Blog posts 1 & 2

 This is a picture I took yesterday that just shows that the front is a whole piece of art added to this building.

 This picture does not give justice to the front of the Duomo, but it does show how massive it is.  The entirety of the Duomo, seemed almost impossible to frame well, because of it's enormity. 

 This mural is impossible not to see when facing the Duomo.  It seems to be placed perfectly as to remind it's guests that they are entering the house of God.  

  Although I can admire art from the Renaissance era visually, I could not tell you the difference between a Donatello, and a Da Vinci (excluding the Mona Lisa).  Because the focus of this course is mainly on Renaissance art, I think that by the time we leave Florence, I will have a better understanding of paintings, and the styles in which they were painted.  My understanding of the Renaissance is that God was the main point in the people of the city's eyes, but they were finally living to live and not to die.  People too
    Before coming to Florence, I did not really know much about Florence’s art history, other than the existence of some of the monuments, and buildings.  Santa Croce for example, I had seen it in pictures, and videos, but I never knew the façade was not built until the 19^th century until Christina mentioned it during our tour.    Upon seeing the façade of Santa Croce, I was completely mesmerized.  The height and the detail of every square foot were impeccable. 

Seeing the Duomo yesterday  was even more of an incredible experience.  The detail that covers this mass of a building on every corner and every wall is almost intimidating.  It seems like the effort to build a building so beautiful for religion would never be made today.




Blog Enrty #2 Giorgio Vasari

     Vasari was a man of wisdom when it came to art.  He understood they meaning behind the different artists' styles within their different works of art.  Vasari, a lover of Florentine art, and artists, wrote quite a bit on Donatello.  One caption I noticed was about the Annunciation in which Donatello sculpted in Santa Croce.  Vasari states that this is what earned Donatello a name in Florence, as a sculptor.  Vasari seemed to really appreciate Donatello, as it is stated in Lives of the Artists, that "his works possessed so much grace and excellence...".  While in this city of art, I would like to go into the church of Santa Croce to see this “grotesque” style sculpture by Donatello. 

    Giorgio Vasari’s book has been something that for years, people could study, and learn real facts about artists during the Renaissance.  Lives of the Artists has been a way for art historians to learn about the way the people who created some of the most fascinating paintings, and monuments lived and worked.  Vasari’s movement throughout Italy and his own talent when it comes to art really gave him a sense about the importance of the Renaissance, or rebirth of the Italian people.  His talent, when it comes to art was clearly recognized by Pope Pius V, who invited Giorgio to decorate chapels throughout Rome.  Vasari lived a life full of art, and artists that when he died working on frescos, I believe he died with a satisfaction of the work he did, and the satisfaction that he recorded facts about the other artists he socialized with.     

Thanks to Sandra Haynes of Pasadena, I was able to put a picture with my brief caption about Donatello's famous Annunciation that is home to Santa Croce church, of Florence, Italy.