Visiting Italian cities is like walking through an open air museum. The only limitation is that with my barely mediocre art history knowledge I was not always sure of the significance of what I was looking at. In hindsight, I think this may have actually worked in my favour.
Instead of having a long list of ‘must sees’, madly dashing from one important site to the next famous statue, I just assumed all of it had some kind of significance and enjoyed whatever was in front of me. Not hard to do, the architecture is beautiful, there are statues and fountains everywhere, and I did a lot of walking. Very, very crucial that, walking, considering how incredibly good and vegetarian friendly the food is in Italy.
I did not pause for enough sketch breaks, too busy taking it all in, though I did manage a few essentials.
My favourite hours spent in Rome were in Saint Peter’s Basilica. For most of that time I stood in front of Michelangelo’s Pieta, or more accurately, off to the side. The crowd was thick and I tried to take up as little room as possible to allow everyone else a chance at a front row photo opportunity. For the first time in a long time not a single person showed interest in what I was doing. Completely understandable, and a humbling experience.
There were other pieces I wish I could have spent more time studying, but the crowds … I had not seen line ups like this since Paris. I do not often take photos of paintings, even in museums where it is allowed. Not quite sure why, something does not feel right about it. But on occasion I am moved to point and click. The Raphael Rooms in the Vatican are stunning, and a massive smile spread across my face when I walked into the chamber with this on the wall: Raphael’s School of Athens.
Florence the city did not endear herself to me for one main reason: all the green spaces were locked behind gates and encircled by high walls, and the ones open to visitors had entrance fees. Since the skies were grey and the rain oscillated between a drizzle and downpour for most of my stay, I saved my pennies for museum visits instead.
There is one particular masterpiece I made sure to give myself enough time to study, arriving at the Galleria dell’Accademia bright and early to stand near the front of the line, fortunately keeping dry under the wide covered gallery waiting patiently for the doors to open, earbuds plugged in, the music my friendly companion.
Michelangelo’s David – statues make the perfect models.
When I was museumed out I sought refuge from the rain at a cafe on the rim of Plaza della Signoria. I ordered coffee, it was perfection of course, and chocolate cake, almost as good as my Oma makes it, and pulled out the new pad of watercolour postcard-sized paper I bought in Amalfi. I had finished the last of my first pack of postcards in Naples, a view of Mount Vesuvius along the Lungomare, and had a painting to finish as a prize for a mini competition I held for my facebook fans.
Plazza Vecchio in rainy Florence, a day of museums, perfect coffee, and a painting for Cara.
I did wander around quite a bit, despite the wet weather, and was rewarded with more lovely street art with a definite Italian flavour, almost making up for the lack of green. It made me smile and think back to my night discovering murals in Salerno.
It was not an Italian grand master who turned my head in Genoa. I had just arrived, was walking from the train station to my couch for the next 5 days and saw a familiar face on a banner hanging from the Palazzo Ducale. I knew immediately where I would be spending my museum euros while here. As it turns out, I only made it to 2 museums while in Genoa, this Impressionist exhibit and the Villa Croce Contemporary Art Museum, despite it being my longest stop in Italy. I was having too much fun wandering the narrow streets, up and down the hills, and eating the best gelato I have ever tasted.
I did come across this little fellow during my endless walks around the old city. While a baby cthulhu is not very Italian, it makes me think of a dear friend and had me smiling just as much as when I turned the corner to find Raphael’s School of Athens in front of me.
Italy is expensive, and there seems to be an entrance fee for just about everything. I do not necessarily consider myself a budget traveller, but travelling long term does mean keeping one eye on the expenses and Italy had me wincing at the end of the day as I added up the receipts. Fortunately it is still free to walk along the streets, and in Italy there are plenty of masterpieces scattered around outside to keep art lovers happy without breaking the bank.
I know I missed tonnes, which seems odd considering I was moving almost non-stop for 3 weeks. But, I managed most of my personal ‘must sees’ and my sketchbooks remind me of the quality time I did get with a few of the greats.
