Yes, David is Naked

When I travel, I often collect magnets from various places. Monet’s Giverny, La Foce Gardens, the Eiffel Tower - all reside on my refrigerator, a constant reminder of wonderful trips.   

One of the magnets, which I brought home from an early trip to Florence, is of the David.

Years ago, I noticed my then 8-year-old grandson staring at it.  “Nana”, he asked, “why do you have a naked man on your fridge?”.   That was a great opportunity to begin a conversation about classical art, the Italian renaissance, a sculptor’s skill in recreating the human body, and the nude as an art form.  My grandson was not buying any of it.  “Well’, he countered, “I just think it’s inappropriate”.   All I could do was laugh.   

On a later trip I purchased a matching game for my even younger grandkids.  Each card had a photo of a famous Tuscan landmark or piece of art.  Included were, I think you can guess this, a photo of the David. Another card had a photo of Morgante the Dwarf, often known as the “Fat Man on the Turtle”, from the Boboli Gardens. Morgante is, of course, naked. This matching game has been a favorite of my grandkids for years.  And yes, the two nudes get lots of giggles, but the kids have learned a lot about art and Tuscany in their search to be the first one to uncover “the naked guy”.  All 4 grandkids have survived the nudity just fine. 

 My grandson’s opinion, as an 8-year-old, was understandable.  But I expect a more sophisticated and open-minded attitude from adults.  I am still scratching my head over the outrage of some parents in Florida over photos of the David used in a 6th grade art class.  Male nudes have been present in classic sculpture since at least the time of the Greeks.  Most people understand the artistic value and the role of important art pieces in education.  And most understand the difference between art and pornography.  But, a few parents in that school did not and wielded an inordinate amount of influence, leading to the principal resigning.

The much discussed and analyzed hand of David.

David during the fig leaf years (public domain photo)

Granted, Floridians are not the only ones to be a bit bothered by David’s nudity.  Some long-ago residents of Florence also objected, and after the statue’s completion Michelangelo was asked to cover the genitals with leaves.  Those were later removed, restoring the statue to Michelangelo’s original vision. It has remained thus ever since.  A replica of the David in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London was covered in a fig leaf whenever Queen Victoria visited.  Apparently, the Queen was outraged.  One wonders if Albert was asked to sport a fig leaf when visiting the Queen’s chamber.

 Still, I was saddened to see a principal lose her job over the inclusion of the biblical David in a class.  But I was delighted when the city of Florence brought that school principal to Florence to see the statue in person. How great was that?

This reproduction stands in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, where the original statue was displayed before being moved to the Accademia Gallery.

I am happy to say that as my grandson has grown so has his appreciation for this magnificent work of art. When he visited me in Italy for the first time several years ago, along with his sister and their mother (my daughter), I took them all to Florence to the Academia Gallery where the David commands an entire room. 

We walked around him, noting the unique size of his…. hands. We marveled at the muscles in his legs and his 6-pack abs. In the end both of my grandkids found that the David was so amazing that they hardly noticed he was naked! 

David is, of course, not the only naked statue in Florence.  There are many nudes, partial nudes, and exposed breasts in Italian sculpture.  Many of the fountains in Italy are anchored by nudes, including the Fountain of Neptune in Florence (below).

Fountain of Neptune, Florence

And not all the nudes are male. There are some beautiful female nudes to be found. Here are a few of my favorites from the Accademia Gallery in Florence, the Neptune Fountain in Bologna, and a modern piece in the Museo del Bozzetti in Pietrasanta. I hope you find all of these sculptures as beautiful as I do.

Ravenna Part Two: Basilica di San Vitale and the Galla Placidia Mausoleum

This week, more about Ravenna and another two of the city’s important historical sites. One is quite small and the other much larger.

First, the smaller of the two, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Galla Placidia, born around 390 AD, was the daughter of a Roman Emperor (Theodosius I) and wife to both Ataulf, king of the Visigoths, and the Roman Emperor Constantius III. She was also the mother of an emperor. She was powerful in her own right, playing a major role in Roman life and politics. Her contributions to society included construction and restoration of churches, including the mausoleum named for her in Ravenna. Although it is called a mausoleum, the building was used as a chapel and it is not Galla Placidia’s final resting place.

The mausoleum is small and intimate, constructed in the shape of a cross. Plain on the outside, it is stunningly beautiful inside - full of mosaics in dazzling blues and greens, touches of red, and white robed prophets. All of the upper portions of the interior, including the dome, the vaults, and the arches, are filled with brilliant detail and symbolism. There are starry skies, flowers and vines, animals, and a host of religious figures.

So much beauty in such a small space is breathtaking. The intimate size is welcoming and It feels a bit like a spiritual hug.

Detail of one of the lunettes, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

I didn’t imagine anything could compare, and yet, just across the grassy field, lies the Basilica of San Vitale…..

The Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna

The much larger Basilica of San Vitale is different - less intimate, the building more angular outside with more distinct spaces inside. With decoration that goes from floor to ceiling it is hard to know where to look first.

Interior, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna

The mosaics are somehow less soft and more crisp, the imagery more clear. Where the Galla Placidia enchants you in to a mystic spirituality the San Vito demands you step up and take note.

Is one more beautiful than the other? Absolutely not, the Basilica is just as amazing but in a different way.

The Basilica’s website says that “getting out of San Vitale is not getting out of a church, is like being torn from a mother’s womb. You have to close your eyes because the light blinds (even if it’s not sunny), the voices deafen (even if people are not there), the world pushes and impacts”. I cannot argue. Stepping inside is to be transported to another world and on leaving it is quite a shock to discover the same old cacophonous world outside. It is that beautiful and enveloping.

The exterior of the Basilica is octagonal, unusual for a basilica, with buttresses. Inside there are huge columns, a central dome, two stories filled with arches and smaller columns (with some of the arches with painted ceilings rather than mosaics), and several alcoves. Pale translucent windows filter the light. Mosaic floors (detail below) are filled with pattern and muted color.

And the mosaics! The dominant color here is a soft green, with plenty of gold too. And almost every surface is decorated in mosaic scenes, even the arched entrances into each alcove. Bible scenes, saints, angels and apostles are everywhere.

With all of the mosaic filled churches in Ravenna, it is impressive that each has its own character and beauty. I couldn’t begin to choose a favorite among them. Put them all together and it is easy to see why Ravenna is filled with UNESCO World Heritage sites. What a treasure!

Ravenna (Part One)

In 25 years of travels in Italy, how did I miss Ravenna?  My first visit came just last month when I spent a few days there with two friends at the end of our trip on the Treno di Dante (Dante’s Train). While a short visit wasn’t enough time to explore everything Ravenna has to offer, I was able to stand in wonder before the mosaics for which the city is famous, visit Dante’s tomb, and soak in the special atmosphere of this city on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

The tomb of Dante Alighieri in Ravenna

 Living in the Medieval city of Lucca, I thought I had a real appreciation for all things “old”.  But while Lucca brings to mind the 1400’s, Ravenna evokes an era nearly 1000 years before that.  Many of the buildings, with their Byzantine mosaic decorations, date from the 5th century, after the fall of Rome and at the very beginning of the middle ages.  By the time Dante arrived in the city, in 1321, the mosaics were already ancient and provided inspiration for his poetry. 

 It would be easy to be overwhelmed by the number of historic and art filled spaces in Ravenna, so it is important to not try to see them all in one day, or even one visit.  Our first afternoon was spent mostly wandering through town and getting a feel for the city. We also made a stop at Dante’s tomb.

The Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna

The next two days were devoted to viewing mosaic filled buildings: churches, a baptistery, a museum, and two mausoleum / small chapels. A couple of gardens provided a refreshing break between historic sights and a chance to see another side of Ravenna.

 Our first stop was the Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, built near the beginning of the 6th century as a chapel for King Theodoric.  It has had some restoration and remodels over the years along with several name changes. The current name comes from the fact that the church contains relics from Saint Apollinare and it is the newer of two Sant’Apollinare Basilicas in town (the other is Sant’Apollinare in Classe, a bit outside of the city center). The exterior is plain brick but oh, the interior!  The whole room seems infused with color, especially gold. The basilica provided the first of many WOW moments in Ravenna.

The church has a long, tall central nave, with columns supporting arches along both sides (top photo).  Above the arches are three levels of mosaics, small ones at the top and larger ones in the middle and bottom rows.  Depicted are events from the New Testament along with a parade of saints, martyrs, wise men, and virgins.  There are also scenes of miracles and of the Ravenna of more than 1000 years ago.  I doubt that photos can do justice to the mosaics, but here are a few of the scenes that entranced me.

 From the large basilica we headed to the small Battistero Neoniano (Neonian Baptistery, entry ticket and reservation required). This is one of the oldest sites in Ravenna, built early in the 5th century when Ravenna was the seat of the Western Roman Empire.  Like many baptisteries, it is octagonal in shape and contains a large marble baptismal font. 

Central mosaic, Battistero Neoniano, Ravenna

The central dome has a mosaic image of the baptism of Christ – one of the earliest known images of this type.  Moving out from that central image is a mosaic parade of the 12 apostles.  Around the dome’s edges are a series of alternating thrones and altars. The dominant color here is a vibrant blue, although there is still plenty of gold. The walls below the dome also have beautiful decorations with marble carvings and intricate mosaic work. The detail and color fill the small space and feel like a genuine miracle.

Bishop’s chair, Museo e Cappella Arcivescovile, Ravenna

In the Museo e Cappella Arcivescovile (Bishop’s Museum and Chapel) there are many interesting things to see, including fragments of mosaics from an ancient destroyed church and an intricately carved bishop’s chair (almost a throne really).

The most compelling feature is the tiny chapel, built for the private worship of a long ago Bishop, which is set inside the museum.

The entry mosaics are colorful and depict Ravenna’s aquatic birds The apse is topped by a starry heaven. The small space is intimate and welcoming.

Cappella Arcivescovile, Ravenna

Just as trying to see all of Ravenna’s important sights in one day can be overwhelming, so can reading about them. Look for more about Ravenna including the Basilica di San Vitale and the Galla Placidia Mausoleum in the coming weeks.

An Artist In Tuscany

Flowers are often a focus of Kat’s work. Bright reds, yellows, purples, and shades of green - all stunning.

Could there be a more perfect place for an artist to live than Tuscany ?  The light is magnificent, the sky a special shade of blue.  The green hills shimmer and flowers appear in waves of color.  There is something in the very air of Tuscany that inspires.  All these magical Tuscan qualities come to life in the brushstrokes on canvas of artist Katerina (Kat) Ring. 

 Originally from California, Kat has lived and studied in many places. All of them have influenced her art – from Coronado Island, to Europe and even a decade of living in Zambia where she was inspired by African wildlife and vistas.  

 Today, Kat lives just outside the Tuscan town of Lucca where she paints local scenes, landscapes, flowers spilling from windows or blooming in fields, and slices of everyday Tuscan life. 

Of course there is Italian magic well beyond the borders of Tuscany, and so Kat often ventures to other areas of Italy, especially to the seaside, capturing the essence of these places in paint.

Lerici, on the Bay of Poets, captured in an oil painting.

 Painting mostly in oils, Kat is an artist “en plein air” – which means you are likely to find her easel set up alongside a rustic building, a sparking bay filled with boats, a field of flowers, an old bridge, or a pretty street.  And she is sure to stop for a field of sunflowers or a tree heavy with ripe figs.  

Kat describes her style like this: She prefers painting-in-place and capturing the sights, scents, light, and feel of a place. Her paintings do not strive to be photographic snapshots. Rather her scenes unfold as she perceives them - the periphery abstract, adding to the total picture but a bit out of focus. Moving toward the central image things become more clear, less abstract, more impressionistic. Finally, there is clarity and detail towards the center as the eye focuses on an object or group of objects.

Windows are always fascinating and this one is captured perfectly.

 Kat’s paintings are compelling for anyone who loves Italy – the use of color, the gorgeous flowers, the windows, the countryside, the sea. They transport the viewer directly into the heart of Italy.  To see more examples of Kat’s work, her portfolio can be found at www.katring.com and on Facebook.

This Tuscan landscape by Kat Ring hangs in my apartment in Italy. It evokes everything I love about the Tuscan countryside

The gallery is open from Sept 1 - Oct 16, lots of lovely works to see.

If you happen to be in Lucca this fall, you’ll find Kat’s “pop up gallery” at the north end of Via Fillungo, near the medieval Porta dei Borghi gate, from September 1st through October 22nd.  Her recent works are on display and she is on hand for questions about the places and scenes in the paintings.

 Contact info: 

Instagram: katringpaints

Website: www. katring.com 

Email: ringkat2@gmail.com

 All images used with permission.

And Then Came Giotto

I am not an art historian; far from it.  I don’t even claim to be a serious student of art.  And yet, it is impossible to live in Italy and not develop a profound appreciation for art. There are museums full of ancient art – Etruscan and Roman – displaying artifacts from those eras, from tiny jewelry pieces to funeral urns, mosaics, and classic statuary.  And though there were also Roman painters, the examples that have survived are relatively few.  In contrast, paintings from the late Medieval (Middle Age) and Renaissance periods fill Italian churches and museums.  The differences between the two eras can be appreciated by even an untrained observer like myself.

Madonna and Child ca. 1300 artist: Duccio. (photo from Wikimedia Commons Public Domain). An example of painting from the Medieval era.

Prior to the Renaissance, Medieval paintings were characterized by religious subjects, often a single figure filling the center of a painting.  The figures were flat and the faces often expressionless.  The human form was not natural looking or sensuous.  These were icons, not neighbors.

Backgrounds and perspective were not very important components of medieval painting.  And all that gold!  Gold shows up everywhere in Italian art of the middle ages.  In backgrounds, in halos, in elaborate detailing.  Imagine how that gold appeared – as the richness of God, the divine light – and also, perhaps, an symbol of the wealth of the patron or church who commissioned the work.

In contrast, paintings from the Renaissance era (1400 – 1600 AD) make wonderful use of perspective and often place subjects in natural settings.  The figures are realistic, their human-ness evident.  The clothing drapes and swirls, the faces show a full range of emotions.  The subjects are still largely religious, though portraits were also painted, usually for wealthy patrons (think of Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, painted in 1503).  The names of Renaissance artists are familiar: Donatello, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael being perhaps the most widely known artists from the 1400’s.

An unfinished Da Vinci portrait painted between 1500 - 1505. La Scapigliata (the word scapigliata refers to her disheveled hair) hangs in the National Museum in Parma, Italy. The difference between this Renaissance painting and earlier Medieval ones is pretty clear!

And in between the two periods, the Medieval and the Renaissance, came Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337). Giotto was that rare artist who was appreciated, even famous, during his lifetime. He even merited a mention by his contemporary Dante in The Divine Comedy. 

 Giotto revolutionized Italian art, creating life-like figures and placing them in more natural settings. Giotto’s figures show a full range of emotions through their facial expressions. No flat, lifeless saints and madonnas here!   Giotto’s scenes are populated by people who look like the neighbors down the street (at least what the neighbors would have looked like in 1300).  His men are placed in realistic poses and settings, his ladies have (gasp!) breasts over which their garments drape. His angels fly, his flames flicker.  And while the saints still have halos of gold, their clothing is colorful and the background is the most heavenly blue. 

Panel # 34. Weeping over the Body of Christ. Scovegni Chapel.

Sadly, much of Giotto’s work has been destroyed, by time and by fire.  Of the works that remain, the Scrovegni Chapel in Padova is Giotto’s capolavoro (masterpiece). A chance to see the frescoes there was the main reason for my trip to Padova last fall. The church is small and intimate, built as a private chapel for the Scrovegni Family.  The frescoes are in wonderful condition, the figures beautiful, and the colors spectacular.

Panel #35. The Resurrection

The frescoes wrap around the chapel, in a three-tiered series of panels, telling stories from the life of Joachim and Anne, Mary, and Christ. The scenes are full of life, there is movement and emotion, the figures pull you in to their story. Through it all Giotto proves to be not just an accomplished artist but a master storyteller as well.

Panels #8 (Presentation of the Virgin), 21 (Baptism of Jesus), and 33 Crucifixion (top to bottom)

The far end of the chapel has the largest scene - the Last Judgement. It is stunning in both its beauty and its brutality. 

To the left, heaven. To the right, a hell that is terrifying!

 Look closely and you will find Enrico Scrovegni, offering up the chapel in atonement for the sin of usary (the Scrovegni family were money lenders). This is no doubt an attempt to avoid Giotto’s graphic depiction of hell.

 Aside from bible tales, the allegories of Virtues and Vices are fascinating. Simplistic in design and color compared with the rest of the frescoes, without much adornment, the contrasting figures are as relevant and thought-provoking today as when painted in the early 1300’s.  Pictured below (left to right): Hope, Envy, Justice, Despair.

The Scrovegni chapel is simply astonishing (my photos can’t capture its majesty).  One does not have to be an art historian, a religious scholar, or even a believer, to appreciate Giotto’s artistic brilliance and the power of these frescoes.  And for anyone with an interest in art, or simply in beauty, the Scrovegni Chapel in Padova is an experience not to be missed.

Detail from panel #33. The Crucifixion

 Even the smallest decorations - such as these quatrefoils - have incredible detail and depth. I could spend hours here looking at everything from the largest scene to the smallest detail. I think I’ll need to go back to Padova before too long.

Note: The Scrovegni Chapel is open to the public with advanced reservation tickets only. Before entering the chapel itself there is a short video (with subtitles in English) which gives a good history of the chapel. Admission is limited to about 25 people at a time with a time limit in the chapel of 15 minutes per group. A short time, but well worth it and sufficient to see this small space (especially after some pre-visit reading).