Three friends - three crucifixions

I am still on the subject of Florence. Now I got to the art part of my visit there. I am reading and discovering things I only glimpsed when in Florence.  Having time to reflect on my new interest I started to really appreciate what I have seen and what I still must see. As it is with the art in Florence, there is no escape from religious subjects. Actually I do not want to escape it but my motivation is not of religious nature even if I write about crosses or Madonnas. Come to think about it may have been rarely motivation for the artists of the times.

There is a lovely story about two friends Brunelleschi and Donatello. I believe that originally the story comes from Vasari’s Lives of the Artists. I got it second hand though, so I am not sure. I am sure though that the three artists (Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio) were friends. There is enough evidence of that. 

Here goes the story about Donatello Brunelleschi rivalry.

Donatello was the first one to sculpture Crucifixion and he showed the sculpture to his friend Brunelleschi. The feedback was perhaps friendly and meant to be constructive but is was scathing. Brunelleschi obviously had different idea of aesthetics and the way the Christ should look like.   In his opinion Donatello sculptured an uncouth fellow, somebody like a simple peasant with tragic hair cut. Brunelleschi was disgusted.

            

Donatello was not fazed by the criticism. In his opinion there was a place for ugliness in art. He said – Why don’t you sculpture your own version then!

When I look at the Donatello's Christ from Santa Croce, I see a beautiful suffering face. Taste must have changed through centuries.

Brunelleschi thought that he will show his younger friend how it should be done and got to work on his own cross, the one in Santa Maria Novella. It is also extremely beautiful work. The artist, pleased with the result, wanted to boast a bit. He arranged to have lunch together with Donatello at his place and two friends after getting their food shopping were walking to Brunelleschi’s place. The host wanted his friend to have time to appreciate his achievement in private and said – I’ll get us some wine and you go ahead. When Donatello entered the place and looked up at the wall where the cross was hung, he dropped the shopping, eggs splashed on the floor and all lunch ingredients scrambled. He stood in front of the Christ in total admiration, muttering something like “Bloody hell, this is great!” Brunelleschi seeing the mess cried out – What have you done with our lunch! Donatello answered – Never mind the lunch, this is heavenly!

               

He obviously was not envious and was able to appreciate art without any prejudices. I wish I could be that magnanimous.

There is a third friend, Masaccio, and a third crucifixion, also in basilica Santa Maria Novella. When I saw it I was spellbound. Thankfully I was not carrying any lunch, I could drop. It was supposed to be a fresco for grave of married couple – Lenzi, the couple pictured at the bottom. And it is a fresco but with a difference. Masaccio using perspective masterfully created something which looks like a chapel not only a two dimensional fresco. It took him only 30 days to paint something that great and innovative, wow!  

                                            

Would you be able to pick up your favourite crucifixion? I cannot. Love them all.

I lived in a palazzo !

It has been a while since I posted. I was in Florence. Actually I planned to write something from there but the events and Renaissance art took over. It was all fantastic. Florence, its art, architecture, food, great company and the place we stayed at. Wow!

One evening  a friend of my niece who I was travelling with, came to visit  us. She lives in Florence and she was amazed that any tourist can live as a place we stayed at. Apparently it was a district for rich people. Rich people do not rent rooms to tourists. But we were lucky and out hostess did. Not only that she did but she is down to earth, great, helpful person, full of energy and fun who even seems to like her guests.  Not some stuck up, unfriendly lady.  I like her very much.

I found the place on AirB&B and the pictures of the place looked promising. The reality delivered all that the pictures promised and more.

                                              

There were old portraits, antique furniture, marble floors, spacious room and the view! I was looking forward to see Brunelleschi copula of the Duomo, I had read about it and I thought that it was going to be the biggest attraction of Florence for me. I looked through the window, the view was wonderful and there was a church with an attractive copula. Would it be IT? It did not seem to be in a right place though, and I was confused. Will I be able to wake up each morning, open my window, look at the church and shout – Thank you Brunelleschi! I read a story that one the citizens of Florence who had a view on the famous Duomo church followed her morning ritual of opening her window and shouting “Thank you Brunelleschi!” every day. I thought that if this was the right church I would not have a choice but to disturb everybody around by loudly expressing my gratitude for the creator of the famous dome. To keep the tradition.

To my disappointment but lucky for my niece and other people living in the apartment, it turned out to be San Frediano in Cestello. Not a Brunelleschi’s master piece but still very beautiful to look at. I felt impressed and grateful for my lesser experience of beauty but beauty nevertheless. 

This is the view from our window

My Florence adventure started very nicely. I might write more about it especially that without planning I seem to write about my sightseeing impressions. Somebody said that it would make a tourist guide. Hmm... This is not my intention but I have been lucky lately to explore beautiful European sites and they were the strongest impressions and observation I have made lately. So I write about it.

The last day of my stay in Florence our hostess booked a taxi for me and she said “a taxi will come at 11 sharp and it will wait for you in front of the palazzo”.  It was all official then, it was a palazzo I lived two weeks in. Lucky me.

And this what our palazzo looks like. We did not stay on the real palatial floor, I must confess