Sir, where's toilet? by John Meadows

Author:John Meadows
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Amusing anecdotes, Astute observations, Travel short stories, Whimsical tales, Galleries and museums, Historical fun trivia, Students abroad, Lively encounters, True ghost story, Great Wall of China, Terracotta Warriors, Uncle Ho in Vietnam, Mekong in Laos, Angkor Wat, St Petersburg and Moscow, Russian Rugby League, Valley of The Kings, Kenya, Amsterdam, Venice
ISBN: 9781785388118
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2018
Published: 2018-01-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

La Dolce Vita

Florence, Cradle of the Renaissance

Quote: ‘How much beauty is here when we look on Florence from the summit of a hill. It lies in a sun-lighted valley, bright with the winding Arno, and shut in by swelling hills; its domes, and towers and palaces rising in a glittering heap and shining in the sun like gold!’

Charles Dickens, ‘Pictures from Italy’ 1846.

Since it had become something of a tradition on our art trips to begin our itinerary with a panoramic view, we decided to follow in the Charles Dickens’ footsteps. Overlooking Florence is the Piazzale Michelangelo, a sensational view which will have changed very little since Dickens’ memorable description, or indeed since Renaissance times. It is one of the most magnificent cityscapes in the world, comprising the Palazzo Vecchio, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its instantly recognisable Duomo, and the Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno, which flows through the centre of the city. A huge replica of Michelangelo Buonarotti’s famous statue of David surveys this picture-postcard scene. Another version stands in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, while the original statue is the main attraction of the Accademia Gallery.

Please Release Me

Genius must be the most inappropriately-used word in the English language. You just need to stand in front of Michelangelo’s statue of David to understand the true meaning of the word. How could any human being create such an awe-inspiring work of art with a hammer and chisel? He sculpted the 17-foot statue between 1501 and 1504 from a single block of Carrara marble. David was originally intended for the top of the Duomo, so Michelangelo made the head and hands slightly oversized so that the whole figure would look proportional when viewed from the ground. However, he was less generous with a vital part of David’s anatomy!

Michelangelo used to say that he could visualise a figure trapped inside the block and that it was his job to release it from the marble. That is some trick. The story goes that he taught his students this philosophy: “Release your figure from the marble with mallet and chisel.”

One day, he went into his workshop to see how his apprentices were getting on. Each one stood proudly next to their marble blocks, as their sculptures began to emerge gradually. The master, Michelangelo, gave nods of encouragement until he came to a student who was standing next to a mound of marble dust and chippings. With a confused frown, he demanded,

“Where is the figure you were supposed to release from your marble block?”

“Sorry, Master Buonarotti, but I couldn’t find one inside mine.”

The dome of the cathedral was designed by the architect Brunelleschi who, along with the sculptor Donatello and the painter Masaccio, were the founding fathers of the early Renaissance, pointing the way towards the supreme achievements of the next generation of Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael and Titian during the High Renaissance.

The prosperity of Florence was due to astute businessmen.

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