May 19th - Siena

On our trip to Siena we spent some time in the basilica of San Domenico, a church that is extremely important to the life of St. Catherine. One of the female mystics we studied in class, Catherine of Siena is famous for her perseverance. St. Catherine had her first "mystical experience" at the age of six, and from that moment on decided that she would devote her life to Christ. But it wasn't an easy road for her. At 16, her elder sister passed away, and as the younger sister, Catherine was next in line to marry the widower. She refused, and over time was able to convince her father to let her go to a Dominican convent. It was here that Catherine claimed to have a "mystical marriage" with Jesus. This spiritual tie to Jesus led her to leave the convent and pursue a more public life, living with the poor as St. Claire of Assisi had done. St. Catherine perseverance and persistence also helped her greatly in the world of religious politics. She travelled through Northern and central Italy advocating reform of the clergy, as well as preaching a total love for God through helping those in need. In addition, she played a large role during the Papal Schism, adhering to the side of Pope Urban VI and advocating his legitimacy to the people. St. Catherine is a prime example of the Renaissance woman- she was strong, persistent and stubborn. She never gave up fighting for Pope Urban VI until the day she died, and she continued fighting for reform within the Church until that day, as well. But was the way she demonstrated her faith too radical? She would participate in extreme fasts as a way to bring herself closer to God. It has also been said that she would beat herself until she drew blood in order to sympathize with the sufferings of Jesus. In modern day, these habits would have been considered anorexia and self-mutilation- activities that warrant mental help. Yet, these practices would considered perfectly normal, even revered! It is interesting to note the differences between respected behaviours in the past versus our present times.

"St. Catherine"

May 18th - Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence was one of my favourite things to see. The art this gallery contains can be considered some of the finest Renaissance art ever created. We were able to see the paintings "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" by Sandro Botticelli- my favourite Renaissance artist. The paintings exemplify the Renaissance throw-back to classical antiquity that we have learned about in class, as Boticelli uses many classical elements within these works. For example, in "Primavera," the artist uses a combination of mythological figures to represent springtime. Flora, the deity of spring; Mercury, the god of May, and Venus, with cupid above her, are all ancient figures who lend symbolism to Botticelli's work.

"Botticelli's Primavera"

We were also able to see works by such famed artists as Raphael and Michelangelo. Raphael's painting, "Madonna of the Gold Finch," is demonstrative of the symbolic art Peter taught us about in class. Much of the art of the Renaissance period used symbolism to convey meaning in its paintings. This technique was used to aid in clarity of understanding in artwork as many people at the time were illiterate and needed images (rather than words) to understand concepts. The gold finch in this painting signifies the "future violent death of Jesus Christ," a theme that appears frequently in Renaissance art. The gold finch was chosen as this symbol because in the winter, the bird can survive eating thorns. The thorns represent the suffering of Jesus through the crown of thorns He wore.

"Raphael's Madonna of the Gold Finch"

May 17th - Ospedale degli Innocenti & San Lorenzo

Today we visited a few sites with architecture created by Brunelleschi, the first being the Ospedale degli Innocenti. Meaning "hospital of the innocents", this place was what would be considered an orphanage in our language (the word orphanage did not exist in Italian at the time of the building's construction). The Ospedale is another example of Brunelleschi's vision of harmonized architecture through the use of mathematic principles and numbers. For example, at the Ospedale, the height of the columns is equal to the width AND depth of the semi-circular arches, creating a perfectly proportional square. To emphasize this proportion, Brunelleschi uses grey stone on the floor to draw a line from the columns back to the wall, and fills the square in with red terracotta flooring. In this way, Brunelleschi lets the architecture speak for itself, and easily allows the eye of the viewer to pick up on his ratios and proportions. Unfortunately, the ceiling of the center semi-circle was later filled in with a fresco, something Brunelleschi would have despised. He most likely would have felt that it was an "illusion" and distracted from the simplistic harmony of his work.

"Ospedale degli innocenti - Brunelleschi's perfect proportions"

The other building we visited today is the basilica of San Lorenzo. The Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo is another masterpiece of Brunelleschi. You can tell that it is an example of his architecture from the room's harmonious proportions (seen in 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:6), as well as in his use of white and grey stone- the grey stone being used to emphasize important architectural elements such as pilasters, arches, and other linear components. In addition, the ceiling is domed, a building technique that Brunelleschi is most famous for (after his completion of the dome at the Duomo cathedral). These components lend to the Old Sacristy and sense of unity and harmony that is symbolic of Brunelleschi and the new style of architecture that began to arise during the Renaissance period.

"The Old Sacristy at San Lorenzo"

May 16th - Santo Spirito

The church of Santo Spirito, is among the finest works created by the Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the church is very simple, and does not reflect the architectural magnificence of the interior. In class, we learned that Brunelleschi had plans to create "wave-like" exterior walls, curving inward and outward in a series of concave and convex movements. However, these plans were halted for financial reasons and the walls smoothed over- had we not been told, we never would have known the artist's original intentions. Only one piece of wall exists, hidden in a far back corner, where you can see a piece of the original curvature.

The interior architecture, however, is just as grand as Brunelleschi had intended it to be. The walls are extremely sculptural, undulating and flowing the length of the church. It is interesting to note that Brunelleschi loved simplicity in buildings, and as such, hated all paintings and sculptures that would distract from his architecture. Creating these curving walls was a clever way to eliminate the space available for painting frescoes; however, his cleverness was thwarted as the walls were partially filled in to create a flat space to house art.

We also had the chance to experience first hand Brunelleschi's use of ratios in the composition of his buildings. The architect used the visible proportions 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:6 (as well as several not visible to the naked eye) when creating his spaces. For example, in the main nave of the church, it can be split down the center into a ratio of 1:2. When you include the aisles to either side, the width can then be split into four equal pieces, which is a ratio of 1:4. These proportions help to create the harmonized, symmetrical form of architecture that Brunelleschi is most famous for.

"Santo Spirito Floor Plan"

May 14th - Venice

Today we made the long journey to Venice for the day. We began at the Scuole Grande San Rocco which now serves as a museum. The interior of the Scuola has been decorated entirely by the famed painter Tintoretto in the mid to late 1500s. The paintings illustrate Biblical scenes that range from the fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden to images from the New Testament. All of the characters in his paintings follow the ever-grow progressive painting style we have learned about in class. The figures represented have muscular, anatomically correct bodies, and scenes are correctly arranged according to perspective. These qualities are indicative of Renaissance artistic practices, and lend to the dramatic and realistic feeling of the space.

May 12th - Santa Maria del Carmine & Brancacci Chapel

Santa Maria del Carmine is a Carmelitan church that houses art by one of the most famous painters of the Renaissance- Masaccio. Within the Brancacci chapel, Masaccio painted several frescoes, with two of the most famous being "The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden," and the "The Tribute Money." The Tribute Money, especially, illustrates the concept of progressive art that we have been learning about in class. Masaccio's style differed significantly from that of the many regressive artists of his time. While some painters chose to paint what they knew, Masaccio believed in painting what could be seen. As such, in the background of works like "The Tribute Money," there is a darkness and a blurriness that reflects depth and distance- through change in colour and visibility. In addition, Masaccio utilized a non-linear narrative technique to tell the story of Peter and Jesus paying tribute. The central focus of the painting is Jesus and the apostles encountering the taxman. The second scene in the sequence however, is off to the left, where Peter is painted smaller (to signify his distance from the group) at the riverside catching a fish. Finally, the end sequence of the tribute being paid is to the right of the main image, separated by a building that represents the change in scene. The building is also representative of Masaccio's attempt to create one-point perspective (although unsuccessful here). The importance of this church and chapel is that hosts prime examples of forward-thinking Renaissance paintings that would lend to the development of the art world.

"The Tribute Money" - Masaccio

May 11th - Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella is a Dominican basilica
near the train station in downtown Florence. Its facade, though similar in colour and structure to the Tuscan-Romanesque architecture of the Renaissance period, differs slightly stylistically. Instead of the traditional rounded arch, it uses the characteristically pointed arch of the Gothic style. However, the church as a whole exudes a sense of architectural unity that is a symbol of the Renaissance beliefs at the time - that all parts of a whole should be in harmony.
Santa Maria Novella is home to many famous works of Renaissance art, the first being Masaccio's "The Trinity," the first painting to utilize one-point perspective. One-point perspective is a method of creating art
that is realistic to life (by using a vanishing point on the horizon and series of lines that run through it), and was invented by the architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi was not a painter, so he taught this technique to the progressive artist, Masaccio. Although the perspective is not quite correct, it is a jaw-dropping sight to behold. It was made to create the illusion of a chapel extending through the wall, and seeing the fresco in person, I can tell how this innovation would have revolutionized the way Renaissance people created art. When you look at the painting, you are at eye level with the vanishing point, so it seems as though you could stare right up at Christ and at the ceiling.


Another work of art within Santa Maria Novella is Brunelleschi's wooden crucifix. This cross has been hailed as one of the finest wooden sculptures of the Renaissance. As Peter would say, Brunelleschi created Jesus with the "ideal body," which was a common practice during the time. Every visible inch is anatomically correct, showing realistic muscle and bone contour, and body position. Donatello, one of the most famous sculptors of all time, even recognized that he could not create a masterpiece such as Brunelleschi's. And Masaccio himself even pays tribute to the crucifix by painting it into "The Trinity." It is hard to fully comprehend these artworks without seeing them in person. Every last detail on Brunelleschi's crucifix is clearer. The illusion of staring up into the "chapel" painted by Masaccio is all the more realistic. These artists' attention to detail and artistic development is all the more evident after visiting Santa Maria Novella.