our hearts to hear that travelers to this fair city miss out on some of Florence’s renowned works. Of course there are many reasons to visit this multi-faceted town, but one of the main motivations has always been to see Florence’s breathtaking painting, sculpture, and architecture. According to UNESCO (although it may be a somewhat Western centric view), 60% of the world’s most important works of art are located in Italy and approximately half of these are in Florence.

Everyday we see tourists herded into the Uffizi and Accademia as if they are the only two museums in Florence and countless more make the mistake of thinking that because there is no line outside the many other museums and churches, that there is nothing to see inside. On the contrary, there are many places in Florence that are full of masterpieces and (relatively speaking) empty of tourists. In response to this trend, we’ve made this list of the art in Florence that (we believe) everyone should see before they leave (in truth, the list is WAY longer than this. We had to narrow it down. And then narrow again); some works will be familiar, while others, I guarantee, will be completely new.

For the following list, you will find the Artwork, Artist, Date, Location, Opening Hours*, Website, and, if, possible Address and Entrance Fees. All works from the “Art in Florence” list below are located within the city center of Florence, at most a 20-minute walk from the Piazza del Duomo.

*For opening hours listed please keep in mind that these change constantly and should be taken more as a ballpark estimate than as scientific fact.

Shall we begin?
Is it cliché to start with Michelangelo? Hold on! It’s not the David.

1. The Florentine Pieta, Michelangelo (1547-1553), Opera del Duomo
1. The Florentine Pieta (also known as The Deposition, The Bandini Pietà, or The Lamentation over the Dead Christ), Michelangelo (1547 – 1553) – in the Museo del Opera del Duomo
Website
Address: Piazza del Duomo 9, Florence, Italy (the entrance is located at the back of the Duomo.)
Phone: +39 055 230 2885
Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00am – 7:30pm; Sunday 9:00am – 1:40pm
Entrance Fee: €6

Why it’s a Must-See: The most famous sculptor in the world designed this work for his own tomb, and then destroyed it. Looking at it is like reading the lost diary of one of the most complex men in the history of western art.

Along with the Rondanini Pieta in Milan, this work, commonly called the Florentine Pieta, was one of Michelangelo’s last sculptures. He began carving it when he was 72 years old. After finding a vein in the marble, he lost his temper and smashed the work to pieces. It was sold and later reconstructed by another artist. (Note: Christ’s left leg, which was subsequently reattached, has since gone missing.) Along with Mary, Christ, and the female figure usually identified to as Mary Magdalene, there is a fourth figure, Nicodemus. Nicodemus, described in Apocrypha as a sculptor, was commonly included in the scenes following Christ’s Crucifixion as one of the two men who helped removed him from the cross. It is believed that the face of Nicodemus closely resembles that of Michelangelo. While we have no proof, this would have indeed been a poignant place for the artist to insert his own image, made even more moving by the fact that this Pieta may have been intended for his own tomb.

2.The Laurentian Library, Michelangelo (Commissioned in 1523), San Lorenzo
2. The Laurentian Library, Michelangelo (Commissioned 1523, begun 1525, finished (under Il Tribolo and Bartolomeo Ammannati) in 1571) – in the Cloister of San Lorenzo Church
Website
Address: Piazza di San Lorenzo 9, Florence, Italy (go the left of the main church entrance, towards the cloister. You will find a second ticket office that sells tickets specifically for the library.)
Hours: Sunday – Friday 9:00am – 1:00pm
Entrance Fee: €3

Why it’s a Must-See: Taking the vocabulary of classical architecture, Michelangelo creates a space that was IMPOSSIBLE to imagine before. Playing with your spatial senses and expectations, the vestibule feels like something out of Alice-and-Wonderland. Once again, Michelangelo literally changes all the rules.

Now that you’ve seen Michelangelo the sculptor, feast on Michelangelo the architect. Commissioned by the Medici Pope, Clement VII, to house the enormous Medici library, this structure was meant to emphasize the family’s intellectual prowess and wealth. The library is made up of two sections: the vestibule, or entryway, and the main reading room. The vestibule, which transitions you from the cloister to the raised reading room (for better light!), is a masterpiece of mannerist architecture. The roman cannon, as set fourth by Vitruvius, has been flipped on its head. Decorative features that should be reserved for a façade line the interior of this unusually, and even unnervingly, shaped room. Perhaps most off-putting of all is the dramatic staircase that flows out like water, pushing the visitors to the outskirts of the space. In the upstairs reading room, no detail was left unattended. Michelangelo even designed the desks on which scholars would later read some of the most famous manuscripts from the Renaissance.

3. Trinity, Masaccio (1425-1427), Santa Maria Novella
3. Trinity, Masaccio (1425 – 1427) – in Santa Maria Novella Church
Website
Address: Piazza di Santa Maria Novella 18, Florence, Italy (the entrance is to the right of the main façade)
Phone: +39 055 219257
Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00am – 5:30pm (ticket offices closes at 4:45); Friday 11:00am – 5:30pm; Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm (ticket office closes at 4:15); Sunday 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Entrance Fee: €3.50

Why it’s a Must-See: This painting is where one-point perspective began, and thus where the modern sense of spatial illusion was born.

On the left hand side of the nave of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important images created in early quattrocentro Florence, The Holy Trinity. Its artist, a man named Masaccio, was, like Giotto and Michelangelo, exceptionally skilled from an early age. He was 24 when he painted this fresco and he died one year after he finished it. Beneath the painted barrel-vaulted ceiling of a small chapel, we see Christ on the cross, being supported by God the father and the Holy Ghost. Below, John the evangelist prays and Mary turns towards the viewer. Outside the chapel we see two more figures, the donors, who appear outside the “sacred” space of the painted chapel. The most incredible feature of this fresco is Masaccio’s use one-point linear perspective to create an illusionistic space beyond the wall of the church. As the name one-point linear perspective implies, there is one point at which the extraordinary mathematics of this invented chapel align and give the tromp l’oeil effect of real space. It is so realistic that scholars have been able to actually measure the imaginary three-dimensional room.

4. The Slaves, Michelangelo (1525-1530), Accademia
4. The Slaves, Michelangelo (1525 – 1530) – in the Accademia
Website
Address: Via Bettino Ricasoli 58-60, Florence, Italy (if you’re waiting in the line for the David, don’t miss these while you’re there!)
Phone: +39 055 294883
Hours: Daily 8:15am – 6:50pm; Closed Monday
Entrance Fee: €6 (€4 in addition for the reservation, which is recommended)
Online Booking

Why it’s a Must-See: Michelangelo creates psychologically and physically complex figures that, in their unfinished state, provide us with a window into the Artist’s unique sculpting methods.

Though visitors are often too busy to notice these gorgeous sculptures that line the room that leads to the David, Michelangelo’s Slaves, as they are called, stand to reckon with the young biblical upstart at the end of the hall. These are just four of a group of six sculptures that Michelangelo began for Pope Julius II’s elaborate tomb structure, originally intended to have 40 such figures. It was to be Michelangelo’s most ambitious project before various road bumps and obstacles forced the artist to severely downscale his design. Michelangelo had to abandon the tomb project only three years after it began to work on nothing less than the Sistine Ceiling, which Julius asked him to paint in 1508. After finally returning to it in 1512, Julius’ death in 1513 forced the pope’s family to reconsider such an ambitious (aka expensive) project. After two separate rewrites to the original contract, the Slaves were begun and almost as immediately discarded when the final amendment to the contract asked for a much simpler (aka less expensive) wall tomb, roughly a sixth of the size of the original concept. However tumultuous their history, these stunning works seem more beautiful in their various states of incompletion than they ever could have been finished.

5. Dome of the Duomo of Florence, Filippo Brunelleschi (1420-1436)
5. The Dome of the Duomo of Florence, Filippo Brunelleschi (1420 – 1436, Lantern completed by Michelozzo in 1461, original crowning copper ball by Andrea del Verrocchio in 1469) – in the Piazza del Duomo
Website
Entrance Fee: Free and available for viewing 24/7
For climbing the cupola (463 steps)
Address: Entrance is on the north side of the Duomo at the Porta della Mandorla
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 7:00pm (last ticket sold at 6:20pm); Saturday 8:30am – 5:40pm (last ticket sold at 5:00pm)
Entrance Fee: €8, Cupola + Museum €11 (usually €14)

Why it’s a Must-See: The dome has stood as a testament to the superiority of Florentine ingenuity since the 15th century, literally casting a shadow over everything made in the Renaissance.

Few modern day visitors will understand just how important this architectural feat was for the Republic of Florence. When the Cathedral was first designed at the end of the 13th century, the massive octagonal dome was planned, but no one yet knew how an architectural structure of such enormous breadth and height would be built. It had never been done. Filippo Brunelleschi came up with the plan 150 years later, keeping it a secret from his fierce competitors.

To achieve this feat, Brunelleschi incorporated several key elements into his building plan. First, he created a double shell dome like that on the Baptistery so as to limit the width and weight of the structure. Second, he used bricks as his primary building material to further reduce the weight. Third, he incorporated four iron and stone chains running horizontally along the inner shell (like the ribs of a hoop skirt) to keep the dome from buckling out from under its own weight. And fourth, he laid the bricks in a herringbone pattern on the 8 sides of the octagonal dome to allow them to hold themselves in place while the mortar dried. In the end over 4 million bricks and 37 thousand tons of material were hoisted over 170 feet into the cathedral ceiling. When it was finally finished, Brunelleschi’s friend and fellow architect, Leon Battista Alberti, wrote: “It is vast enough to cover the entire Tuscan population with its shadow.”

6. The Annunciation, Fra Angelico (1442), San Marco
6. The Annunciation, Fra Angelico (1442) – in the Convent of San Marco
Website
Address: Piazza San Marco 3, Florence, Italy (entrance is to the right of the church)
Phone: +39 055 294883
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:15am – 1:50pm (ticket office closes at 1:20pm); Saturday – Sunday 8:15pm – 4:50pm (ticket office closes at 4:20pm); closed on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday and the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
Entrance Fee: €4

Why it’s a Must-See: Fra Angelico’s fresco is one of the most elegant paintings in all of Florence, surpassing some of the more well known artists in its simple and devout beauty.

This is one of the most stunning examples of the enigmatic Christian scene of the Annunciation. Painted by artist and friar, Fra Angelico, for his brothers at the convent of San Marco, this painting greeted every friar at the top of the stairs to the dormitories. The stunning loggia, in which Mary and the Angel Gabriel appear, is inspired by recent renovations to the convent by the architect Michelozzo. The angel bows, bringing its stunning peacock feather wings into full view. Mary, in relatively modest and simple dress, returns the gesture. Beyond the loggia is a fence, indicating that these figures are within an enclosed garden, a symbol of Mary’s virginity. To the left of the Virgin’s head, a small window is lit by sunlight that drenches the windowsill. To the friars, it would have been obvious that this light (a seemingly unimportant detail) represented the actual miracle taking place: Immaculate Conception. During this time, the process by which Mary became pregnant without losing her virginity was often compared to the act of light piercing glass without breaking it. To the left of the fresco is an actual window whose real light determined the fictive lighting of the fresco and plays off the flecks of iridescent mica mixed into the fresco’s plaster.

7. Gates of Paradise, Lorenzo Ghiberti (1425-1452), Opera del Duomo
7. Gates of Paradise, Lorenzo Ghiberti (1425 – 1452) – in the Museo del Opera del Duomo
Website
Address: Piazza del Duomo 9, Florence, Italy (the entrance is located at the back of the Duomo.)
Phone: +39 055 230 2885
Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00am – 7:30pm; Sunday 9:00am – 1:40pm
Entrance Fee: €6

Why it’s a Must-See: Ghiberti’s bronze doors changed how artists incorporated naturalism and one-point perspective into bronze reliefs, creating a narrative sequence of 10 scenes which unfold individually and as a whole.

These doors, which once graced the eastern entrance of the Baptistery of Florence, were replaced with copies after the devastating flood of 1966. After 27 years in restoration, the same amount of time it took to make them originally, these stunning creations are once again on display (in a much safer setting, thankfully). Michelangelo described them as the “Gates of Paradise” and the name stuck. Ten panels tell the story of the Old Testament from Adam and Eve at the top left to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba on the bottom right. No longer confined to the restrictive quatrefoil frames used on the earlier baptistery doors, each scene takes full advantage of the compositional space, one-point linear perspective, and a new style of low relief known as schiacciato, or squashed relief. These recent innovations, in addition to Ghiberti’s technical skill, result in ten expansive panoramas, often set in dramatic three-dimensional architecture that, in its incredible depth, combines several narratives scenes in the space that would usually be required for one. Along the gorgeous and verdant doorframes are portraits of apostles, sibyls, saints, and the artist himself. In the forty-eight years Ghiberti spent sculpting and casting both the North doors and the Gates of Paradise, he became famous and trained some of the most important sculptors and artists of the next generation.

8. Deposition from the Cross, Pontormo (1525-1528), Capponi Chapel
8. The Deposition from the Cross, Pontormo (1525 – 1528) – in the Capponi Chapel in Santa Felicita Church
Address: Piazza Santa Felicita, Florence, Italy
Hours: Open to tourists on weekdays from 9:30am – 12:00pm & 3:30pm – 5:30pm.
Entrance Fee: Admission to the church is free (though you need euro for the light box)

Why it’s a Must-See: You haven’t experienced the mannerist movement until you’ve seen Pontormo’s chapel in Santa Felicita.

Walking up to this small unassuming church, one would never guess that inside hangs one of the single most beautiful works of Florentine Mannerism. Painted by Jacopo Carucci, known as Pontormo, The Deposition from the Cross is considered to be his masterpiece. Curiously, there is no depiction of a cross in this painting and, furthermore, it is difficult to identify any of the figures portrayed, other than Christ and Mary. In fact, it is not certain that the scene is a Deposition at all. It appears to capture a moment in between two more traditional scenes from Christ’s death: between the Deposition and the Lamentation, or after the Pieta and prior to the Entombment. Before we jump to conclusions, however, we must recognize that this painting is just one part of the artist’s larger concept, which includes a fresco of the Annunciation on the wall, a stained glass window depicting the Entombment (by the French glassmaker, Guillaume de Marcillat), and what would originally have been a frescoed dome with an image of God the Father. Hence, all the works in the chapel interact as they tell the story of Christ’s birth and death. Nonetheless, it is the so-called Deposition that truly captivates us with its jarring colors and indescribable sadness. It is neither fully narrative nor fully abstract, but lives in the space in between. Pontormo’s visual language was so new that, after concealing the chapel from view for the entirely of its decoration, it stunned all that saw it when it was finally unveiled.

9. Mosaics in the Baptistery, Various (1240-1300)
9. Mosaics in the Baptistery, Various (1240 – 1300) – in the Baptistery in Piazza Duomo
Website
Address: For tickets, Piazza San Giovanni, 7 (across the piazza from the main entrance on the north side of the building)
Hours: Daily 11:15am – 7:00pm; Sunday 8:30am – 2:00pm; 1st Saturday of the Month 8:30am – 2:00pm
Entrance Fee: €5 or Battistero + S.Reparata + Campanile + Museo: €15; on June 24, Saint John’s day, entrance is free

Why it’s a Must-See: One of the oldest structures in Florence and one of the few decorated with mosaics, this small space puts the comparatively enormous interior of the Duomo to shame.

Across from the massive Cathedral sits a small octagonal building known as the Battistero di San Giovanni or Saint John’s Baptistery. This building was constructed between 1059 and 1128 on the foundations of previous octagonal baptisteries dating from as early as the 5th century. One hundred years after the current building was completed, an ambitious mosaic ceiling was planned. While local Florentine artists likely provided the designs and cartoons, it is believed that Venetian craftsmen carried out the work itself, as it was in Venice that this impressive media was perfected.
Above the altar is a depiction of the Last Judgment, where a 25-foot tall Christ welcomes the good on his right and damns the evil on his left. The image of hell, into which these damned are thrust (attributed to Coppo di Marcovaldo) is gruesome. Every Florentine between the mid 13th and 19th century would have seen this graphic detail, for it was in this period that every catholic in Florence was baptized in the baptistery. This list famously includes none other than Dante, whose own description of hell must have been influenced by this image. On the back wall, four horizontal bands tell the stories of (starting at the bottom) Saint John the Baptist, Mary and Christ, and, in the two upper tiers, the Old Testament Patriarchs, from Adam and Eve to Moses. According to art historian, Timothy Verdon, the “program of 13th century mosaics is the visually most impressive component of the entire [cathedral] complex…” footnote

10. Madonna della Seggiola, Raphael (1513-1514), Palatine Gallery
10. Madonna della Seggiola (or Madonna della sedia), Raphael (1513 – 1514) – in the Palazzo Pitti, Palatine Picture Gallery
Website
Address: Piazza Pitti 1, Florence, Italy (ticket office is to the right of the main entrance.)
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8:15am – 6:50pm (ticket offices close at 6:05pm); Closed Mondays
Entrance Fee: €8.50 (booking charge: €3)
Advance Booking: +39 055 294883

Why it’s a Must-See: As a slightly younger painter than Leonardo and Michelangelo, Raphael took full advantage, absorbing the best of their talents and creating a flexible style that often surpasses both of these masters. In this particular piece, however, we see Raphael’s unique tenderness shine through, creating a work that overflows with the sincere love of a mother for her child.

Completed during his Roman period, shortly before his death, Raphael paints what is ostensibly a typical devotional image of the Madonna, Christ child, and a young Saint John the Baptist. The circular format was standard for domestic images, those intended for a household rather than a church. Breaking from some of his earlier Florentine works, which were more geometric and constrained, Raphael softens his lines and his colors. Additionally, he takes the viewer directly into the personal space of mother and child, creating an intimacy not only between those figured, but also between the viewer and the holy company. The every-day appearance of the figures further enhances the accessibility of the picture, producing an image that the viewer can truly relate to. Even today, we are struck by how photographic this moment feels, as the Madonna looks out at us, clutching her precious infant who, like a typical child, is looking off into the distance, oblivious of everything other than his mother’s arms.

11. Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels, Giotto (Bardi 1325; Peruzzi 1318-1322), Santa Croce
11. Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels, Giotto (Bardi 1325; Peruzzi 1318 – 1322) – in the Basilica of Santa Croce
Website
Address: Piazza Santa Croce 16, Florence, Italy (the entrance is to the left of the façade)
Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30am – 5:30pm (last admission is at 5:00 pm); Sundays and Holy Days 2:00pm – 5:30pm (last admission is at 5:00 pm)
Entrance Fee: €6

Why it’s a Must-See: Two chapels, back to back, give you a glimpse into why, almost 200 years later, artists like Michelangelo were still studying Giotto’s work.

Inside the enormous Franciscan basilica of Santa Croce are two chapels painted by the Giotto, the most important artist at the beginning of the 14th century. Directly to the right of the high chapel is the Bardi chapel, dedicated to Saint Francis and immediately to the right, the Peruzzi chapel, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist. These chapels, which according to early sources were two of a group of four originally frescoed by the artist, constitute the most important corpus of Giotto’s work after his capolavoro, the Arena Chapel in Padua. Reflecting his fame at this time, he was commission by some of the richest banking families in Florence. While both fresco cycles have suffered terribly, first from a whitewash that covered both chapels, then later by the installation of wall tombs, and finally poor 19th century restoration practices, Giotto’s genius shines through. In their day, both cycles were renowned, in particular the Peruzzi Chapel, which has suffered more than the earlier Bardi chapel, due to the fact that it was painted a secco, or “dry,” a less permanent painting technique than true fresco. At their height, however, artists like Masaccio and Michelangelo came to study Giotto’s unique and realistic gestures, poses, and facial expressions that helped create believable, psychologically penetrating scenes that had not been seen since antiquity.

12. Medici Palace, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo (1445-1460)
12. The Medici Palace, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo (1445 – 1460) – on Via Cavour, near the Church of San Lorenzo
Website
Address: Via Camillo Cavour 3, Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 276 0340
Hours: Weekdays and holidays, 9:00am – 7:00pm (last admission at 6:30pm); closed Wednesday
Entrance Fee: €7

Why it’s a Must-See: How better to witness the classical concepts of Renaissance art in Florence than in the majesty of the first family, the Medici.

Near the church of San Lorenzo is the Palace Medici Riccardi. Today it appears almost as long as an entire city block due to later 17th century additions, but in its original design it was roughly a cube (still enormous by Renaissance standards). Halfway between a villa and a country fortress, Michelozzo crafted a new genre of building, the Renaissance urban palazzo. The exterior is divided into three stories that decrease in height and whose pietra forte surface treatment becomes lighter and softer as we move up, going from enormous rusticated masonry to smooth stonework at the top. The building is then capped by an enormous cornice that projects out over the street below. The effect is a surprising exaggeration of the height and size of the structure without actually creating something that might “arouse envy among the citizens,” as Cosimo de’ Medici warned. The large archways along the first floor, now walled in, were originally open, providing access to clients of the Medici bank and allowing passersby visual access to the Medici inner court and several of its most precious artworks, including Donatello’s David. The loggia was closed in the 16th century and now holds windows designed by Michelangelo, famously dubbed “kneeling windows,” due to the addition of the scrolling consoles that appear to support the windows from below.

13. The David, Michelangelo (1501-1504), Accademia
13. The David, Michelangelo (1501 – 1504) – in the Accademia
Website
Address: Via Bettino Ricasoli 58-60, Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 294883
Hours: Daily 8:15am – 6:50pm; closed Monday
Entrance Fee: €6 (€4 in addition for the reservation, which is recommended)
Online Booking

Why it’s a Must-See: Michelangelo changes all the rules, creating the most well known sculpture in the history of art after having been given some one else’s leftovers.

Originally commissioned to be part of a series of sculptures that would decorate the exterior of the Duomo, Michelangelo was given a used piece of marble and a seemingly impossible task: to create a roughly 17-foot statue of the biblical figure of David. This was the fourth figure of David that had been commissioned during the Florentine Republic and had already become a symbol of the (relatively) small city’s underdog successes (thanks to God’s help). When the work was finally unveiled, the plan to place it so high up off the ground was abandoned and a committee, including none other than Leonardo da Vinci, was gathered to discuss where the sculpture should be placed instead. This is how the work came to live at the front entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. As we have often said (specifically in this post dedicated to The David), the big guy is actually worth the hassle.

14. Saint George, Donatello (1411-1413), Bargello
14. Saint George, Donatello (1411 – 1413) – in the Bargello (marble copy in situ on the exterior of Orsanmichele)
Website
Address: Via del Proconsolo 4, Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 238 8606
Hours: Daily: 8:15am – 1:50pm (ticket office closes at 1:15pm); closed on 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
Entrance Fee: €4 (€6 if there is an exhibition)

Why it’s a Must-See: Donatello creates a psychologically complex work before Michelangelo is a glimmer in his father’s eye. The face of Saint George appears both steadfast and fearful, suggesting the plight of the knight devoted to God.

Sculpted for the cuirass-makers (amour makers) guild, Saint George is one of fourteen sculptures commissioned by the Florentine guilds that once decorated the exterior of the church—formerly a grain market—of Orsanmichele. Saint George was the second sculpture commissioned from Donatello after his Saint Mark for the Arte dei Linaiuoli e Rigattieri (linen weavers). Both of these earlier works were in marble, a less expensive material as compared to the gilded bronze he would use on his third and final commission for Orsanmichele. However, Donatello, in a brilliant Renaissance PR stunt, added additional metal objects to the Saint George, namely a bronze sword and helmet (now lost). These items drew attention to the guild that the saint was representing, but also displayed their wares for all to see. In addition, the jutting sword would have pierced the space outside the niche, bringing George into the viewer’s space. While this particular niche was not on the main drag, Saint George was able to draw attention from afar with his shining metal accessories. Once he drew you in, it was his penetrating expression that kept your attention. In addition to the sculpture itself, Donatello designed the niche, with God the Father depicted above and below, the scene of Saint George slaying the dragon using schiacciatto relief and one of the earliest applications of one-point linear perspective in sculpture.

15. Procession of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli (1459-1461), Medici Palace
15. Procession of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli (1459 – 1461) – in the Medici Palace
Website
Address: Via Camillo Cavour 3, Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 276 0340
Hours: Weekdays and holidays: 9:00am – 7:00pm (last admission at 6:30pm); closed Wednesday
Entrance Fee: €7

Why it’s a Must-See: Gozzoli’s painted cycle covers an entire room, remaining one of the few Renaissance decorative spaces to fully encompass the viewer. The event feels like a Renaissance movie, the figures traveling around the devotional space in a never-ending procession.

One of the first decorative programs undertaken in the Palazzo Medici when it was finished was the fresco cycle in the family’s private chapel. The program, an extensive three-wall fresco of the Precession or Journey of the Magi, was painted by Benozzo Gozzoli. Gozzoli had painted the same scene (with less luxurious materials) in Cosimo de’ Meici’s private dormitory in the convent of San Marco while training under Fra Angelico. The procession provided the Medici with an excellent opportunity to honor a recent event in which they had played an integral part and for which many important dignitaries from all over Christendom came to Florence. Amongst the three Magi and their extensive retinues are scattered famous figures from in and outside Florence, including many famous Medici.

16. Room of the Maps, Stefano Buonsignori and Ignazio Danti (1563-1584), Palazzo Vecchio
16. Room of the Maps, Stefano Buonsignori and Ignazio Danti (1563 – 1584) – in the Palazzo Vecchio
Website
Address: Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 2768325
Hours: April-September, every day except for Thursdays 9:00am – Midnight; Thursday 9:00 – 2:00pm
October-December, every day except for Thursday 9:00am – 7:00pm; Thursday 9:00am – 2:00pm
See website for more details on seasonal opening hours
Entrance Fee: €6.50

Why it’s a Must-See: Though Google Maps may have fooled you, dependable directions did not always exist. Along with other classical inventions, the Renaissance saw a rebirth of reliable ways to map the world.

Begun by the Dominican friar, Ignazio Danti, in 1563, the Room of the Maps contains 53 individual painted panels depicting the known world. As a young boy from Perugia, Danti was educated in mathematics and astronomy before coming to Florence to work for the Medici Dukes. Cosimo I de’ Medici hired Danti as his court mathematician and gave him the job of designing the maps in the Map Room. Using the predominant vision of the world at the time, as laid out by Ptolemy, men like Danti used the position of stars in the sky to grid fixed points on the earth. Depicting landmasses such as India, America, and Italy, the maps also acted as doors to walnut cabinets, each of which originally held objects from the respective geographic spaces shown. In the Renaissance, knowledge of geography was intimately related to projections of power; to know the world and to paint the world, allowed you to control the world. When Danti left to work in Rome after Cosimo’s death in 1574, Buonsignori took over to finish the job, adding colorful depictions of monstrous races and wild beasts to the topographical information.

17. The Life of Saint Francis, Domenico Ghirlandaio (1483-1486), Santa Trinita
17. The Life of Saint Francis, Domenico Ghirlandaio (1483 – 1486) – in the Church of Santa Trinita
Address: Piazza Santa Trinita 1, Florence, Italy
Hours: Open to tourists on weekdays from 7:00am – 12:00pm & 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Entrance Fee: Admission to the church is free

Why it’s a Must-See: Though Mark Zuckerberg claims to have invented tagging friends in your images, Ghirlandaio helped Francesco Sassetti network well before Facebook. This chapel stands as a premier example of how Renaissance Florence was all about who you knew.

Tucked away in the far back corner of this dark (and often empty) church is the Sassetti Chapel and its famous fresco cycle by the artist Domenico Ghirlandaio. The cycle depicts the story of Saint Francis, from his childhood to his conversion and from his death to some of his postmortem miracles. Unlike other versions of the Saint’s life, Ghirlandio sets many of these 13th century events in the contemporary 15th century city of Florence and fills the scenes with contemporary members of Florence’s elite citizenship. While they do not participate, they look on at the events taking pace as well as out at the viewer. In the upper most register of the back wall is one of the most famous scenes, known as The Confirmation of the Rule. In it, Saint Francis is received by the Pope and given the Rule that legitimizes his Order. However, instead of setting the scene in Rome, where it actually took place, the event takes place in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria. Around St. Francis and his fellow friars, the Pope, and various cardinals, are members of the Sassetti and Medici family, including Lorenzo de’ Medici and his sons mystically witnessing the holy moment.

18. Primavera, Sandro Botticelli (1482), Uffizi
18. Primavera, Sandro Botticelli (1482) – in the Uffizi Galleries
Website
Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi 6, Florence, Italy (just look for the line of people)
Phone: +39 055 238 8651
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8:15am – 6:50pm; closed Monday
Entrance Fee: €6.50
Advance tickets: +39 055294883 or Online Booking

Why it’s a Must-See: You will never see another work of art in Florence with a more enigmatic spirit. As a depiction of spring, Botticelli’s painting is a microcosm of the cultural rebirth of the Renaissance, but like the riddle of the sphinx, the painting baffles the viewer with its subtle clues.

One of the favorite stops in the Uffizi is the Botticelli room, in which hang the two most iconic works in the collection: the Birth of Venus and the Primavera. While most critics agree about what is depicted in the Birth of Venus, the Primavera remains a controversial work. The title, Primavera or “spring,” should be read more as the “Allegory of Spring.” Starting from the left we have Mercury, the three Graces, Cupid, Venus, Flora (or Spring), Chloris, and Zephyr (or the March wind). Together, these figures convey the idea of spring. Along with the idea of spring come the expected associations of fertility and growth as emphasized in the fruit trees and flowers. We have no idea who commissioned it or for what purpose, though it has famously been associated with a wedding gift to a lesser-known Medici that (according to the scholarship) had it installed in a bed. Because of this, it has also famously been associated with marriage and love, and not just any love, but the particular kind of love they liked to talk about in the Renaissance, Neoplatonic love.

19. Celestial and Terrestrial Spheres, Antonio Santucci (1588-1593), Galileo Museum
19. The Celestial and Terrestrial Spheres, Antonio Santucci (1588 – 1593) – in the Galileo Museum
Website
Address: Piazza dei Giudici 1, Florence, Italy
Hours: Daily 9:30am – 6:00pm; Tuesdays 9:30am – 1:00pm (tickets are sold until 30 minutes before closing time)
Entrance Fee: €9

Why it’s a Must-See: Santucci’s device reminds us of the intimate connection between art and science in the Renaissance. Aristotelian conceptions of the universe combined with precision engineering and skilled woodwork to produce a sculpture that explained the motions of the celestial and terrestrial spheres.

Begun in Florence under the patronage of Grand Duke Ferdinando I de’ Medici, the celestial sphere illustrates the beautiful, if flawed, conceptions of the universe shortly before the arrival of Galileo Galilei to Florence. With the earth at the sphere’s center and God the Father above, this vision of the universe remains an artifact of the classical worldviews of Ptolemaic and Aristotelian combined with Catholic religion. As the spheres rotated around the earth, the motionless of our immediate world with respect to the stars was demonstrated for the viewer. Astrological symbols mark one of the many beach wood bands, recalling the strange marriage between divination and religion in the Renaissance. For someone like Ferdinando I, astrology was not an evil, but a science that allowed the knowledgeable to predict the events of God’s world clock. To design the universe was essentially to perceive the world as a machine whose events astrology could predict. Covered in painted miniatures and gold leaf, the sphere is an object of art as much as one of science. Watch this video for more information and a demonstration of the apparatus.

20. Perseus, Benvenuto Cellini (1545-1554), Piazza Signoria
20. The Perseus, Benvenuto Cellini (1545 – 1554) – in the Piazza Signoria
Address: Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy
Hours: 24/7
Entrance Fee: the Perseus is 100% free

Why it’s a Must-See: Taking the material of bronze to its pinnacle, Cellini sculpts a work of art in Florence that appears to breathe and bleed right in the middle of the city’s most famous piazza.

Though Piazza Signoria was most famous for Michelangelo’s biblical figure of David, the awe-inspiring sculpture of the mythical hero, Perseus, gave it a serious run for its money. This bronze beauty is still housed under the Loggia dei Lanzi, its original location. It’s author, Benvenuto Cellini, was a captivating rogue, apparent from his autobiography (as we have stated elsewhere), but his sculpture of the Perseus remains a testament to his skill as an artist. This sculpture is one of the first large scale bronze works to be successfully cast in one piece, a technique lost after the fall of the Roman Empire. Standing in contrapposto, the hero holds the head of Medusa in the air, defiantly displaying his trophy. As we look upon the head from below in the piazza, we turn to stone from the staggering beauty of the work made in metal.

Technorati Tags: Art History, Art in Florence, Art of Florence, Best of Florence, Cellini, Florence, Florence museums, Florence tips, Fra Angelico, Giotto, Michelangelo, What to see

Photo of the Week: Philosophy is Hard

Kellin — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:33:03 +0000

A little funny for your Tuesday.
If you’re in Florence tonight, enjoy Notte Bianca!

Technorati Tags: humor, philosophy, Quote

Travel Tips by Carrie: What to Pack

Carrie — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:17:30 +0000

What to pack…
This question seems to plague many even when taking a trip as short as two days. Imagine a month or even a semester in Italy! I, on the other hand, love to pack. If you don’t believe me, see my Top Ten Tips for Packing Luggage or my Favorite Things series. At the end of my last vacation, I spent the evening with a friend packing her suitcases.

One of my very favorite things is the PACK THIS Packing List (see image below). It really is the ultimate travel and packing list, leaving nothing out. Well, okay, I think it leaves a few important things out. There are some items that are rarely included on standard packing lists and that I believe can make all of the difference. The good news is that you likely have all of these items at home already and they are all also light as a feather (AKA won’t contribute to that critical weight limit).

Plastic wrap = a life saver when traveling!
Plastic wrap – my very best travel tip is to use plastic wrap on anything (especially a toiletry bottle) that is at risk for leaking. The toiletries that I make the effort to pack are my favorites and there is nothing I dread more than opening up a suitcase to find my clothes stained by a broken bottle of perfume or shoes covered in face wash. Tightening all of your toiletry lids just isn’t enough. Unscrew the lids and cover each opening with a small piece of plastic wrap and then screw the lids back on.

Tissues/ Toilet paper – tissues or even toilet paper are not a given in many parts of the world. Why take your chances in that train station bathroom, when you can simply pack an extra pack of tissues or a small roll of toilet paper. Many stores, like Target, Wal-Mart, or even grocery stores sell these in their sample/travel size section, along with other toiletries. Those little packs of tissues can be a godsend when you’re on-the-go.

One free shower cap from the hotel is all you need for a stain-free suitcase
Shower cap – shower caps are great for putting your (dirty and dusty) shoes in. They will cleverly help to protect your clothes and other belongings in your luggage. Also, if you forget to bring plastic wrap (as I mentioned above), just grab one (or more) of the free shower caps in the next hotel bathroom you stay in and use under the lids of your toiletries.

Dryer sheets – these fragrant sheets remove static from your hair and clothing, all while taking up virtually no room. Sticking a dryer sheet in your luggage will help keep your belongings smelling lovely. They are also great to put inside your shoes, especially if you are following my previous advice and shoving other items in there to save space. You’ll thank me after long day of sightseeing. Adding a dryer sheet in each shoe will help to keep them smelling fresh and clean for the rest of your trip. I also throw a dryer sheet in each piece of my luggage even when I am not using them so that they smell fresh when I do need them.

Ziploc bags – these handy little guys are woefully unappreciated here in the good old U.S. of A. I’m pretty sure that the saying “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone” was referencing the regretful lack of ZipLoc bags abroad. They can make the difference between a perfume, wine, or olive oil-soaked suitcase. Going on a business trip and need to save receipts for accounting? Keep those all-important receipts or other important papers dry and protected. Plus, you’re going to need one (quart size) for your toiletries on your return flight. You might as well use a ZipLoc bag for all of the aforementioned items and keep them conveniently together. I always try to pack a few extra bags of varying sizes.

Click for larger image:

Technorati Tags: Carrie's travel tips, how to travel tips, packing tips, travel tips, Traveling tips, what to pack

Sandwich Wars: Il Cernacchino

Kellin — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:04:33 +0000

Battle No.5
The Challenger: Il Cernacchino
For rules, regulations, and a fascinating review of sandwich history, see here. For our current rankings, see this blog’s side bar.

Just when you thought I couldn’t eat another panino…Sandwich Wars returns!
Quick review: The ranks didn’t change much after last month’s battle with Gustapanino. All’Antico Vinaio is still in first place with their outright ridiculous Finocchiona panino. Da’Vinattieri remains close behind with their super salty, and downright addictive, porchetta sandwich. I think they’re getting a little cozy up there at the top, don’t you?
This month I needed something new to shake things up. I started asking my friends established in the gastronomic scene here in Florence where they were getting their panini these days. Someone mentioned a place called Il Cernacchino, on Via Condotta, right in the center of Florence, just off Piazza della Signoria. I had never heard of it and I was skeptical. My first thought was, it will be crazy crowed. Nope. Ok, well then it will definitely be overprized. Not at all. Alright then, get ready for a disappointment taste-wise. Wrong again.

Contestant #6: Il Cernacchino
Via Condotta, 38R Florence, Italy (See map below)
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:30am – 7:30pm
Unlike most of the locations we’ve been to so far that have Tuscan classic feel with wood…everything, this adorable little hole-in-the-wall looks like your grandma’s kitchen on crack. You can’t miss the retrofitted red cabinets and an enormous range hood with the splash of adorable wallpaper. Behind the front counter, laden with treats, snacks, and sweets, piled so high you almost can’t see over them, are two lovely sisters serving up delicious food all day long. They wear red and white-checkered outfits that match the killer kitchen and really complete the “look.”
Now, of all the places we’ve been for sandwich wars, this one posed the greatest non-sandwich threat. The food selection here is just insane. They have crostini, primi, salads, focaccia, and homemade sweets that are all right in front of you when you walk in. It’s almost impossible not to order them. Fear not! I stayed strong and I kept my eyes on their panini list like a good soldier. There are 12 custom sandwiches that are all 4Euro, one of which is not even really a sandwich at all, but rather a kind of bread bowl. YES, a bread bowl…for soup. In case you’re curious, it’s glorious, but sadly for our purposes, not really a sandwich. On their list they have the classic prochetta (though it is served with a mustard sauce, which is new), but as I was trying to shake things up, I went with one of the more unusual selections on the list: Salme con pecorino e mostarda di fichi. Holy mother of sandwiches. It was good.

Here is a visual breakdown:
The roll is your standard Tuscan white, not super salty, but fresh. Inside were some nice big pieces of salami, some very thick cuts of pecorino cheese, and, the best part of all, “fig mustard.” What is that, you ask? Lord only knows, but it is DELICIOUS. The salty and sweet, the spicy and subtle, oh mama, me likey. I didn’t realize I had gotten a little bored of the typical Italian panini flavors and was much in need of a change. Some of the other exciting sandwiches on the list that I think would have blown my palate away were the pecorino and chili jam panino (great vegetarian option!) and the two lard sandwiches, one with mushrooms and one with the chili jam and pecorino. So much to try!

To top it all off, the sisters are very nice and laughed when I asked for extra fig mustard and also whether they were willing to sell me some. They have a counter that can sit up to 6 on the ground floor, but there’s also about 5 tables upstairs as well (which you wouldn’t even know was there, hence the lack of crowding). When it does get crowded, one of the sisters goes around and asks people who are done to leave, which is great if you’re waiting but sad if you’re sitting. Though panini, like pizza, is one of those rare Italian foods that isn’t meant to take three hours to eat.

SCORES:
1. Taste: 8.25 points (out of 10)
Such a great, new, and unique flavor. I have already been back once to have it again. I gave it a little less points than Da’Vinatieri and All’Antico Vinaio only because I would love some more salty bread. Sorry. I’m such an American.

2. Cost: 4 points (out of 5)
No one is as cheap as Fratellini, but 4 Euro is just so reasonable for what you get.

3. Location and general experience: 5 points (out of 5)
Indoor seating with space for about almost 20 and situated right in the center of town. Plus two friendly faces to greet you every time you go in, doesn’t get much better.
Total: 17.25 points out of 20 = 86.25%

REIGNING CHAMP: All’Antico Vinaio!

See map for Il Cernacchino:

Technorati Tags: cheap eats, florence food, Italian food, Italian Panino, Italy food, Sandwich war

Photo of the Week: Spring in Italy!

Kellin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:01:33 +0000

Wisteria. In Italian it is called glicine (GLY-she-ne) and it is one of the telltale signs of spring here in Italy. It starts blooming over walls, under gates, and around corners from inside hidden gardens you never knew existed. Even if you can’t see it, the streets are suddenly full of the fragrance of these delicate purple flowers, letting you know that it’s springtime again. Like most of the April and May blooms, they only last a few weeks, so I take every opportunity to hunt down the best and most fragrant examples. This particular display of sprawling branches all stem from a single trunk and spread out over the entirety of a large canopy covering a courtyard outside Pompeii. Apparently, it’s one of the wisteria plant’s particular abilities to grow quite far from its main source. The largest known example spreads over 43,560 square feet.

While I was researching wisteria to learn more about this amazing plant (technically in the pea family), one site described them thus: “Among their attributes are hardiness, vigor, longevity and the ability to climb high.” I think that is exactly the kind of plant we all need to see in spring. (For now we’ll just ignore this other little detail: “mature wisteria can become immensely strong with heavy wrist-thick trunks and stems. These will certainly rend latticework, crush thin wooden posts, and can even strangle large trees.”) Aw. They’re very pretty and don’t know their own strength. Sounds like a lot of people I know.

Happy Spring.

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Technorati Tags: Glicine, Italy in Spring, Spring Flowers, Springtime, Wisteria

What is in Season: Fava Beans

Kellin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:11:38 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted a photo of the week of some seasonal roman cauliflower and later some super fresh artichokes from the local market that – somewhat unintentionally – transformed into mini cooking adventures. It turns out that while I am by no means a “chef,” I can read a recipe and improvise reasonably well in the kitchen (who knew?). It also turns out that doing so is quite rewarding. More than that…it’s empowering! I used to avoid the fresh artichokes in my grocery store. I looked at them as foreign, unknown, and as a potential threat to my cooking confidence. I fear them no longer. As soon as I noticed this amazing transformation, I started to look around my grocery store and see veggies I had never tried before just waiting to be cooked, eaten, and conquered. So I made a deal with myself. I decided that I would try to always buy what is in season, find out the best way to eat it, and well…eat it. If I am feeling frisky I may even try a recipe of my own, but let’s not get too crazy. For a full list of what vegetables are in season when see this site. For my own simplified list of what is in season in Italy, scroll to the bottom of this blog. OK. Onto the first veggie victim.
This month I tackle: The Fava Bean.

First, if I may: a mini-vent. What is it with seasonal veggies and their apparent dislike of being confined to plastic bags?! The fava are as bad as the artichokes! They have destroyed a disproportionate number of plastic bags. None of the other people buying them seemed to mind. This can only mean one thing, either: 1. They are just that good, or 2. I’ve got a real troublemaker on my hands.

For those of you not familiar with the fava or faba bean, also known as the broad bean, it is a springtime veggie. They were one of the main foods in the ancient Mediterranean Civilizations of the Greeks and Romans and were an important source of protein in the Middle Ages. Basically, imagine your average green bean on ‘roids. However, unlike green beans, they are not eaten bean and pod together. They are harvested while they are still young so the pods are still rather thick and tough (and not so yummy). What we’re after are the beans.

Left: using a knife to open the pods; Right: The beans in their pod

The best bet to get the pod open cleanly is slicing up its seam with a sharp knife and exposing the beans all at once. You will see that each pod contains anywhere from 4-8 beans neatly cocooned in an unexpectedly soft mossy bed. If you’re not comfortable with a knife, I have had good success with just using my finger and ripping the pod into bits (like I said, not a chef). However you get it done, pop those beans out and put them aside. You’ll need to go through a lot of pods to get the number of beans to a respectable quantity.

Left: The fava beans once they have been removed from the pods; Right: The beans after being boiled and blanched

The next tricky part (who said eating was easy?) is dealing with the “skin” around the beans themselves. Generally speaking, you don’t eat this part of the bean. Should your fava be extra fresh or should you be a proud southern Italian, you can go ahead and eat them raw with a nice young pecorino to cut the bitterness. Otherwise, parboiling and blanching will be required. Each technique results in a very different but equally delicious final product.

For those that would rather cook the beans, take your bounty-o-beans and throw them in salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then toss them directly into ice water. This will help loosen the skin and prepare for the second labor-intensive part of the meal: de-skin-ing. It sounds harder than it is. Just pinch those little buggers (see photo below) and the two-part inner bean will pop out. Continue until you’ve got enough for a side dish (4lbs of pods should yield about 2 cups of beans). Then comes the “cooking.” Don’t worry. I always pick the simple recipes.
Take the beans and add:

olive oil

salt

pepper

cubed or shaved pecorino cheese
fresh lemon juice or zest (optional)

Mix and serve. Bam. So easy.

Left: Pinching the beans to remove the outer skin; Right: the final result, happiness in a bowl

Full disclosure: I only learned to make this a week ago and I have now made something incorporating fava beans three more times. That is how good they are. The above recipe – an Italian classic – is so easy and yet delicious, salty, savory, and healthy (ahem, depending on how much pecorino you throw in there.) Throw these beans into a salad, on pasta, add salami, or just snack on them alone. They, like artichokes, are well worth the effort.

What is in Season in Italy:

Spring: Fava beans, Carciofi (artichokes), Ciccoria (chickory), Asparagi (asparagus), Rucola (rocket or arugula)

Summer: Zuccini and Fiori di Zucca (zucchini flowers), Melanzane (eggplant), Peperoni (bell peppers)

Fall: Barbabietola (beets), Cavolfiore (cauliflower), Porri (leeks), Castagne (chestnuts)

Winter: Cavolo Nero (cabbage), Finocchio (fennel), Cavolini di Bruxelles (brussel sprouts), Cavolo Riccio (kale), Radicchio Rosso (red chicory)

*Note: some of these fall into multiple seasons

Technorati Tags: Fava Bean, How to cook fava beans, Italian recipe, Recipe, Seasonal Vegetables, What is in Season