The last couple of days...

A view of the Synagogue

We are wrapping up things here in Florence. The cold front from Russia blew in the other day, and life is nearly Minnesota cold. We have been exploring nineteenth and twentieth-century Florence. On Tuesday we looked at the paintings of the Macchiaioli (19th-century painters concerned with Italian unification and the study of light) at the Gallery of Modern Art in the Palazzo Pitti, visited the 19th-century synagogue and learned about the history of the Jewish community in Florence. Yesterday morning we talked about Fascism and learned about the architecture of the Florence train station, built by Giovanni Michelucci from 1932-35.

Yesterday afternoon we were treated to a lecture by Niall Atkinson. Niall told us about his current research project on the function of architecture, images and bells (yes, bells!) in the Ciompi (woolworkers) revolt in Florence in 1378. We looked at Orsanmichele, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello and the Badia in the context of his talk. It was so interesting that I hardly noticed the numbness in my toes!


Here is Linnea's image of Nanni di Banco's Four Crowned Martyrs from the exterior of Orsanmichele. (This is a copy of the sculpture, the original is in a museum.)


The belltowers of the Bargello and the Badia by Rachael.