I write to you as an entirely ignorant visitor of the area that I thought was called Alto-Adige but apparently the locals prefer to call it Sudtirol. The difference is discreet: it’s either north Italy, or south Austria. I knew that this was a special “protected” region and I knew that they had two official languages - German and Italian - but I thought that was just an official thing, just highway signs, like in Canada where nobody really speaks French. Well I was wrong.

Sudtirol is a totally different Italy. Different from all the places I have been, and I’ve been to just about every region except Abruzzo and Molise, Piedmonte, and Sardinia. Just four hours drive from Florence I landed in an area in which architecture, worship, language, food, and apparent habits seem to have rather little in common with all that I associate with Italy. I cannot say that I was there for long enough, nor that I read enough about it, to write much from an art-historical standpoint, but I can say that I had a wonderful time and that this remains, for me, an area worth exploring.

First off, my husband and I decided to step back in time (to when we were young and sporty) and attempt snowboarding. We found Plose to be a pleasant little hill just right for intermediate skiers and not too crowded (on a Friday). Rentals were good quality (Burton snowboards and boots) and reasonably priced, though lift tickets were a bit high at 35 euros. We quickly found ourselves to be not very fit, and although I was thrilled to still be able to get down the hill without falling, so we soon retired to the quaintly decorated lodge where we enjoyed streudel and tea (me), and unfiltered beer (him) at totally acceptable prices.

Just a few hours of snowboarding can take a lot out of you so it’s a good thing we had good company and an organized leader who proposed things like a snowshoe walk up the mountain or an evening hike, dinner, and sledding down the mountain (in the dark). If sledding in the dark is not your thing, you can also sled during the day on the 10 kilometers of runs for this purpose.

In the end, we decided against further sports and headed to Bressanone, as it’s known in Italian, or Brixen, its local name. Founded in 901, this is a supremely cute town that looks entirely Germanic to me. We took in the pedestrian area with its coloured houses and lovely open square upon which the cathedral and city hall (rathaus) face. The cathedral has 10th-century origins but its current form dates from 1745 under the patronage of the prince-bishop Kaspar Ignaz von Kunigl, and it’s highly Baroque, yet quite attractive. It has a wonderful organ with 3335 tubes and an important choir (70 members), which would be great to hear perform together - unfortunately there were no concerts planned during our visit. While in Brixen, it’s worth it to go into the Sportler store - a big multi-sport store similar to REI in the USA - and go up to the top floor, where there is a panoramic terrace from which you can see the whole town and the mountains that encircle it.

Even closer to “home”, St. Andrea is the mountain town just before you get to the ski lift, and it has a lovely little country church and graveyard.

Next to the church is a 16th-century chapel dedicated to Mary that is almost as big as the church. This was the only Marian devotion that I noticed in the area. While here in Florence there are tabernacles on street corners, often images of Mary, in this mountain area they seem to be more devoted to Christ, and they mark homes or streets with crucifixes protected by wooden structures that reflect the steep roofs of their own houses.

Perhaps the best part of this relaxing weekend was the agriturismo in which we stayed. The Jocher family were our hosts at Frötscherhof, a recently restored typical farm house (a type of building called “maso”). We arrived by night, so you can imagine my pleasure when I woke up the next morning to find myself surrounded by mountains that I could see from my bed. This is a real working farm with cows for milk, a pony (for kids?), a few goats, rabbits, chickens, cats and dogs, and all. We enjoyed fresh milk, eggs, and yogurt made by the owners, as well as the jam and fruit syrups they produce (which I’d already tasted thanks to De Gustibus).

Many of the elements of this agriturismo seem to be typical of the area. The family “maso” is 100 years old and recently restored to the standards of bio-architecture. If you take a look around the mountain, in fact, you’ll see a lot of solar panels, and there were panels on this home too. Walls are thick and homes are built to keep in the heat, which was plentiful (and it was a few degrees below zero outside). Inside, everything is custom-built using local woods. It’s simple and earthy yet nothing was missing, not even in the well-equipped kitchen (that had a dishwasher!). Under the sink I found a complete recycling bucket system that made sorting our garbage fun: in this area recycling and respect for nature is just their way of life - as it should be everywhere. This place must be paradise in the summer, especially for families with children who are encouraged to participate in farm life. There is a very friendly pony on-site and a few goats that all come running when you head over to their shed for a visit.

On the way back to Florence we stopped in Rovereto to visit the MART museum - but that’s a story for another post!

The setting is the Savoia family’s summer residence. On Saturday night, the current royal couple will preside over the Debutante ball, at which, in a fit of retrograde social activity, 20 young ladies will debut on the arms of military cadets. Plebes may reserve a spot at the ball for 150 euro per couple (black tie for men AND long dress required for the ladies).

At the BIT tourism fair in Milano this weekend I saw a preview of this show with flower arrangements by some of the participating artists, and it was SO beautiful! I really wished I could have taken some home.

EVENT INFO:
location: Citroniaia of Reggia di Venaria (Torino)
when: March 12-15 2010
Cost: 6 euros regular ticket.

As you surely know, Prato is a major producer of cloth, and has an new textile museum. It also has an important Duomo (see photo) that holds the relic of the virgin’s belt, which is brought out in a public ritual five times a year - arttrav was there last summer to record it for you. There’s plenty to see for a day of great shopping and art - read more about prato on arttrav here.

The list is available in this pdf pamphlet or online on the Prato tourism site, click where to shop and select shopping in factory.

Profiles of the bases of columns for the Laurentian Library, British Museum

Michelangelo: Anatomy as Architecture consists of drawings, archival pages, and engravings on loan from the finest collection of Michelangelo drawings and the ancestral home, the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, Italy.  The exhibition explores new research in Michelangelo architectural studies, includes digital reconstructions of buildings never before believed to be influenced by Michelangelo, and lectures by world-renowned scholars on Michelangelo.

The Muscarelle Museum of Art at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg VA will be the only U.S. venue for Michelangelo’s treasured drawings!

From: February 6, 2010 to April 11, 2010.
website

Deaphoto is a local photography association that I met thanks to Barcamp at Le Murate. They specialize in photographic exploration of the changing urban landscape of the city of Florence. Related to this project, in the exhibit “Sguardi Quotidiani”, six artists show personal reactions to civic or private spaces.

Sabrina Ingrassia looks at the Ponte all’Indiano 30 years after its construction (if you’ve never taken this bridge, you almost have to try it - it seems to go on forever). Sara Severini explores the new world of the screen (TV or computer) inside the home that is the newest location of socialization, and I can truly and sadly relate to that. And Pellegrino Bonito contrasts the new pedestrian area near the Duomo, full of tourists and shoppers, with deserted nighttime scenes of Firenze Nova, a not-too-distant suburb (see photo).

This exhibit takes place walking distance from my house in a space I didn’t know existed. It looks really interesting and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a look.

20 Febbraio - 20 Marzo 2010
SITE SPECIFIC a cura di Serena Fanara
EXFILA - Connessioni Metroplitane
Via M. Leto Casini, 11 - FIRENZE / dal Martedì al Sabato ore 21-02
Ingresso Riservato ai Soci Arci - myspace.com/site.specific - www.exfila.it
Opening party: Sabato 20 Febbraio ore 22

I am against the purchase of cookie-cutter, made in china or otherwise imported souvenirs. Please, if you’re going to bring someone a gift from Florence, buy something truly local. This way you support local artisans and economy.

Here’s a list of the top 5 gifts made by Florentine companies and manufactured here or nearby, from cheap to pricey.

2.75 euro: Marvis toothpaste (dentifricio): great retro packaging and tube are a swanky must-have in any hipster’s bathroom - made in via Pisana, available at most supermarkets.

3-4 euro: Chiaverini jam - Many flavours come in their classic packaging: a neat aluminum/ tetrapak  jam jar that is light and resists packing in a suitcase (use a plastic bag just to be sure); some flavours also available in an aluminum tube with a beautiful label or just normal glass jars. Made in Florence since 1928 in via Locatelli (Romito area), available at any supermarket.

8 euro and up: soap and other smelly products from Officina Profumo (Farmacia) Santa Maria Novella, via della Scala. This historic pharmacy has been in continuous operation since the 14th century, annexed to the Dominican convent of the same name. They no longer sell cures, just perfumed items. It’s a strong smelling place that is worth going to see (and smell), as it also has some historic shelving, maiolica, and scientific objects on display. Everything is pricey but the place is so famous, bringing back an 8 euro bar of soap is a great fit - it comes with nice packaging and information about the store, and you can tell the recipient the story of your visit, which is sure to be an experience worth recounting.

Hand-sewn book from Abacus

12 euro or more: handmade leather-bound book from Abacus - they’re a family-run business known for their leather-bound books, as it is run by a couple who mainly does restoration of antique volumes. Their paper items are really authentic and not tourist-priced. Via Ginori 30R. If they’re not in the store, they may be at the bindery next door.

600 euros more or less: Gucci handbag (or anything else) - Gucci’s corporate headquarters are still in Florence, and their leather goods are all designed and hand-made in Italy.

I’m sure I’ve missed a lot here - can you think of other gifts from Florence? (But not from Prato - cantucci - or the rest of Tuscany, just truly Florentine companies!)

Roberto Capucci, Evening Dress 1989 - Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Roma

A Question of Style: From the 14th of January at the Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation at Villa Bardini, an exhibit of 23 dresses by the Italian designer. The exhibition explores the relationship between material and design in Roberto Capucci’s research, focussing on the imprint and style that he applies to design. As he also believes strongly in creating a dialogue with young designers, a number of seminars will accompany the exhibit.

The dresses by Capucci tend to be crafted in brightly coloured taffettas and heavy silks, have strong shapes, and be (to my eye) influenced by Japanese kimonos.

Villa Bardini is also worth the visit, as it sits on the hills above Florence (on Costa San Giorgio, a rather wealthy street) and has vistable gardens.

On now - and no end date specified!

Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation
Villa Bardini - Costa San Giorgio 2 - Florence.

Info and bookings: 055 20066210
www.fondazionerobertocapucci.com

The Museum:
Opening hours: 10am–4pm from Wednesday to Friday
Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm.
Admission: € 6

Design Library, Milano

Lately I’ve noticed a trend that I like very much: the bookshop/library, contemporary design, cafe/restaurant. I mean really, this combines everything I love best! This week I had the fortune of finding two examples of these polyfunctional spaces, and I expect that more will open soon.

MILANO: Design Library (Via Savona 11)

This is actually a library (not a bookstore), with a 20 euro library card and a reading room with books entirely dedicated to design. There’s an area near the door with couches and magazines that appears to be open to everyone. It’s also a luminous modern cafe’ with a nice lunch menu. It’s sufficiently quiet in the restaurant to have a proper business lunch here. I had the salad bar, which has a good variety of boiled vegetables.

121 Temporary Bookshop

Backed by corporate sponsors and with a branch open in Shanghai since 2007, this place is clearly a success. Open since 2006, its aim is to promote Italian design in the world. They have a serious list of weekly conferences and debates printed on a sleek flyer, featuring designers who will speak of things like sustainability, projecting, communication and the like. Well, this is Milan, so they have enough designers and interested public to pull this off.

In case you get sad cuz you could only read but not buy books, fear not: Just down the street at no. 121 there’s “121 Temporary bookshop” until March 18 2010 by Edizioni Corraini, with a mouth-watering selection of art books and toys.

Florence: Libreria Brac (via dei Vagellai, 18r)

Libreria Brac, Firenze (Florence)

We’re always a few years behind Milan but Libreria Brac is helping Florence catch up on the contemporary scene. Open only 5 months ago, Brac has a more difficult crowd to overcome (think Staid Florentines), but their central-yet-hidden position, their charm and good food will hopefully ensure their survival.

Brac sells contemporary art books and has a very homey cafe’ area divided in two by a pleasant courtyard. They have events and art shows announced on their website. And best of all, the kitchen provides vegetarian OR vegan food!

Not only am I going to officially start hanging out here cuz I like it, but I hope to organize an event that will include an aperitivo here in the Spring, so stay tuned!

Hopefully forthcoming in Florence…

Now for speculation… At Le Murate, the new center for the contemporary (life and arts) in Florence, the local government has put out a call for applications for an association wishing to create a “cafe’ filosofico o letterario” - a literary or philosophical cafe. What might a place like this look like? And what will be its cultural offering? We’ll have to wait until this summer to find out… but I’ll be the first to let you know when it happens.

Con Dante, Per Dante
Conferenze e letture
Il ciclo di conferenze si terrà alle ore 16.30 nella
Sala Francesco Mazzoni del Palagio dell’Arte della Lana (Firenze) con il seguente calendario:

Giovedì 4 febbraio 2010
Domenico Cofano: Dante, “poeta dei teologi, teologo dei poeti”

Giovedì 11 febbraio 2010
Bortolo Martinelli: “Il triunfo che lude” (Pd. XXX, 10). Figuralità e figuratività del Paradiso dantesco

Giovedì 18 febbraio 2010
Gabriele Muresu
Con gli increduli della città di Dite (Inferno X)

Giovedì 25 febbraio 2010
Amedeo Marinotti: Poesia e filosofia nell’ermeneutica dantesca

Giovedì 4 marzo 2010
Massimiliano Chiamenti: “Da mia natura trasmutabile son per tutte guise”: la Divina Commedia e il cinematografo

Giovedì 11 marzo 2010
Umberto Carpi: Un inferno guelfo

Giovedì 18 marzo 2010
Marino Rosso: Dante e la teoria dell’amore

All I can say to this is UGH! Having gotten over my initial disgust I’d like to provide a small rebuttal. Dear Professor Franco, I don’t go around diagnosing corpses with illnesses so why are you diagnosing paintings? The CONTEXT of artistic production is essential to our understanding of works. If we know something of the artist in question, we can evaluate visual diagnosis of pathology.

For example, art historian Jonathan Nelson and a friend of his who is an oncologist (Stark) published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine back in 2000 about the breasts of Michelangelo’s Night whom they observed have all the evidence an advanced case of breast cancer. Nelson knows a little something about Michelangelo and about this period of art history (he teaches High Renaissance at Syracuse University in Florence and has published on Michelangelo, Filippino Lippi, and Botticelli). While the oncologist diagnosed the breast cancer, Nelson was able to back up this diagnosis information with what we know about Michelangelo as an anatomist - that he dissected corpses and could have had access to an old woman with this condition. With this article and also through later works, Nelson has disproved the old criticism that Michelangelo never saw a naked woman (since he was apparently homosexual), a really preposterous comment that has made its way into a lot of art history books.

Back to Dr. Vito now. I’d love to know what evidence allows him to give the poor baby Sleeping Cupid at the Pitti rheumatoid arthritis, although my diagnosis of said Cupid by Caravaggio is worse: he’s dead. I argued this in a paper about 10 years ago - the baby’s bloated with rigor mortis and he’s got a greenish hue. My diagnosis is as ridiculous as Dr. Vito’s except one thing: we know that Caravaggio got in trouble once before by basing a major figure in a painting on a corpse (the Death of the Virgin for Santa Maria della Scala in Rome was refused by its patrons for this reason) . We need art historical precedence before iconodiagnostics.

Piero's Madonna del Parto: do you see a lump on her neck? I don't.

Similarly, consider Piero della Francesca’s Madonna del Parto. A lump on her neck diagnoses her with a thyroid disease. But what of Piero’s creative process? We all know that Piero’s figures are highly idealized and that he uses the same figural and facial types across his works - he was not an anatomist (if you think his people are funny, you should see his horses). The same female figure appears in the chapel of the Holy Cross in Arezzo - is this one model with a thyroid problem or one idealized female and some problems with shading? What might look like a lump to one person - and I don’t see it - could easily be the result of the tragic history of this fresco that has had to be removed from the wall upon which it was originally painted since the building no longer exists; the practise of fresco removal may cause the loss of detail and make close analysis of the painting impossible.

For each of these works of Renaissance art, a medical diagnosis needs to be backed up with a thorough study of the artist’s practise, style, and other social-historical elements.

Cenacolo di San Salvi, Andrea del Sarto

I have been tagged in the “My 3 best kept travel secrets game” that Katie from Tripbase started. Not only am I thrilled to have been chosen to contribute secrets, I’m happy that this has led me to read some more great travel blogs, including eXplorer written by Simon Falvo (@1step2theleft on twitter) who tagged me!

I have taken ages to think of what to share. Arttrav writes about art, so I figure it should be art secrets, and I know Florence best… But are there really secrets left to share about Florence? Maybe not too many, but there are still a few things off the beaten track, and best of all, my three chosen secrets are also free things to do in Florence!

1) Convent of San Salvi and Last Supper by Andrea del Sarto

It’s free to enter this silent, deserted museum in a residential area of Florence, just beyond the hustle and bustle of the ring roads. Inside you’ll have the opportunity to sit still and quietly confront a major masterpiece of Mannerist painting: Andrea del Sarto’s Last Supper. This fresco is in the refectory of the ex-convent which has recently been restored. The adjacent museum displays lesser - but still important - works by artists who were Andrea del Sarto’s contemporaries. Complete your visit with this San Salvi itinerary with map.

2) Bartolini-Salimbeni family Chapel at Church of Santa Trinità

Bartolini Salimbeni chapel

The church of Santa Trinità is already somewhat unknown to tourists, and I highly recommend that you go there. But inside there is a pretty famous chapel that belonged to the Tornabuoni family; it’s painted by Ghirlandaio in the late 15th century and it’s in great condition. So go see that… but then take the time to also see the Bartolini-Salimbeni chapel, at which nobody bothers to look. Why?

This chapel was frescoed by Lorenzo Monaco around 1423 (stories of the Life of the Virgin) and on the altar is an absolutely beautiful Annunciation, the kind that takes your breath away. The curly-cue robes, the gold, the patterning, the people that are bigger than the buildings that contain them… these are all hallmarks of the International Gothic style in art. This chapel is a holdout for this style at the very same moment (ok, a year before) that Masaccio is busy painting the Brancacci chapel across town in an entirely new style: Renaissance. Take a look around the rest of the chapels; they all have important Quattrocento altarpieces.

(I apologize for the photo - it’s not so easy to photograph due to the light, but wikimedia commons has a few decent details).

3) Tabernacles

This is not just one place, but rather something to look out for. There is a popular Italian tradition of placing Madonnas on street corners or on the sides of buildings. Almost each block had one (there are about 1200 on 3000 streets surveyed in Florence); she looked out for its residents. While tabernacles are found in the whole country, Florence’s great devotion to the Virgin Mary makes it particularly rich in this medium. The tradition began in the 13th century though most of the ones you will see come from the 15th or 16th centuries. Some look a little earlier but are only so because they are often a bit stylistically retrograde due to their iconic function.

Tabernacolo delle Fonticine, Della Robbia. Photo: wikimedia commons

One of the most impressive tabernacles of Florence is the huge polychrome maiolica fountain (named “le Fonticine“) on Via Nazionale by the Della Robbia family (1522). It looks a whole lot better in person than in the photo as it has recently been cleaned. Below the colourful Madonna and saints, a row of putti spit out water. The Madonna inside Orsanmichele was initially an outdoor tabernacle resident, but as she worked miracles, she got an upgrade. Most street corners host smaller and less artistically significant icons, ravaged by elements and time. Had they been preserved inside museums they might look quite different now. This is a reminder of the everyday function of religious art in Italy; the condition of these works is a natural part of the process.

My grandfather-in-law gave me an old book that he bought in weekly issues: I tabernacoli di Firenze (part of the Strade di Firenze series - see cover scan below). I see this book occasionally in bookstores in the later bound version that was issued in the 80s; if you’re interested in tabernacles this is the most comprehensive guide ever.

Tag - you’re it

Now it’s my turn to tag up to 5 bloggers who have not yet been tagged in this game. They are not all travel bloggers per se, but I know they have secrets to share:

@tuscanycious (my colleague Oriana of www.tuscanycious.com)

@ilbisbetico Luca from I-Florence

Robert from Neon Poisoning (not on twitter!)

@RobertaK of Thinking Allowed

@Florenceblogs (florence journal)

Students from a local high school that has a fashion program will stun you with their ability to minutely recreate historical fashion from the 13th century to the present. This love of past artisanship and study of history is an important step towards creating a future in fashion; these students look forward to a bright one. Set up in the suggestive new gallery that links two important streets in downtown Florence, this free exhibit will allow you to step momentarily into the romantic past of bell skirts, detachable sleeves, and corsets.

If you thought high school students couldn’t sew, or didn’t make gorgeous mature-looking models, think again. These dresses are absolutely stunning.

In order to resolve this problem and to provide a valuable resource to scholars coming to Florence for research, I have created a public, user-editable map of Libraries in Florence.

View Libraries in Florence - Biblioteche Firenze in a larger map

photo cheerfully cribbed from www.500touringclub.com

As an American, huge cars are almost a birthright. My first cars were a 1950 Mercury 2-door coupe and 1975 Olds Delta 88 convertible. I could have fit several Fiat 500s in the trunk of either one. It’s not to say I don’t like tiny cars, I actually do.

While my long-gone cars would have had no place on the narrows roads of most European cities, the idea of racing around Florence in a lovely bit of Italian automotive styling sounds like great fun.  The 500 Touring Club of Firenze makes just such a thing possible. Their charmingly-named fleet of vintage cars (Adriana, Giacomo, Paola, Sergio, Roberto, Anna) are available for either guided convoys or private hire.  A google search leads to both their official website and a load of positive reviews.

Regional/national law prohibits being chauffeured but this company does offer guided tours in the city from their cars.  I would love to take in the city from the seat of a sweet Fiat.  Since I expect my trip to keep me in soley Florence, I still may stop by the touring club’s office to satisfy my curiosity.

So, I hear somebody’s going on a little Italian vacation this spring. You lucky dog, you. Kelly and I were there for our 10th wedding anniversary last June, and we just had a tremendous time. Even though I know you probably have your whole trip planned out already, I want to say that, if you happen to find yourselves in Florence at any point, you absolutely have to set aside a night and visit this really middle-of-the-road little trattoria I know.

Trust me on this one. It’s the most uninspired restaurant in all of Florence. If you do nothing else in the entire city, you have to treat yourself to this completely adequate place. READ REST on The Onion

Some art has gotten too big

Tuscany, with its soft rolling hills, is a perfect frame for contemporary art. Projects include the Parco di Celle near Pistoia that belongs to the major international collector Giuliano Gori; the Chianti sculpture park (www.chiantisculpturepark.it); a redesigned woods at the “Ragnaia” at San Giovanni d’Asso by Sheppard Craige; and now the Casato Prime Donne’s “Trekking d’Autore”, works placed amongst the Brunello vines in the Crete Senesi.

Maybe one of the first works of this sort in Tuscany is the 1993 installation by sculptor Jean Paul Philippe, who chose the Crete Senesi (between Siena and Asciano) as the location for his work Site Transitoire. The landscape’s natural linearity was thus interruped by a work that both alters it and gives it value, points at its individuality. The work’s seven massive stones dialogue amongst themselves and frame the hills that they inhabit. www.jeanpaulphilippe.eu

Recently I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a big metal circle frame the landscape just outside the town of Volterra; this is by Mauro Staccioli and there are other works by him on display nearby. It’d be worth it to go find all the pieces, which are on display until September 2010.

Amongst Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s Brunello di Montalcino vines, the “Trekking d’autore” project invites visitors on a meditative walk punctuated by art. Each site is dedicated to a woman who has won the Premio Casato Prime Donne prize for a major contribution in the field in which she works, including author Frances Mayes, dancer Carla Fracci, human rights celebrant Kerry Kennedy.

Jeff Shapiro installing his speaking stones

American writer Jeff Shapiro makes his viewers ponder, via four “speaking stones”, the following questions:  “See what’s growing… See in order to grow… Do you see?… And are you growing?” - important questions that relate the viewer’s personal growth to the land upon which they are standing. Marco Pignattai refers to this land and its working by cattle with a life-size metal cut-out of the chianina cow who pulls antique farm equipment across the fields (see photo above). At a high point in the landscape, Rossana Mulinari recalls her solo pilgrimage to Santiago di Compostela with the installation of a wooden cross covered with mirrors and held up by six blocks of travertine marble.

Closer to the cantina, or cellar building, the artworks exalt the female nature of this enterprise - the only entirely female-run wine producer in Italy. Eight doves by the sculptor Orlando Orlandini are clearly a symbol of peace, while four photographic portraits by Bruno Bruchi and Giovanni Senatore record four very different but contemporary women including a grandmother who is making pinci, the typical pasta of Montalcino. The Cinelli Colombini estate is open to visitors; the wine cellar (for tasting etc) weekdays 9-13 and 14-18 or weekends upon request. The art trekking area is open to everyone during operating hours, year-round. They’re very happy to welcome you and they speak good English!

Chapel by David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt, photo: www.ceretto.it

The connection between wine and landscape art has inspired some other producers as well. Outside of Tuscany the most stunning example is the integration of modern architecture and natural views at Ceretto (Alba, CN - www.ceretto.it ), whose vineyards host a colourful chapel by David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt, as well as a futuristic glass bubble in which you can taste wine and enjoy cultural events.

Landscape art offers a new venue for self-discovery, as well as for discovery of the landscape itself, which on its own may not always provide sufficient stimulus for reflection or photography.

This article is a the result of a collaboration: I’d like to thank Alessia Bianchi and Violante Gardini of Cinelli Colombini estates for providing the great idea and much of the content.

Robert once left a comment on arttrav, and since then we’ve had a great email correpondence in preparation for his Florence trip later this month. I love his strange blog, Neon Poisoning. He’s on the lookout for… strange things, worldwide. The photo to the left is the kind of thing he usually appreciates - Tinkertown in Sandia Park NM, posted on his flickr. Here are his results for Florence.

The Internet, a modern marvel. From my apartment in Houston, TX, it has provided me with research and contacts for a first-time visit to Florence. It helped me discover the website you’re reading and through a generous offer, an invitation to guest blog about my travels and preparations as a result of conversations with website founder, Alexandra.

The undeniable beauty of Florence is on display in gorgeous photos posted on Flickr and described in assorted blog posts around the Internet.  It’s a piece of cake to find office travel guides and comprehensive reviews online (Fodors, New York Times, Lonely Planet).  Google searches with “My Florence trip” will find visitors raving about personal trips to the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi.  And, for centuries, traveler have visited the Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Galleria degli Uffizi, Boboli Garden and Pitti Palace.  

But there is also the weird traveler, one who skews away from the average, who’s fussy inclinations leave them dissatisfied with the straight and narrow and looking of the unusual and odd.  There are resources for myself and those who like their city’s served with a side of the eccentric.  London has Quirky London Tours and the newly published Secret London: An Unusual Guide, collaborative travel site Nothing to See Here is international in scope and everything the fifty state’s have to offer can be found on Roadside America.

There is no Not For Tourist guide to Florence, and since the best sources of such attractions often come from locals, my lack of language skills keeps me from reading any websites other than English ones.  In the hunt for the offbeat, Atlas Obscura is a good starting point for Italy on the whole.  ”A compendium of this age’s wonders, curiosities, and esoterica… with the goal of cataloging all of the singular, eccentric, bizarre, fantastical, and strange out-of-the-way places that get left out of traditional travel guidebooks and are ignored by the average tourist.”  Dylan Thuras and Michelle Enemark, of Curious Expeditions also travel the world, “devoted to unearthing and documenting the wondrous, the macabre, and the obscure from around the globe.”  Between the two websites, they have unearthed intriguing Florence destinations like the oldest still-operating pharmacy in the world, Galileo’s middle finger, and  La Specola, “the largest and most famous wax anatomical collection anywhere in the world”

Lastly, I have to add the Casa del Formaggio, a destination with a sense of humor and lacking in some taste.  With even the author of the post unsure of where he found it, the House of Cheese might put me on a wild goose chase through Florence.  And often the best places are the one stumbled upon while trying to arrive somewhere else.

Editor’s note: Robert will be happy to know that there is also a Casa del Prosiutto, which is a simple, cheap restaurant in Vicchio about an hour’s train ride from Florence (but don’t try to get to the restaurant from the train station by foot). A display of prosciutto greets you at the door and you can have your cured meat sliced and slapped onto bread. Sadly his visit is in the winter, and without a vehicle, or else I’d suggest the Niki de St. Phalle Tarot Card park in Maremma, about which I will write this summer.

Readers - can we help Robert by suggesting other weird, odd, obscure things to do in Florence?

Leonardo Last Supper - Wikimedia Commons

It has rained in Florence almost every day since we arrived before Christmas. The weather was so bad we couldn’t make many of the day trips we had been planning, but we decided to go to Milan for the day to meet up with some old family friends. The new high speed train, the Freccia Rossa, gets you from Florence to Milan in just one hour and 47 minutes — a big difference even from the Eurostar, and with a proportionally high price tag. Right now trentialia has a 99 euro special offer for those taking a day trip on the Freccia Rossa. [Editor's note: I wouldn't normally advise people to take a day trip to Milan from Florence, but frankly, with the fast train it is now do-able if you just want to see a few highlights, as Mom did.]

I had seen Da Vinci’s Last Supper (il Cenacolo) with my parents in the 1970s, when it was in really deplorable condition, so I was anxious to see it in its restored state: the restoration took over 20 years and was finally completed in 1999, but tests to confirm that the restoration and new environmental safeguards really worked to protect this extraordinary mural painting were only carried out in 2009. I ordered tickets on line (a necessity even in very low season), luckily giving us time to account for the train’s possible late arrival, which turned out to be very good thinking.

That day the rain reached a new frenzy. It wasn’t just an interminable drizzle but day-long pouring rain. I was feeling like a drowned rat by the time we reached the Metro from the train station (Centrale, green line) and we went directly to the Convento de Santa Maria delle Grazie, even though I knew we’d be at least an hour early for our entry time (exit at Cadorna and walk about 10 minutes to the church). By this time, every part of me was wet and cold. Armed with a strong coffee at a bar across the street from the Last Supper, we walked across the pond that separated us from the church.

Now the Last Supper is in a climate-controlled, sealed room; only 25 visitors are allowed in at a time for 15 minutes, so it is best to do your research before you go. There are wall panels that describe the work’s history and restoration that you can read while you wait in line, but if you wish for something deeper, find out more in advance. Here is what I learned that might help you prepare for a visit (virtual or otherwise).

Visitors might be upset when they realize that this is really not Leonardo’s painting at all but a linking of fragments filled in with available information culled by a team of dedicated experts. The most important source for the mural’s reconstruction is the many preliminary sketches preserved at Windsor Castle.

Despite this, I was surprised by how much I liked the mural painting. I use the term wall painting because this is not a true fresco - as you probably know, Leonardo did not paint it on wet plaster. Always the great experimenter, he sealed the stone wall and painted in oil tempera on that “canvas”. Within a few years after its completion, there are records speaking of its considerable decay. Da Vinci tried this method because it yielded richer tones and colours and gave him much greater control over this complex rendition of what was a very common subject. Really, though, I wonder: wouldn’t Leonardo have known that this would be a disaster? Or did he not care?

History was also very unkind to the wall painting which was used as target practice for Napoleon’s troops; the location was used at various times as a barracks and a prison. In 1943, the building was bombed, part of the wall collapsed and the roof was torn off, leaving the painting out in the open until the end of the war.

The most recent restoration had to erase the many other misguided restorations of the painting, clean all the dirt and pollution from it and scientifically determine the painting’s original form. Many parts were not recoverable so they were repainted (based on what Martin Kemp has identified as preparatory sketches) in watercolour in subdued tones to differentiate them from the original. But the whole is not displeasing and without this controversial restoration, the painting would be completely lost to us.

Now a bit about the painting itself. It was commissioned from Leonardo by Ludovico Sforza called “il Moro”; the painting was carried out 1495-97. I consulted Gary Radke’s textbook on Renaissance art (Art in Renaissance Italy) which confirms what I read elsewhere and observed in person: Leonardo selected the moment just after Christ announced that one of his disciples will betray him, imagining the apostles’ confusion and self-doubt, and portraying their agitated reactions. This is the part before Christ reveals that it will be Judas, so all of them are basically saying “will it be me?” or “gee I hope I don’t do it” (ha ha). You can look at each apostle, identify him using the chart on the wall outside or bring your own, and try to determine what he was saying based on his facial expression. Figures are grouped in threes, which is of course a significant number (the Trinity) but it’s also simply the best, most practical way to set it up and make it legible. This seems so obvious a choice but in fact other aritsts who painted this subject, like Ghirlandaio and Castagno, just lined the apostles up behind the table (and stuck Judas out front, usually).

We didn’t visit much more that day despite my best intentions, as the rain was just relentless. We managed to go to the Hopper exhibit at Palazzo Reale (see separate post), and we saw the Duomo as planned, but not perhaps in depth as one might. I wanted to see this as it is apparently the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and it took 500 years to complete. A friend has told me that, in Italian - or perhaps in Milanese - if something is taking a dog’s age to get done, they say it is an “opera del duomo”. The sky turned a deep blue at dusk as you can see in this rainy photo. Given the rain falling in sheets by this time we also opted to view the Duomo from the nearby café of La Rinascente (department store chain), where I got this great video shot of Duomo through rained-upon windows - to me it looks very Gaudi-esque. We saw a few other sites in passing but mostly just enjoyed keeping dry when possible and catching up with our friends over numerous coffees.

What would YOU do in Milan on a rainy day (other than wear rubber boots)?

Hopper: Morning Sun, Columbus Museum Ohio

At Milan’s Palazzo Reale is the first major retrospective in Italy dedicated to the American artist Edward Hopper (1882-1967), the famous realist painter. This show moves to Rome in February so if you cannot see it in Milan, you have plenty of time to catch it in Rome.

My Mom went there on her day trip to Milan and has brought back some fun pictures taken in the exhibit’s interactive section (see below), in which visitors get the chance to pose in the same position as the woman in the famous painting “Morning Sun” of 1952.

Mom writes: “One hundred and sixty of the artist’s works are on display — mainly sketches, preliminary studies, and the artist’s ledgers. There were some famous works, but curiously missing was the painting Nighthawks, easily Hopper’s most recognizable painting. But I thought the show was well done and certainly taught me a lot about the artist, his life, his themes, his subjects and his artistic methods.”

Here’s what you can do in the interactive section, I got a good laugh out of this:

This show is on in Milan until January 31 2010 and then in Rome Feb 16 until June 13 2010.

From the press release:

The exhibition presents more than 160 works, including famous masterpieces such as Summer Interior (1909), Pennsylvania Coal Town (1947), Morning Sun (1952), Second Story Sunlight (1960), A Woman in the Sun (1961) and various paintings that have never been exhibited, like the stunning Girlie Show (1941). It explores the whole of Hopper’s oeuvre, and all the techniques used by an artist now viewed as one of the classic painters of the twentieth century.

The exhibition will be staged in Palazzo Reale in Milan from 14 October 2009 to 31 January 2010 and is sponsored by Roche Group, the leading health industry company. Immediately after that it will be held in Rome, at the Fondazione Roma Museum, from 16 February to 13 June 2010, and then at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne, from 25 June to 17 October.

The artist

Self Portrait, Whitney Museum

Hopper was born and grew up in Nyack, a small town in New York State. He studied illustration for a short period, then painting at New York School of Art under legendary masters William Mer­ritt Chase and Robert Henri. He visited Europe three times (from 1906 to 1907, in 1909 and 1910) and his experiences in Paris, above all, made a lasting mark on him: he remained a lifelong Francophile, even after settling permanently in New York in 1913.
Despite his imposing physical presence - he was six foot two - he was famous for his reserve, and very rarely wrote or spoke about his work. He died at the age of 84 and his work enjoyed the esteem of critics and the public throughout his career, despite the success of the up-and-coming avant-garde movements, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.
In 1948 the magazine “Look” named him one of America’s greatest artists; in 1950 the Whitney Museum dedicated an important retrospective to him, and in 1956 he appeared on the cover of”Time”. In 1967, the year of his death, he represented the United States at the prestigious Bienal di São Paulo. Since then Hopper’s work has been celebrated in numerous exhibitions and has inspired countless painters, poets and filmmakers. In a 1995 essay the great novelist John Updike paid an eloquent tribute to his “calm, silent, stoic, luminous, classic” works.

The exhibition
Edward Hopper’s career is closely linked to the Whitney Museum of American Art, which hosted various exhibitions of his works from the first in 1920 at the Whitney Studio Club, to the memorable shows held in the museum in 1960, 1964 and 1980. Since 1968, thanks to the bequest of the artist’s widow Josephine, the Whitney has been home to his entire legacy: more than 3,000 works which include paintings, drawings and etchings.
Curated by Carter Foster, the Whitney Museum curator who granted the loan of the largest nucleus of works, the exhibition, realized with the technical coordination of Carol Troyen, also boasts other important loans from the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York, the Terra Foundation for American Art in Chicago and the Columbus Museum of Art.
Structured in seven sections according to chronological order and theme, the Italian exhibition covers Hopper’s entire oeuvre, from his education, to his years as a student in Paris, up to his “classic” and best-known period of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, closing with the large, intense images of his later years. The show explores all of the artist’s favourite techniques: oil, watercolour and etching, and devotes special attention to the fascinating relationship between his preparatory drawings and his paintings: a vital aspect of his work that up till now has not been greatly explored in the exhibitions dedicated to him.

The first three sections: “Self Portraits”, “Education and Early Works. Hopper the Illustrator” and “Hopper in Paris”, present a group of promising self portraits, the works from his academic period and the light-filled sketches and works of his Paris period, such as the well-known painting Soir Bleu (1914). The room dedicated to “Defining the Image: Hopper the Etcher”, with masterpieces such as Night Shadows (1921) and Evening Wind (1921), highlights his elegant technique and that “sense of the incredible potential of everyday life” that brought him great success and marked the start of a distinguished career.

The section entitled “Hopper’s Method: from Sketch to Canvas”, which celebrates the artist’s extraordinary talent for drawing, and explores his modus operandi, presents a significant set of preparatory drawings for paintings such as Morning Sun (1952) and the earlier work New York Movie (1939), the sketches for which clearly reveal how his female figure takes shape: starting out almost as a portrait of his wife Jo (his only model), the figure gradually evolves into the pensive usherette with film star looks standing in the movie theatre - one of the artist’s favourite subjects. This section shows how Hopper’s realism is often the result of an amalgamation of several images and situations captured at different times and places, not a simple reproduction from life. The exhibition also exceptionally includes one of his Artist’s Ledger Book, the famous ledgers he and his wife compiled, and which contain sketches of many of his oil paintings.
In the rooms dedicated to “Hopper’s Eroticism” the exhibition gathers some of his most significant images of women absorbed in contemplation, for the most part nude or partially undressed, alone in interiors. Together with the works in the section “Artist’s Essence: Time, Space, Memory” these works are a consummate representation of the artist’s aesthetic, his understated form of realism and above all his ability to reveal beauty in the most common subjects, often with a cinematographic slant that was much appreciated by the critics.

Dawn in Pennsylvania,1942, Terra Foundation

Hopper has long been associated with atmospheric images of urban buildings and the people who inhabit them, but rather than skyscrapers - emblems of the aspirations of the jazz age - he preferred the dilapidated red facades of anonymous shops, and lesser-known bridges. Some of his favourite subjects are images of life in tranquil middle class apartments, often glimpsed through a window from a passing train, and settings like diners and movie theatres; images that have acquired iconic status, as in some of the famous masterpieces presented here: Cape Cod Sunset (1934), Second Story Sun­light (1960) and A Woman in the Sun (1961). Hopper also painted some stunning watercolours during summers spent in Gloucester (Massachusetts), in Maine, and in Truro (Cape Cod) as of 1930. The sea rarely features in these paintings, which show sun-baked sand dunes, lighthouses and humble cottages, enlivened by sensuous contrasts of light and shade; paintings which always hint at a story yet leave the motivations of the protagonists unclear.

The exhibition also features an important photographic, biographical and historical component, tracing American history from the 1920s to the 1960s: the Depression, the Kennedys, the boom years. An opportunity for greater insight into today’s global recession and Barack Obama’s America.
The Edward Hopper exhibition aims to see people as “active subjects” rather than “consumers”, with a view to creating an event that, first and foremost, will be a unique, engaging experience for visitors. With this objective in mind, for the first time in Italy the exhibition exceptionally hosts an interactive and multimedia installation by Gustav Deutsch, the renowned Austrian film maker and video artist (Vienna 1952), who has produced countless films, videos and performances throughout the world. Chosen by Arthemisia, in agreement with Palazzo Reale in Milan, the installation entitled Friday, 29th August 1952, 6 A.M., New York will enable visitors to physically enter Hopper’s world, with a reconstruction of the setting depicted in the painting Morning Sun (1952). In this way visitors will be able to appear in the painting, entering the “set” and moving around at will, like actors in a series of brief plays, filmed by a camera and projected onto a screen.

Educational activities
The exhibition features exclusive, engaging educational activities designed by Francesca Valan for children and young people (aged 5-14) visiting the exhibition. Those who wish to follow the stages in Hopper’s creative process will receive a beautiful sketchpad at the entrance, a scale reproduction of the one that the artist himself used, containing all the indications to venture into his world. Younger visitors (aged 2-5), accompanied by their parents, will be able to take part in a fun treasure hunt, following the instructions printed on a number of special postcards.

all images used with permission

For more info: www.edwardhopper.it

Le Murate was, back in the Quattrocento, a nunnery for nuns under clausura - thus “murate”, something like “walled in”. For about 100 years, starting in 1883, it was the jail of the city of Florence.

When I first came to Florence as a student in 1999, I remember going to a nightclub that was set up in the main square of Le Murate, but the buildings themselves were in disuse. The city of Florence is now unveiling a stunning restoration of this large space. Starchitect Renzo Piano was involved, which is probably why the facade of the residential section that gives onto piazza madonna della neve is so wonderfully varied and full of life.

What’s it going to be? From late Spring onwards, Le Murate is going to be one of the centres for art and contemporary culture in the city. The programme is yet to be decided, but the idea is that there will be at least bi-weekly cultural offerings which might range from literary discussion, music, experimental theatre… whatever.  Furthermore, there are two large spaces dedicated to important projects: The SUC, Spazio Urbano Contemporaneo, is a sort of art gallery that is not an art gallery; the Smart Dissidents 2.0 project, on the other hand, houses political activists and dissident bloggers that are not welcome in their home countries. Thus Le Murate moves from an area of imprisonment to one of Liberty.

On Saturday 16/01/2010, from 6pm to midnight, there will be an evening preview of the cultural events to come, including spontaneous performances, music, and fashion displays. I will be there with H-Art’s Social Media Team. Please stop by the social media space (marked A on the Murate map that you’ll see when you get there) and come send a tweet for Florence. Follow Le Murate on Twitter and tweet, from there or from home, with the hashtag #murate. If you’d like to keep on top of the event via facebook, please become a fan of le murate on facebook.

FOR MORE INFO: The website www.lemurate.comune.fi.it is only in Italian because the event on the 16th is primarily for residents, but the space speaks all languages so please do stop by and take a peek.

BARCAMP: there will also be the second Barcamp for Florence held on Jan 16th at Le Murate from 2pm to 6pm. To sign up for the barcamp sign up on the wiki http://barcamp.org/palazzovecchio and contact Chiara Belli as per the instructions there.

A look back at 2009 through arttrav - how the most significant moments in my year turned into posts.

We started off 2009 with a guided visit of Lucca in early January by new friends Fabio and Laura from FlorenceIN. We have since become close friends, in touch weekly if not daily, while FlorenceIN has become a fixture in our lives. I have a reprise of this visit planned for January 4th 2010 to check out Lucca’s contemporary art scene!

In February, poor arttrav got none of my attention as I was happily teaching art history to undergrads for UGA Cortona and commuting quite a distance to do so.

The Danube

By March I finally got my act together and was able to post the photographs I had taken the month before of the newly restored Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini. This article has had a lot of success thanks to Google and interest driven up by the movie Angels and Demons.

April marked the end of the Spring 2009 term at UGA Cortona. I asked students in my “Women and Art” class to each make a biographical video about a woman artist other than Artemisia Gentileschi, and posted these videos online. My favourite is the video about Lavinia Fontana.
Soon afterwards I found myself with extra time on my hands and plenty of energy; this is when we restyled arttrav with the current wordpress theme and launched into facebook and twitter with great enthusiasm.

In May I saw the presentation of a newly restored painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, about which I wrote a review. I finally met Jane Fortune - from afar - at this event, though it took another 6 months to meet her in person and hear about the rest of her “Invisible Women” project.

June was all about “the cheese video” - how to make pecorino cheese - which has some serious (unrealized) viral potential ;-).

In July I gave a talk at a FlorenceIN meeting on “Mediating Cultural Exchange” that represented a major turning point in my life; I met Costanza from Fondazione Sistema Toscana, which led to my current job as arts editor for the Regione Toscana’s Social Media Team. Thanks to FlorenceIN (soon to be renamed ToscanaIN) I’ve met many active residents in Florence and become one myself.
I also launched the arttrav Italy writing contest this month, and was amazed at how many sponsors were willing to offer prizes.

In August it was hot and I wanted to avoid downtown whenever possible; I explored my own area and wrote about “off the beaten track” Florence: the museum and convent of San Salvi.

My favourite article from September is an interview with artist Stefano Giovacchino who was chosen to install his large paper sculptures in Lucca’s piazza dell’Ampiteatro as part of the anteprima of Cartasia, the biennale of contemporary art dedicated to paper as medium. I am starting to get more interested in contemporary art, and predict that there will be more offerings of this sort in Tuscany in 2010 (all of which will be covered on arttrav, or on the website that I write for work, TuscanyArts).
Also in late September I wrote an article commenting on a local government document called Florence is the Next Florence. I actually came up with this phrase which is now the slogan for arts and culture in the new city administration.

On October 25th, Florence’s mayor made Piazza Duomo pedestrian-only, and arttrav was there. It was a pretty big deal. Read the announcement and read about my experience of the space that day (with photos too).

In November, everybody LOVED Pamela Marasco’s contest-winning article in the Tuscany category about truffles and thermal baths in Tuscany.

In December, some of my best articles were written for publication by others. I was happy to be given an advance copy of Jane Fortune’s Invisible Women for review by and in The Florentine; for work I went to see the show Manipulating Reality at the Strozzina, the review of which was first published on the turismo.intoscana blog.

2009 was a great year; with hopes that 2010 will bring great art and events, and enough time to write about them. Happy New Year to all my regular readers; with many thanks to you for giving me reason to keep writing.

We have a new guideline for accomodation when traveling: stay where you eat. This differs from “eat where you stay” in a clever inversion that fully excludes the dreaded hotel restaurant.

A few months ago we were in Maremma for the weekend at the beach, and wished to find a new restaurant as we’d tired of our old one. After checking out a few small towns we came across Tirli and my husband smelled… Steak! So we followed his nose and ended up at Locanda la Luna, a lovely restaurant that serves upscale Tuscan fare. The owner mentioned that they had rooms; subsequently we have stayed here numerous nights and enjoyed rolling upstairs after large, delicious meals (I am writing this from our iphone in the hotel room).

The Locanda is a concept that exists all over Italy and France and offers excellent food with often reasonable lodging prices. Slow Food Italia sells a guide to them which you can buy at bookstores throughout Italy.

The video is amusing yet accurate, and it’s fun for me to see how this student has perfectly translated the history of the Palazzo Vecchio’s construction as Prof. Hatfield teaches it. The content of that lecture, with my own spin on it, ended up in one of the first posts on arttrav (around November 2005) and a podcast too. Read, or listen to, the history of late medieval Florence and the Palazzo Vecchio here!

I’ve been meaning to go check out this place in the Florentine hills called Dulcamara where you can cook your own meal OR hire a caterer. It’s the same place that Chef Paula Carrier has been using for her British Empire lunches. This guest article submitted by Suzi Jenkins has me convinced that I must do a dinner there soon. But who would want to eat what I cook? And how do you cook for so many people?! Here’s what Suzi has to say.

Simply brilliant. Rent-a-restaurant. The whole kaboodle, lock, stock and barrel, A-Z! Of course the dining rooms and the garden, but the kitchen too, the cutlery, the glasses and plates, the kitchen equipment … and if you need them ever a washer-upper or two. Make a cheese sandwich or a seven course gourmet meal!

Dulcaramara is the name of the “restaurant-with-a-twist” located at Villa Il Mulino, situated on the hills just behind Careggi (literally a 10 minute drive from the hospital area). Uso di Cucina is the name of this devilishly brilliant project run by serial entrepreneur Tommaso Colombini.

It sounded almost too strange to be true, so we tried it out. Being a Brit, my culinary expertise is not so hot, but I have lots of lovely Italian (and other nationality friends) and so we booked an evening. First we put together our guest list (46 people total) and started battling out a menu that would suit all … ha ha ha impossible, so we just decided to cook loads!

We arranged a lovely long shopping list which we sent to Tommaso before the date (agreeing that he would give us the bill to pay, and obviously including copious amounts of wine), and arranged to have Dulcamara from 5pm onwards on a balmy September evening.

And so, we trundled up into the Tuscan hills at the appointed hour to embark on our culinary experiment. Absolute chaos ensued! The kitchen probably happily holds about 10 competent chefs, 20 incompetent chefs, and as big a rabble as you like. We weren’t exactly a disciplined entourage, so all 46 of us all tried to organise each other, with the predictable result that nothing and no-one was remotely coordinated with anything and anyone else. But we did have fun; enormous amounts and bucketloads of fun.

At roughly 8pm we sat down at rather haphazardly laid tables (that wasn’t very organised either…), and the banqueting began. Some really really good dishes, some on-the-spur-of-the-moment total successes, and at least two really awful disasters (the wise amongst us spotted them immediately so avoided ruining our palates)! After a great meal we danced away the excess calories for a couple of hours until about midnight.

Our evening (about 7 hours long in the end) cost us €13 per person for the rental of Dulcamara (plus one washer-upper), plus another €11 per person for food and drink. A really great value evening. Obviously the latter price changes if you decide to have a real chef in cooking for you. The price of the location changes according to season, day of the week, time etc.

It’s an inspirational formula for having a good time. Tommaso will give you as little or as much support as you require, and if you want to be guaranteed a splendid banquet will assist you with sourcing a great catering service to work the kitchen. So, Dulcamara is a marvellous venue for the usual catered events such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays etc, but also amazing for doing something different like cooking with friends (as we did), or even hiring a professional chef and preparing a meal for friends, family, or colleagues - and learning lots while you do it.

In Toscana there is a saying “a tavola non si’invecchia” (you don’t age at the table), and that’s better, and more enjoyable, than Botox injections anytime. So get cooking!

Contact: Tommaso Colombini

(who says “I do speak some English… and I know people who speak really good English”)
Phone: +39 338 607 8874
website in English: www.usodicucina.it
Sometimes Bilingual Blog: usodicucina.webonda.it
Email: info@usodicucina.it

This morning I was driving over to the Virgin Mega-Gym to take a hot shower, since our hot water pipes are frozen, and noticed that “Man upon whom it always rains” [my title] by Belgian sculptor Jean-Michel Folon was also having a cold pipe day. I was not the only person stopped in the middle of the road to photograph this exceptional scene, which made it safe to cross to the middle of this traffic circle! I have been meaning to stop and photograph him for ages as I wanted to share him on arttrav; he is my favourite piece of public sculpture in Florence.

Here’s his answers to my interview questions.

1) How do you define yourself? are you an artist? designer? photographer? artisan/producer?

It’s pretty difficult to define my work. The best word to represent me is definatively “creative”. My work spans object design, photography, graphics, fashion, and video, and I’m open to everything that might stimulate my imagination.

Are you still studying/ where did  you study design?

My vision of the world is certainly closely related to my studies: I have a solid technical base from having studied engineering for a few years before moving over to the arts (facoltà di Lettere) where I am pursuing a degree in “Linguaggi Multimediali e Ricerca Tendenze” that addresses the arts, philosphy, and aesthetics.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I think I’m heading in the right direction; I just want to continue as I have been by continuing to develop my work.

You have three beautiful objects for sale on your website, all of which you made this year Let’s talk a bit about the process of making them - material, process, and production.

The project ZeroZeroDesign began as a challenge to myself to make public works that I created for my own use. Most of the objects I make are in iron and steel, with which I have a strong connection, although I also work in plastic. All the objects are made in my father’s metalworking company, thanks to which I have access to advanced technologies like a laser to cut my objects. Despite this technological aspect, the products that I make as ZeroZeroDesign are limited, artisanal and manual. I think it is interesting, in fact, to be able to meld artisan production with high design.

You mentioned that your father is a metal worker. Did this influence your choice of medium? How big is your factory? what else do you make?

Indeed, the choice to work in metal does depend on my exposure to and strong link with metal thanks to my father, who has a precision mechanics company. For more than 25 years they have produced iron objects. Thus was born my extreme confidence with iron, steel, and aluminium.

When you design something like this - let’s take the “sole” wine rack for example - what factors do you keep in mind?

For me, design is a challenge that involves coming up with and creating something that is both functional and useful, but also that has a complex and stimulating aesthetic and conceptual aspect. Usually a product starts out of need - like making a coat rack - after which I study the best solution that compromises between function and beauty.

I asked jody to send me a photo and this is what he gets when he doesn't answer :-)

One of the most interesting aspects of my work, both with design and photography, is to watch and analyse how people interact with the object. This often leads to new points of view, new needs and ideas.

Jody also has a really cool street style photography blog.

All photos copyright Jody Mattioli except this one which i took from his facebook profile!

Fabulous costume display in loggia

The Biblioteca delle Oblate has it ALL this December! This recently restored public space was already a great place to hang out and study, meet friends or colleagues, and eat lunch or snack. Now, this December, it’s even better. WHY?

1) The Oblate for the month of December is experimenting with being open till Midnight. Yup, all this month it’s open - you can take out books and apply for a library card and have a drink at the bar or surf the net… until midnight. In Florence. And there are special events too. The bigger a success it is, the more likely it is that the city will spend the cash to keep it open in the future, so GO!

Men's costume near the video rentals

2) there is a special exhibit on 18th-century costume that is a really interesting use of spaces within the library complex. The show is entitled “Fashion and Science in Pietro Leopoldo’s Florence”, and its excellent wall text in English and Italian explains the various fashions displayed and the connections between these and some scientific instruments shown in reproduction. The clothing is of course modern reproductions, as they are displayed in areas in which historic cloth would be damaged, but the cool part is that this way there’s art in the open loggie of the building, as well as inside where the books are. Check out the interesting juxtapositions of these figures inside the library.

Bar area (indoor and outdoor)

3) The Oblate has free wifi. Okay, it had it before, but I finally found out how to use it so that i could tell YOU. You need to apply for a library card at the desk, and then for a wifi card and password. It’s easy enough, just bring ID. If you’re not a resident of Florence that’s okay, just bring your passport. Once you get your card you’re golden. You can use the public computers for an hour a day (once you log on, you have one hour to use, you cannot break it up); with your own device you have 3 hours of use per day. The library card also gets you books, cd’s and dvd’s to take home.

4) there are various signs around the library that claim this space as part of the fact that “Florence is the Next Florence” - and you know who loves THAT slogan!

More Photos!

Read my review of Manipulating Reality on the turismo.intoscana.it blog.

Get into every exhibit at Palazzo Strozzi for only 20 euros from now until the end of January 2011 (!!!) with the “Palazzo Ticket” - I got one!

Me with author Jane Fortune at her book launch

Folks! my comprehensive book review of Jane Fortune’s “Invisible Women” is now online and in the paper! Read the article in The Florentine and see below to win your own copy!

Short summary: Invisible Women is an expression of love for the female artists of Florence’s past. Jane Fortune has dug through the archives of the Florentine museums in search of women’s names and their works, which are often in storage and away from the public eye. The book is well written and engaging, and has broad appeal. It makes a great gift for the art-lovers on your holiday list, or really for any woman!

Win a copy of the book!

The prize is one copy of Jane Fortune’s book, generously supplied by The Florentine Press. You must provide arttrav with your snail-mail address upon notification of winning. The book will be shipped in a timely manner by The Florentine Press anywhere worldwide.

From now until Thursday December 17 at midnight European Time, the following actions EACH give you one chance at this random draw (you may do all three).

1) retweet this post (there’s a convenient retweet button at the bottom!). Make sure to include @arttrav in your tweet so I know you tweeted it. You will be contacted by DM if you are the winner.

2) share this post on Facebook (there’s an easy “share” button at the bottom of the post, or just cut and paste the link). Tag @arttrav.com or @Alexandra Korey so that I know you shared it. (If you’re not a fan on facebook, become one! click the heart-shaped fb icon, top right.)

3) Write a comment on this post (preferably after reading the article in The Florentine :-)) and include your email address in the email field (will not be shown).

Photo: Candida Höfer: “Biblioteca Marucelliana Firenze I 2008″, used by permission.

from 11 December 2009 to 24 January 2010
Open daily 9-19, closed Wednesday
FREE admission!

info: inganni ad arte

Of the works on display by various artists at Galleria Michail, I liked the ceramics best, although there was some impressive marble inlay work and some cut lead crystal. A series of white “holey” vases caught my eye in particular. These works are tradtional containing shapes (vases, containers with lids) rendered useless by being patterned by circular openings that would let out any liquids or objects put inside.

ARTour proposes that you follow the itinerary of four locations. My favourite pieces are those by Paola Staccioli displayed at La Bottega da ‘Ino (Via dei Georgofili, open 11-17 daily). I had the opportunity to meet the artist and talk to her about her delicate ceramic objects. Paola (born in ‘72) is the daughter of Florentine ceramic artist Paolo Staccioli, and their works do have some similarities in their construction and even subject matter. She came to ceramics without specific training in the arts, and learned from her father and on her own.

Paola's hand-made ceramics

Paola’s pieces are particularly fine, light, and fun. I asked Paola about her Tuscan roots and influences, and she struggled to find an aspect of Tuscany that inspires her art in particular, other than light and colour. Indeed, while Tuscan and Marchegian ceramicists often work in traditional shapes and patterns that appeal to the international market, Paola’s pieces are real “art ceramics”. These original objects bear the marks of handiwork - the imperfections, the shapes that are intentionally natural rather than geometric, the slip that reveals a bit of clay beneath. Their fine construction recall contemporary Japanese ceramics, while the patterns themselves vary in their references. Paola generates a metallic finish during the second baking of the maiolica, the results of which are impredictable and unevently distributed on the objects. Some of the flatter pieces have patterning that reminds me of 13th century archaic ware, while the more plastic works’ whimsical animal forms recall Etruscan ware.

On display for the ARTour are small objects - tea cups, bowls, and some of her “impratical tea-pots” - appropriate to the location. They are all for sale and would make a wonderful, original artistic Christmas gift.

Feel free to wander into any of the ARTour Locations - you do not have to eat or buy anything!
INFO: www.artex.firenze.it

More photos on TuscanyArts ’s Flickr page

LOCATIONS in Florence:
Galleria Michail
Via dei Fossi, 44-46 r
Open: 10-13/ 15:30-19
Oggetti della tradizione dell’artigianato artistico toscano

‘Ino
Via dei Georgofili, 3-7 r
Open: 11-17
Le Ceramiche di Paola Staccioli

Ora d’Aria Ristorante
via Ghibellina, 3/c r
Open: 14-24
La Cartapesta di Enrico Paolucci

Il santo Bevitore enoteca gastronomia
Via santo Spirito, 66r
Open: 12:30-14:30/ 19:30-23 (closed Sunday Lunch)
Le Ceramiche di Bruno Gambone.

Notte Bianca summer street party

Via Gioberti also sometimes hosts special events. Last summer there was a “notte bianca” — late-night street party — with musicians and entertainers, and shops open till midnight. The fuzzy photo here shows swing dancers in the street.

Via Gioberti is a “centro commerciale naturale” - an area encouraged as a “natural mall”. It has just about everything from shoe stores to a cartoleria and a number of great jewelry stores. There is Oviesse and Upim (mid-level department stores), Benetton, a good purse store and a few lingerie stores. The internal area called “Le Nove Botteghe” contains an excellent childrens’ toy store called Imaginarium.

Best sweets on the street

When you are ready for a break, Cafe’ Serafini is perfect for a snack at any time of day. It may be one of my favourite Florentine bars because you can sit down without paying extra and the food is good - from sweets to sandwiches, and excellent primi for lunch (personally I like the boiled vegetables). The pasticceria is produzione propria (made on location). Today, after getting some good deals on cashmere at Upim, I sat down and ate a most divine apple pastry.

Via Gioberti internal stores

Karen was in Florence for a few days and also experiencing Lucca and Pisa, so I look forward to her posts about what she saw in those cities. She contacted me via Twitter and we decided to meet. This is one of the most fun parts of being a travel blogger - meeting other interested travelers on your home turf, or on theirs.

So, I took Karen to see the Palazzo Davanzati, one of my favourite spots in town, and she did a little video interview of me outside the Palazzo, during which she asked me to talk about arttrav and provide some tips to travelers. (You will be happy to hear that after seeing myself on film, I got a haircut.)

I am going to the opening on December 9th and you are welcome to come; the invitation is the photo in this post or download a pdf here - please rsvp as per the address on the invite.

From Dec 9 2009 to Jan 9 2010, the following locations are open for a free roaming exhibit of local artisans’ works:

Galleria Michail
Via dei Fossi, 44-46 r
Objects of the tradition of artistic handicraft of Tuscany

‘Ino
Via dei Georgofili, 3-7 r
Ceramics of Paola Staccioli

Ora d’Aria Ristorante
via Ghibellina, 3/c r
Papier-mâché of Enrico Paolucci

Il santo Bevitore enoteca gastronomia
Via santo Spirito, 66r
Ceramics of Bruno Gambone

OK, I admit that I’ve never been to Sardinia

Here’s what our Sardinia expert recommends as a real “off the beaten track” experience in Sardinia’s mining areas.

Most people who go on a holiday want to see as much from the region where they stay as possible. And although this is technically possible while staying in a large multi-storey chain hotel, nothing beats staying in old guest houses or hotels that have a history or something to say for themselves. This article highlights a desolate area on the west side of Sardinia where it still is possible to enjoy history, peace and quiet, and unspoiled nature.

Montevecchio

Discovered by the Romans hundreds of years ago, Montevecchio is a very large mining facility, located in Province of Medio Campidano. The mines of Montevecchio were among the most productive in Europe during the peak days in the 19th century. In the mid 1960s, the demand for zinc (what the mines where mainly used for during that time) decreased, leading to less occupance in the mines. In 1991, the mines of Montevecchio (also known as “Gennas”) closed their doors.

In 1865, over 1100 people worked in the mines, which made it necessary to build hundreds of houses for the workers and their families. The mines and the workers’ village are both part of ‘Parco Geominerario, Storico e Ambientale della Sardegna’, and recognized by UNESCO. This protection made it possible to restore and renovate the old mines, and resulted in the mines opening its doors for the public a few years ago.

For only 6 Euro p.p., you can visit the old village (see their Italian website for more information) to experience life in and around the mines 150 years ago. A tour will take you along the abandoned buildings, including hospitals, a school, a recreation area and a church, which will tell you the stories of hard working people and their families.

Ingurtosu

A few kilometers away from Montevecchio are the mines of Ingurtosu, which got their name from bearded vultures (gurturgiu in Sardinian dialect), who lived in the area. Located in the sandy dunes, these mines were used to find zinc, silver and lead. People started mining in Ingurtosu in 1855, but only about 50 years later, the mine village housed over 5,000 people. The direction office was built in 1870 in the neo-medieval style as a proposed connection to the nearby (and much older) mines of Montevecchio. This arched building is now the -mostly ruined- face of the mines, which closed in 1968.

Just like all other mines in the region, the mines of Ingurtosu are part of ‘Parco Geominerario, Storico e Ambientale della Sardegna’, and UNESCO has declared this region of industrial mines as archaeological monuments and the whole territory “World Heritage”. Where possible, the hospital, church, cemetary and most of the houses of the employees have been restored. A block of houses has even been renovated and turned into a small hotel - Hotel le Dune. [editor's note: this place looks like an amazing, middle-of-nowhere, total relax away from civilization kind of hotel, with a private beach and what appears to be no human for miles around!]

Because Ingurtosu is in a more worse shape than Montevecchio (mainly because it already closed in 1968), this village breathes ‘abandoned mine’ even more than it’s nearby sister. Although it’s not possible to take a tour in Ingurtosu, the mines are still definitely worth a visit. The sound of the nearby sea, the sand of the dunes, and the eery presence of the last bearded vulture make visiting Ingurtosu a unique experience.

As you can see, when you look a little bit further than most standard holiday brochures, it’s possible to have an original, authentic vacation experience anywhere in Italy.

This article was written by Paolo, who works for Charming Sardinia, a Sardinian travel agency. He not only helps his clients to book hotels in Sardinia, but also loves to show them his favorite places on the island.

Traditional Christmas Roast and Fundraiser for Groups

December 13, 2009

The Phantom Christmas

Starter: Welcome of mulled wine, cheese straws, blue cheese & walnut paté with port jelly
Main: Roast stuffed goose with prunes & cognac served with roast potatoes, braised red cabbage, carrot & celeriac purée OR Vegetarian option of red onion tarte-tatin
Dessert: Mince pies with custard and a glass of sherry
Water, wine and coffee included

Price: Euro 40.00*

* FUNDRAISER: Mention which group you belong to when reserving and we’ll donate 10% back to them!

Location: pressoVilla del Molino “DULCAMARA”Via Dante da Castiglione, 2 - Loc. Cercina50019 Sesto F.no Firenze

RSVP required: 335.6591939 - paula_carrier@yahoo.co.uk

info: http://www.odysseytaste.com/eng/news.html

hours 13:00-15:00

cash only

I have recently received news of the Happy New Tuscany contest from the Regione Toscana.

You can WIN a super duper luxury week in Tuscany between Christmas and New Years (flight included), or New Years’ Eve in Florence, Siena, Lucca, or Pisa! This contest is open to everyone worldwide except residents of Tuscany (since hey, we already live in this fabulous place!).

Be quick - it’s almost Christmas, and this contest ends December 10th 2009!!

Below you’ll find instructions on how to access the service, and I list the connected locations that are of most interest to visitors.

Instructions:

1. In the location covered by wifi service your device should automatically find “FirenzeWifi”. This name may be accompanied by a number if the area is large
2. When you open your browser you will be prompted to insert your first name, last name (cognome) and your italian cell phone number; then hit “submit”.
3. You will then be prompted to make a free phone call from that Italian cell phone to this number: 0554650034. You must use the cell phone with the number that you inserted in step two as this serves to authenticate you as a person.
4. Your computer screen should then show that you have been authenticated and you are free to navigate for one hour each day, or for up to 300MB of traffic. The day ends at midnight, after which you get another free hour.
5. The good news is that you only have to do this process once!

Locations of wifi in Florence relevant to tourists (the others are close to government offices ouside the center, as the goal of the service is to provide access to city government websites):

1. Piazza della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio)
2. Piazza Santa Croce
3. Piazza Santo Spirito
4. Piazza Santissima Annunziata (Ospedale degli Innicenti)
5. Parterre di Piazza della Libertà (parking lot, skating rink)
9. Piazzale Michelangelo
11. Parco delle Cascine

Eleonoir Casalegno, very pretty guest star

I did not expect this event to be so successful. Some italian press attributes its success to the presence of a very attractive guest star, Eleonoir Casalegno and to the famous Dj Albertino of Radio DeeJay (Italy’s biggest national rock/pop radio station). As a “foreigner” I had no idea who these people were - I just thought it was cool to have a night event in a museum in Italy, a practise that is already current in most European and American cities.

Despite the pouring rain, throngs of party-going 20 and 30-somethings flooded the Limonaia of Museo Stibbert starting at 9pm. Attendees were decked out in club-wear and high heels (the latter not so much the men…), making people-watching my main activity inside the club area. This museum geek has never seen such pretty girls all decked out and envied their ability to walk in heels. The event organizers succeeded in getting the news out to the club-going crowd who seemed very happy to show up and drink orange juice and coke and party on the Regione’s bill rather than cocktails at some pricey nightclub.

The biggest surprise was that people braved the rain to walk the 400 meters from the Limonaia (club area) to the museum itself, where we were treated to guided tours of Stibbert’s crazy collection of arms. The museum was PACKED - tour guides had to accept more than the usual number per group in order to accomodate us. People listened attentively to the information given by the (excellent) guide and wandered around checking out the unusual objects that Stibbert collected. The arms are set up in diorama type arrangements on mannequins and horses, and we learned about the differences between Islamic and European arms, as well as the shape of arms before and after the use of firearms.

This was a truly enjoyable evening and I hope there will be more like it.

More photos on the Dj al Museo facebook page.

The city of Florence and council for the Church of San Lorenzo announced today the ambitious project to finish the facade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, left incomplete by Brunelleschi in the 15th century. The project, due to start as soon as funds are available, should be done by 2059, in time for the celebrations of Firenze2059 (already the talk of the internet on twitter #Fi2059 and on the website www.Firenze2059.com). 

The artist chosen for the honour of completing the facade, after a public contest (”concorso”) evaluated by a committee of 150 citizens and 25 guild-registered artists, is Pablo Echaurren. Dr. Echaurren, astrophysicist as well as maiolica artist from Guadalajara Mexico, has spent the past 20 years in Florence and will be awarded honourary citizenship upon completion of his work. The maiolica tiles that represent massive graffiti-like animals are inspired by 16th-century grotesques, but also by early 21st-century street art.

Project by Prof. M. Ruffilli, Prof. G. Morolli, and Natali Multimedia s.r.l.).

The decision comes after over two years of deliberations. Arttrav readers will recall that in 2007, an image of Michelangelo’s plans for the facade, drafted in 1516-19, was projected on San Lorenzo. At the time, there was much discussion because the design was in fact not very close to that proposed by Michelangelo, and there was doubt that modern artisans could reproduce the feeling of a Renaissance building. For this reason, a contemporary solution has been favoured.

Dr. Echaurren has developed a brand new technology for the creation of the 2-meter square tiles that will be attached to the facade with a system of metal brackets. The Medici villa at Cafaggiolo, at which there was once a ceramics factory, has been leased to him so that he may use its ancient ovens to create the facade tiles. This is a nice way to link two Medici commissions - the Church and the Villa - with the new commission by the City of Florence.

We asked Annamaria Gori-Cofani della Riva, curator of the International Museum of Tuscan ceramics at Montelupo, for an explanation of the new technique to be used. The brightly coloured, painted tiles will undergo three phases of firing. The first, for the unpainted tiles, will be at the temperature used for commercial porcelain, 1300 to 1400°C. The tiles will then be glazed and re-fired; finally, a third cooking at lower temperature with oxidization agents such as toenails and bones will help create a metallic sheen on certain detail areas. This technique was used during the Renaissance in Gubbio, but this will be the first time that it will be reproduced in Tuscany.

As we have learned from years of restoring the Duomo, easy maintenance should always be a factor when choosing buildings. Cleaning the new facade will be very easy, much easier than the current stone version, because ceramics are highly resistant. The artist pointed out that common bathroom liquid like “Mr. Clean” or kitchen soap like “Palmolive” will do the trick with a sponge or squeegee.

The new facade will come at the cost of 17.4 million euros, but the City is adamant to explain that this will not come from taxpayer funds. Rather, the money will be raised with the sale of a portion of Piazza Signoria for the creation of private, luxury apartment buildings. These buildings will not obstruct view of the Palazzo Vecchio as they will be made entirely of transparent glass.

For further information please see www.Firenze2059.com and extended art historical reportage at http://Firenze2059.tumblr.com

Your comments are welcome below.

“While the Coliseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the Coliseum falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, the world shall fall.” — Venerable Bede (c. 673-735), quoting a prophecy of Anglo-Saxon pilgrims.

The Colosseum or Roman Coliseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. Originally the Flavian Amphitheatre, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started in 70 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under his son Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian’s reign (81-96). The Colosseum hosted large-scale spectacular games that included; fights between animals, the killing of prisoners by animals and other executions, naval battles via flooding the arena, and combats between gladiators. It has been estimated that about 500,000 people and a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.

Photo: wikimedia commons

After Nero committed suicide in 68, Vespasian (emperor 69-79) decided to shore up his shaky regime by building an amphitheatre for the people on the site of the lake in the gardens of Nero’s palace. The Colosseum was a grand political gesture. Suitably for that great city, it was the largest amphitheatre in the Roman world, capable of holding some 50,000 spectators.

The Colosseum was opened in AD 80 by Vespasian’s son and successor, Titus. Given the scale of the enterprise it was built remarkably quickly. And given the site, in a valley where there was previously a lake, it had to be planned carefully. When the Colosseum opened, there was a marathon of celebrations that went on for 100 days at every level of society from royalty to the barbarian, as they revelled in their new stadium. 9,000 wild animals were killed in the one hundred days of celebration which inaugurated the amphitheatre.

The Colosseum was ingeniously designed. The invention of arches and vaults made of brick-faced concrete allowed Roman architects much greater spans and more visual variety. The Colosseum’s elaborate honeycomb of arches, passages and stairways allowed thousands of spectators to get into the space to watch murderous games. And the Colosseum’s imposing exterior was then, as it still is, a marvelous monument to Roman imperial power.

The ordered beauty and formal regularity of the Colosseum’s exterior is created by three storeys of superimposed arches with engaged (i.e. semi-circular) columns. These columns are of different orders on each storey (Doric at the bottom, then Ionic, with Corinthian columns in the third storey). The fourth higher blind storey is punctuated by pilasters, decorated with Corinthian capitals. The exterior was decorated at the top with glistening gilded bronze shields, and the arches were filled with painted statues of emperors and gods.

The passage of the Colosseum was designed so that the immense venue could fill in 15 minutes, and be evacuated in 5 minutes. Each entrance and exit was numbered, as was each staircase. There were 80 entrances in all, 76 for ordinary spectators and 4 for the imperial family. The entrances were marked by giant porticoes, each topped by a gilded horse-drawn chariot. The emperor also had a private entrance, which went under the seats, and emerged in the imperial box.

Seating was divided into different sections. The podium, the first level of seating, was for the Roman senators, and the emperor’s private box was also located on this level. Above the podium was the maenianum primum, for the other Roman aristocrats who were not in the senate. The third level, the maenianum secundum, was divided into three sections. The lower part, the was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part was for poor citizens. A third, wooden section was a wooden structure at the very top of the building, added by Domitian. It was standing room only, and was for lower class women.

The most ingenious part of the Colosseum was its cooling system. It was roofed using a canvas covered net-like structure made of ropes, with a hole in the center. This roof sloped down towards the center to catch the wind and provide a breeze for the audience; Sailors manipulated the ropes.

The Colosseum has suffered many disasters including a great fire of 217 following a lightening strike which put the Colosseum out of action for 21 years. Two earthquakes in 442 and 508 damaged the main structure of the historic stadium forcing it to shut down for good in 524.

After the splendor of imperial times, the Colosseum was abandoned, and in turn it became a fortress for the medieval clans of the city, a source of building materials, picturesque scenery for painters, a place of Christian worship. Today it is a challenge for archaeologists and a location for events and shows. And even though the once-perfect red brick arches are falling apart and the animals and warriors that moved through those gates are no longer here, the ghosts of glory days gone by are easy to sense.

As a visitor, you will be overwhelmed at the architecture you see at the Colosseum site and you will recognize the designs because they have been used in stadiums all over the globe. The Colosseum is ranked one of the premier attractions in Rome and tourists from different corners of the world assemble here to explore the mystic aura that engulfs this grand monument.

Please tell us a little about yourself:

I am a self-taught artist who works in oil on canvas. My abstract and landscape paintings are primarily done with palette knives. In June 2008 I received an invitation to the Biennale that will take place in Florence in December 2009.

How have you prepared for the Biennale?

"Rondo"

Preparing for the Biennale has been very exciting. I talked with artists who participated in 2007 and they all had good memories of the event. First I had to choose the artworks to be exhibitied. I chose “Orange Field” as the catalogue image [see above], and two others that I painted in 2009 that I feel work well coloristically with “Orange Field”.

Have you been to Florence before?

I know the fantastic city of  Florence where i have been twice before with my children (a son and daughter) when they were younger. This time we are all coming: my husband ,children and I. The biennale opening is on the 5^th of December which is our 35th wedding anniversary, so it will be a double party for us! Six weeks ago, once I was sure that all four of us were coming, I ordered my plane tickets and booked hotel rooms.

How has the Biennale impacted your career?

"summer"

This period has been full of events! After i was invited to the Biennale I have been invited to three other important exhibits in France, Canada and Florida. I think the Biennale will positively impact my career.

I am happy to be able to show my works in Italy and hope that art-lovers from all of Italy will come and get to know my works through this exhibition. I have recently signed a representation contract with Artrom Gallery in Rome so the Biennale will be an important form of visibility for me in Italy.

I extend a warm invitation to everyone to stop by and see me and my works (I’ll be there until December 9).

This is the contest winner in the Student category. Garret won a copy of The Food Lover’s Guide to Florence so that he can get in a good meal every once and a while!

Hello, my name is Garret Tufte. I recently came to Florence to study creative writing, and, having graduated from the University of Kansas, I now spend my time wandering through the city, gazing in awe upon wine, women, music, and art in the open air. This is my creative impression of Piazza della Signoria and its Dueling Statues.

I have spent significant time in Piazza della Signoria, nights and days, hearing street musicians between there and the Uffizi, the bottleneck at the corners of Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi sculpture garden. I hope for the violinist playing his popular classical pieces, or the solo guitarist, seated, plucking his own brand of laid-back, adult-contemporary instrumental. I should also mention the singer/songwriter cover artist, crooning Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, though the less said, the better.

I stroll through the sculptures in the loggia, absorbing priceless works. Funny how glorious wonder works; put oneself in the right frame of mind, regardless of stress, pain or sadness, turn the switch to “see” and these great statues make one’s mind their own. That is, the artist labors tirelessly for years with the same image, emotion, theme, and style. If he does it right (and there is no quantifiable way to tell one way or the other), the magic happens. This inanimate piece gains a voice of its own, greater than the artist himself. And it speaks. The art, the subject. Our minds, the object. Translation-less transference, the act. Solo violin Vivaldi’s “Summer”, an encouraging frame. A straining “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”, a sour hindrance.

These masterpieces encircle the viewer (yes, even in a rectangular loggia) and battle for attention. Yet always something calls from just beyond the rail. A wide-stepped walkway, flanked unselfconsciously with rectangular-potted shrubbery, leads from the piazza to the main entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. Look left, look right, and one sees pedestals. Look up: there be colossi, two guards and a simpering victim beneath one.

Michelangelo’s David stands at ease, draped by his sling (apparently, he is quite tense, but to be honest, I do not see it). One knee bent, muscles tight and fit. He is so relaxed, yet strong, judicious and notably aware of his presence. He does not seem to notice Michelangelo sculpting him.

Then, to his left, to our right, two brutes of vulgar musculature, curly-haired and bearded. Virtually indistinguishable body types with creases like valleys, their facial wrinkles and muscle strands. Cartoon-ish, steroid-injected statues. The slightly larger of the two stands, grasping the crouched one by the hair, pulling the face of his victim towards his crotch, club in hand.

There is a story here; I consider it. A male rape. Then a murder. But a club in the crouched one’s hand? Perhaps it is a consensual thing; they occasionally like to throw a bit of pain in there. But such a heavy brow, such deep eyes; he casts them toward something in the distance. This standing brute expresses a fearful resolve. The crouched one begs in torment. These fearful expressions. What is the subject?

Perhaps it is for protection that they crouch and hair-tug. One stands strong. Perhaps an older brother. A compatriot in war. So close in battle; in the trenches they are. A deep friendship or something more. But with clubs. And nude. This is surely the ancient world. Perhaps it is of the Greeks. Or Old Testament, just after the Garden of Eden. Who were those brothers - Cain, Abel, Seth? One of them to killed another, I believe. That’s the war, perhaps. That’s the fear; that’s the proximity. They stand on scorched earth, a rock, a tree stump; in exodus. They grip tightly, flexing. Just for show? Or with adrenaline?

I have since learned that this piece is Baccio Bandinelli’s “Hercules and Cacus”. I am certainly not a scholar, but I can hardly see any indication of that specific subject. Not that this is a failing, but really, Cacus is supposed to be a fire-breathing monster.

It is quite enthralling, an intricately-styled masterwork. But, it is grotesque alongside the David.

The David, with his lucid pose and physicality. Though a mere replica, technically, there is no comparison. And yet, there they stand, protecting the palazzo. The hulking brutes serve the purpose quite well, but the David does not belong. He should not be relegated to “guard duty”. And certainly not in the company, and at the same rank, as those beasts.

I see an obvious disparity between these two statues. I know I am stepping outside my bounds, but I would like to make a proposition. The David does not belong opposite the other intriguing, but flawed, piece. He should be moved parallel with the palace wall five meters further from the palazzo entrance, to the north, closer to Donatello’s “Judith and Holofernes”. Hercules is fine where he is, captain of the gate, but David needs his separation. In addition, the potted shrubbery could then angle more moderately, widening the walkway. To put it simply, Michelangelo’s masterpiece should never stand on equal ground. Another pedestal is needed, in the form of space.

And while we’re at it, have that beatnik with the guitar quit singing Simon and Garfunkel.

Disagree? Check out the colossi (and the music) in from of the Piazza Signoriaat any time of day or night, and post your comments here - let’s fight it out!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
Thursday November 26 from 8pm

MENU:
Roast turkey with all the trimmings and more! (Vegetarian option on request)
Dessert: Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie
Water, wine, coffee
Price: E. 35.00
Chef: Paula Carrier

Location:
Villa del Molino “DULCAMARA”
Via Dante da Castiglione, 2 - Loc. Cercina - 50019 Sesto F.no Firenze

RSVP required
335.6591939 - paula_carrier@yahoo.co.uk
info: http://www.odysseytaste.com/eng/news.html
hours - 20:00-22:00
cash only, no credit card

This important international sports event is also a great opportunity to visit the city - not just while you run by the Duomo, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazza della Signoria, and other monuments, but also before and after.

You will have no trouble loading up on carbs the night before in the country that made pasta famous, relaxing the night after at the marathon’s dedicated wellness center and then in one of the city’s luxury hotels, and feasting your eyes and mind the day after in museums like the Bargello (open mondays).

There’s more to Tuscany than wine. After many years of traveling the wine roads of Chianti on SS222 under the looming gaze of the Black Rooster (Gallo Nero, symbol of the Chianti Wine League) I was ready for a change. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing more thrilling than traveling along the twisting Via Chiantigiana (SS222). Fields of sunflowers and hillsides of vineyards and olive trees pass by and the glow of burnt umber, olive green and red wine color the landscape with breathtaking beauty. You can easily spend a week wandering down the winding roads from this town to the next eating salumi, crostini and wild boar, searching for the perfect ribollito, stopping to sample the classic wines of the region, developing what I refer to as that “Tuscan Glow”. But on this trip I was in search of another Tuscan treasure, the aromatic white truffle (tartufo bianco) found in the woods near the town of San Giovanni d’Asso, south of Siena and along the way pay a visit to a terme, one of the many natural hot springs that can be found in the Tuscan countryside.

The village of San Giovanni d’ Asso is in the heart of the Crete Senesi. The Crete Senesi (pronounced KREH-teh seh-NEH-seh) is a rolling panaroma of wind swept hills and isolated farmhouses south of Siena. It is the parallel universe of Chianti and attracts travelers seeking the elemental Tuscan experience. The rolling hills are dotted with cyclists and the woods that straddle the Crete and the Val d’Orcia are the perfect place to find the legendary tartufo bianco.

On the road less traveled, among the clay hills of the Crete, most travelers would need to think outside the box to visit here. But if they do they know they have arrived at a place that is very special and are then confronted with an age old question, should I or shouldn’t I. Should I or shouldn’t I tell everyone I know about this wondrous, magical place of food and earthy delights, home of the Italian white truffle and a locanda (country inn) with a ristorante whose food is memorable and wine selection impeccable. Well maybe not everyone, but to a select few who will appreciate the unique nature of this small (938 inhabitants) medieval village, tell them and they will sing your praises and forever be in your debt.

Named after the Asso River torrent from which the village rises, S. G. d’Asso is near some of my favorite places in Tuscany as well as those that most Tuscan tourists want to visit. The wines of Montalcino with its famous Brunello and the Vin Nobile of Montepulciano are waiting to be tasted and the towns of Siena, Pienza, Buonconvento and Rapolano Terme are a short distance away. The abbeys of Monte Oliveto Maggiore and Sant’ Antimo are all within driving distance and Florence is 80 km.

But in November in San Giovanni d’Asso, it’s all about the Italian white truffle, tartufo bianco. Italian truffle hunters and their dogs take to the nearby woods in search of the “white diamonds of Italy”, to bring to S. G. d’Asso’s Annual Fall Truffle Festival. Held the 2nd and 3rd weekends in November, you can buy local products, eat local dishes made with truffles and arrange to watch truffle hunters at work. You can also visit the Museo di Tartufo, Italy’s first museum dedicated to the truffle. You will definetly want to visit the unique exhibits that allow you to get up close and personal with the prized fungus. There’s even an “odorama” exhibit that allows visitors to experience the heady aromas of dozens of different kinds of truffles.

The veranda at the locanda

Located in a 13th century castle, the museum is next to La Locanda del Castello, a country inn with an equally powerful effect on your senses. Your sense of taste, touch, smell and vision are all heightened by the atmosphere created by the owner Selvana, her son Massimo and innkeeper, Fiorella who make you stay at the inn very special. You arrive at the locanda piazza where a series of contemporary sculptures are on display then walk through the Castello drawbrige and into the castle courtyard.

The intimate ristorante downstairs from the inn (very convenient) is rustic-Italian chic with a private veranda that overlooks the landscape of the town and valley below. When ordering, I would willingly take the advice of chef Enrico whose Nouveau Tuscan cuisine and artful presentation was fantastici. I ate a delicious pici pasta with cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) one night and another night a wild boar ragu’ that was both delicate and bold. The caprese salad was a favorite and an antipasti of assorted salumi included Lardo di Colonnata, a protected Tuscan delicacy that is particular to the region. My room was decorated with 19th century Italian country furniture combined with touches of French toile fabric to create what I would imagine to be the style of day when traveling from locanda to locanda.

My final day in Tuscany was spent at an Italian terme. Terme is the Italian word for thermal waters. Popes, pilgrims, princes and everyday Italians have traveled to these natural hot springs seeking the beneficial virtures of the waters to regenerate the body and mind since ancient times. On last year’s trip I got “my feet wet” at Bagno Vignoni, a small medieval town south of Siena. The town itself is built around a central thermal pool with a thermal stream you can walk through. The ancient Etruscans and Romans knew about these hot springs and pilgrims traveling the Via Francigena Road on their way to Rome stopped to rest in the waters. Pope Pius II, St. Caterina of Siena and Lorenzo Medici all bathed here. But now it is very casual, with mostly Italians on holiday taking the waters at one of the two thermal centers in town. Not yet ready to take the plunge, I took off my sandals and felt the warm, rich volcanic water run across my tired feet and for a moment knew what it must have been like to be weary pilgrim on their way to Rome.

This year after tasting truffles in San Giovanni d’Asso, I was ready to get my terme on and decided the best place to loss my inhibitions would be at Terme Antica Querciolaia near the town of Rapolano Terme. There are other popular termes in Italy,Montecatini and Saturnia come to mind, that are more tourist oriented, but I like to travel like an Italian so this type of terme appeals to me. It is small, family oriented (yes, Italian children come with their parents) with 3 large pools rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. I spent one memorable afternoon in September languishing in the thermal waters of Antica Querciolaia under the Tuscan sun knowing that this was another reason why Italy is the best place on earth.

About the author: Cositutti, a travel and lifestyle resource for All Fine Things Italian, was founded by Pamela Marasco in 2005. Products available through Cositutti MarketPlace.com are based on her experiences eating, shopping, cooking and traveling in Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria with her Italian family and friends. Products available are sourced from producers that are committed to preserving the culinary and cultural traditions of Italy. Each product has been carefully selected to represent an authentic experience and sourced over 10 years and 10,000 miles of traveling and taste testing regional Italian food. Some products are unique and made only in the village of origin. Many are handcrafted in the “zona artigianale” of Italy.

With an Undergraduate Degree in the Biological Sciences and a Graduate Degree in Education, Pamela is committed to farming practices and educational programs that ensure the true flavors of Italy are protected and preserved. You can learn more about products available through Cositutti’s on-line store at www.cosituttimarketplace.com and her travels in Italy at www.cositutti.com .

Further reading on arttrav:

• Read the other arttrav writing contest winning essays here.
• Read all the articles about Tuscany.

Arttrav has been nominated by the BTO for the “best touristic blog” prize!! Please take 30 seconds to vote here (no registration required). Click the red “vota il blog” text, then select arttrav from the list with the black background and click “submit” (you may select more than one contestant if you wish). That’s all. And thank you!!

BTO - Buy Tourism Online - is a 2-day conference and workshop on tourism promotion that will be held Nov. 16-17 2009 at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence. I’m going as a registered “blogger” so I will report back to you with some of the highlights, and will be twittering from the event (@arttrav).

BTO - Buy Tourism Online is directed at:

• Managers and Owners of Hotels and other types of incoming tourism
• All operators along the whole incoming tourism chain
• Bloggers and Social Networks
• Those involved in marketing certain geographical areas and/or special interest holidays
• Web and web-marketing professionals
• Travel and tourism professionals and online travel agencies
• Companies with web-oriented products and services
• Students, researchers and academics in the field of Travel 2.0

Buy Tourism Online can be seen as a focal point of training, information and business meetings between people working in tourism and the suppliers of the new technologies which are rapidly and radically transforming the sector.

The purchase of travel packages online is the fastest-growing segment in the whole market and BTO - Buy Tourism Online aims to represent a reference point where all those working in tourism can find:

• In-depth training on new technology and the advantages their use can bring to their operations
• Analysis and interpretation of market scenarios and the impact of new technology
• Presentation of instances of excellence and best practice to take as models
• Proposals and tools from the best suppliers of consultancy and value added IT services for the tourism sector

BTO - Buy Tourism Online is structured in a new, innovative format which combines conferences and meetings on important issues for the sector, training sessions on more specific subjects, which participants enrol on according to their individual interests, a workshop bringing together quality supply and demand.

You’re invited to dinner with music: Sunday November 15, from 19:30 onwards, at VILLA CARUSO BELLOSGUARDO

The name Villa Caruso Bellosguardo derives from the incredible view it has thanks to its location in the Florentine Hills (Bello= nice, sguardo = view, look). The building actually dates back to its acquisition by the Pucci family in 1540!! They hired the architect and antiquarian Giovanni Antonio Dosio to transform what was essentially a farm into a noble home and park with natural and artificial aspects. At the end of the 19th century the villa passed into the hands of the Campi family; then in 1906 was purchased by the singer Enrico Caruso. At his death the villa changed hands many times, finally purchased by the Gucci family in 1990 and then by the city of Lastra a Signa in 1995.

Dinner is on a late-fall theme and all food will be of course related to its perfect wine, chosen from amongst De Gustibus producers. Dinner will be held in one of the villa’s rooms and accompanied by a guitar duo playing tango and ethnic music.

MENU

:: ANTIPASTI ::

- Sliced cold cuts (salami, prosciutto etc) and cheese selection
• The wine:: IGT Toscana Rosato Estroverso 2008, Az. Agr. Poggio al Bosco

:: I PRIMI ::

- Polenta ai with three toppings:: Ragu’ di Salsiccia, Ragu’ di Verdure, Salsa ai 3 Formaggi (sausage, vegetable, cheese)

• The wine: Rosso di Montefalco DOC 2006 Az. Agr. Napolini

:: I SECONDI & I CONTORNI ::

- Il Pollo in Bianco al tegame insaporito con aromi e Chardonnay (chicken with herbs and chardonnay);

• The wine :: IGT Toscana Chardonnay 2007 Az. Agr. Vigliano

- Mixed salad
- Squash

- Apple cake
- water and coffee

The cost for the evening is: 35 euros all inclusive

RSVP to Donato Iozzelli :: donato@de-gustibus.it :: 335 1535965
By Friday Nov 13 at 3pm

How to get there: see it on google maps.

If you need a ride: De Gustibus is organizing rides – you can ask Stefan or Tommaso
Stefan :: 349 2895233 – Tommaso :: 340 5796297