Blog #2: Santa Maria del Fiori, Archbishop Archive, Orsanmichele

Blog #2: Santa Maria del Fiori, Archbishop Archive, Orsanmichele

Blog #2: Santa Maria del Fiori, Archbishop Archive, Orsanmichele    

Today’s class was very informative.  It was great being able to break out of the classroom and gain hands-on experience with the city.  Since taking A.P. Art History in high school, I have had a slight obsession with Santa Maria del Fiori; I loved hearing more about the building and its place within the ancient city of Florence.  I had no idea that the Piazza has cemeteries beneath it… or that the bell tower doesn’t ring during the Lenten days.

     At the Archbishop’s Archive, we learned a multitude of things about how the Florentines had made use of paper and even parchment parchment to record special events, such as marriages, births, and deaths… Personally, I found it very interesting to think about how people have come to understand the concept of “history”… If such events, names, dates, and places hadn’t been written down and recorded, we would have no idea where we come from.  It is through these written records that we can bridge the gaps between our past, present, and future.

     As I learned about the intimate relationship between both the religious and political centers in Florence, I realized that the layout of the city of Florence absolutely reflects that relationship.  Another interesting parallel I drew during today’s class was the similarity between the books of recorded baptisms, as they featured the names of the newly-baptized as well as the names of their parents!  Similarly, at the Archaeological Museum last week, I saw that as per the Egyptian tradition, the name of a deceased person, as well as their parents’ names, was featured on each coffin.

    From our journey to Orsanmichele, I learned that although the omnipresent image / icon of the Madonna and Child depict both the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus, the focal point of that classic image is the Christ child himself.   I also found it interesting that the two 'sides', if you will, of the church each depicted only images of one gender. This brought upon my question as to why the depiction of Mary would have been so prominently displayed on the male side of the church...  Little did I know how thoroughly a child could dwarf his mother! 

Blog #1: Archaeological Museum

     This week, I visited the National Archaeological Museum of Florence as a requirement for my study of the History of Christianity.  There, I observed various works of art from different cultures.. and different time periods, as well.  Having taken an A.P. Art History course in high school, I was very much intrigued by many of the works displayed as part of this multi-floor exhibit!  Personally, I found the slabs of clay featuring cuneiform to be one of the most interesting pieces in the whole museum... Especially having learned about Mesopotamian culture in social studies classes throughout my life, the "art" of cuneiform, if you will, was easily recognizable to me.  They dated back to the Neo-Sumerian period, which was about 2150-2000 a.C.... Incredible!

     I also found the Egyptian section of the museum to include some incredible original pieces... in particular, the "sarcofago e cartonnage di Takerheb" (Coffin and cartonnage of Takerheb).  The multi-colored, intricately detailed outer shell of the coffin was breath-taking. I could hardly imagine the amount of time and effort that had to have been invested in order to create this masterpiece. I also find it interesting to consider all different aspects of a piece... For instance, who commissioned this coffin?.. who decided what the writings and pictures should depict?.. what would it mean in relation to the Egyptian concept of the afterlife?... It sent my mind reeling. (Gladly) there was more information on the wall relating to many of the pieces, and upon reading the one for this Coffin, I learned that the name of the deceased person was inscribed in the wood, as well as the deceased person's parents' names. The sky goddess Nut was also depicted in the interior. I also asked a woman who worked at the museum to show me the most "important" of the Egyptian works, if you will. She directed me to an original chariot that had been used when the Egyptian dynasties were prevalent! 

     As for the Etruscan section of the museum, there was one "sala", room, which really impressed me.  In this room, there were probably upward of fifty different (small) sarcophagi. Initially, I was taken back at the size of these works, as they were only big enough for my arm!  However, I read that these particular sarcophagi were used to store (bury) the bones of the deceased, after their bodies were burned. I also noticed that these sarcophagi nearly always depicted the deceased person (in their likeness), as reclining on what would be his or her left side.  This was reminiscent of the fact that the deceased would be at peace, as per the religious beliefs and beliefs regarding the afterlife held by the Etruscan culture! It's amazing how much a culture's art can so accurately reflect values and belief systems.  I wonder what 'modern art' says about us?