The group reunited to take in the Baptistry, Duomo, and the Museo Opera dell'Duomo all in one very jammed afternoon. After standing among the perfectly ordered symmetry of Arnolfo di Cambio's design and gazing upon Michelangelo's second Pieta, a small contingent broke away to scale the immense dome. Having hiked to the top of Saint Paul's in London and chipping away at my long-standing fear of heights, I felt I could deal my phobia another blow by climbing Brunelleschi's design. After countless stairs and too-small doorways, I emerged from the trapdoor to one of the most vast and breathtaking vistas encountered in my lifetime. The whole of Florence was laid bare for the eye to see, and I even managed to make a call home from the lantern to talk to the parents (probably not good for the phone bill, but why not?). Dinner was spent together with the group, where we helped ourselves to bistecca alla fiorentina: huge slabs of steak, cooked rare, and coated with lemon juice and olive oil. Very simple, but oh-so-good.
The next day began with a trip to Santa Maria del Carmine, to look upon Masaccio's Brancacci Chapel. Often called the "Sistine Chapel of the early Renaissance," it is certainly worthy of that moniker. Brilliant hues burst from the frescoed walls, and Masaccio's early mastery of perspective, chiarascuro, and humanism are all on display, and it is easy to see why Masaccio's work is considered the forerunner of Renaissance technique. The Bargello Museum was next on the itinerary, and we beheld the Bologna's bronze Mercury statue, two crowned lions (my favorite pieces in the museum), and the two competing bronze designs from Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the Baptistry doors (Ghiberti won). The major highlight, however, was the recently restored David, by Donatello. An extremely curious piece, it is most famous for its extremely boyish and erotic pose, with one hand on his hip in an extremely effeminate manner. I was happy to view the statue, as it had been on the ground in the restoration cycle when I had last come to the museum. After the museum, we again had lunch free to ourselves, and three of us went to La Maremma, another favorite place of mine from my last visit. We shared plates of Tuscan salami, bruschetta with three different kinds of olive oil, after which we moved onto the pasta. Bucatini with duck sauce, lemon penne with sausage, and risotto with shaved truffle and gorgonzola were enjoyed by all.
Up next was the Uffizi, the mammoth museum packed to the gills with every Renaissance masterpiece imaginable. Everyone makes a beeline for the Botticelli room, and although such an action is certainly warranted, I lingered in the very first room, which contains three massive altar paintings of Madonna and Child, done by Duccio, Cimabue, and Giotto. Made with tempera (egg yolk mixed with pigment), viewers can see three different art styles depicting the same subject within the same room: Cimabue's Byzantine tradition, Duccio's Siennese influence, and Giotto's move towards the early Renaissance.
As our time in Florence drew to a close, we had time to step into Santa Maria Novella, seconds away from the train station. Notable for its Giotto crucifix and immense side chapels, we came for Massacio's Holy Trinity. Located along the left-hand wall, the fresco, like Massacio's work in the Brancacci chapel, demonstrates masterful use and understanding of perspective and foreshortening. The pyramidal form, with God as the pinnacle, is a perfectly ordered work of Renaissance style, and was an excellent cap to the weekend's activities.
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