Tag: florence

by jad

The Questione Della Lingua (Last Frames from the Uffizi)

Last frames from the Uffizi. x It’s interesting to think about the outsized role that Florence has played in shaping Italy’s language and national identity. It keeps coming up in the books I’m reading. The “questione della lingua,” which took on new urgency after unification, unfolded along two lines of tension. One looked backward, seeking authority in the literary language of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, treating the Florentine of the Trecento as the standard to be preserved through careful study of the classics. The other looked forward, asking whether a modern nation should instead build its common language from the … Continue reading “The Questione Della Lingua (Last Frames from the Uffizi)” →

by jad

The Bored Invigilators of Florence

The bored invigilators of Florence. The first was in the Uffizi. The rest were in Palazzo Strozzi. x Il posto era stracolmo. A phrase that could describe any place in Florence. x People and paintings in the Uffizi. It’s a bit of a cheat, but one of my favorite reasons for visiting a museum or art gallery is staging the works on display in the act of their apprehension by the other visitors. I must say, however: the Uffizi did not make this easy. For the first half of our visit, there was a dizzying chaotic energy in almost every … Continue reading “The Bored Invigilators of Florence” →

by jad

Caravaggio’s Medusa (The Horror of Being Perceived)

People with cameras and windows with views in Florence’s famous Uffizi galleries. x Caravaggio’s Head of Medusa in Room 90 of the Uffizi, caught in what I’d like to imagine is the horror of being perceived. Photography is decapitation again and again. x The hallways and sightlines of the Uffizi. x

by jad

The Duomo, in Changing Light

The biggest attraction in the area we were staying was the grand Duomo di Firenze, or the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower. On a whim, I decided I’d visit a couple times in a single day to capture how the light would change the vibes. This is what it looks like in the morning. x The Piazza del Duomo in the afternoon. x Santa Maria del Fiore in the early evening hours. x

by jad

Golden Hour with Florence’s Golden Boy

Another series showing the passage of time. After visiting the Uffizi, we passed by Palazzo Strozzi to get tickets for the Rothko exhibit later that evening. You can see how dramatically different @superflexstudio’s artwork look in the inner courtyard at those two times of the day. I’ll be posting more from both galleries soon. x This one’s for Christine for teasing me about butts in the Met. It also marks the moment when the skies cleared, and the city started to shake off its dreary overcoat. x Golden hour with Florence’s golden boy. x

by jad

First Impressions of Florence (Not Great)

My first impressions of Florence were not great. Not only was it the flashpoint of train disruptions for three days in a row, but actually stepping out into the fabled city when we first arrived there on that Tuesday felt a little weird too; it wasn’t exactly hot, but it wasn’t exactly cool either, and the clouds hung low, muting all the colors and making everything look kinda dirty and drab. And the people. Oh, so many people. It felt like there were way more people here than in Rome, all stuffed into the same few blocks as everyone else. … Continue reading “First Impressions of Florence (Not Great)” →

by jad

The Fourth of July in Florence (and Italy’s Trains)

We’re in Florence on the Fourth of July, heading back to Rome tomorrow morning. What better way is there to “celebrate” 250 years of the American experiment than a shot of one of the first things I saw in Italy: a McDonald’s just outside of Roma Termini. We spent a lot of time getting on and off trains during this trip and took way too many photos everywhere we’ve been; I figured I’d get started with posting the “in-between” shots first, as we make our way back to the beginning. x If you’ve ever heard bad things about the trains … Continue reading “The Fourth of July in Florence (and Italy’s Trains)” →