5 and a half hours over the course of the weekWe have always been convinced of the fact, that in order to truly get to know a place, it is essential to examine in depth its history and the art works that it generated.
Tuscany, and Florence in particular, were for geographical, social and economic reasons, the epicenters of the Italian culture from the 15th to 16th centuries, thanks to the continuous flourishing of schools and artists that gave their life to the “Rinascimento” or Renaissance, opening the hearts and minds of people to “modernity”. During our dinners we will discuss with the aid of reproductions, some works that signaled the arrival of this Cultural Revolution. We will deepen our understanding about the life of artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Botticelli, Michelangelo, without neglecting their relationships with their clients.
We will analyze some of their most significant works so that we may be able to admire and appreciate them in the flesh during our visit to the Uffizi Gallery. This journey will allow us to acquire a full awareness of these works and a mature knowledge of their creators. We will take home with us much more than just a study of Renaissance art; as you will have acquired the keys to the understanding of the better part of the Italian culture that gave so much to the evolution of the western world.
To gaze at an artwork whilst knowing how to read into it, is different to just seeing it in a hurry. For example: It could be useful to know that the sarcophagus painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the Annunciation (1470-80) in the Uffizi Gallery is identical to the one made by Verrocchio in the old sacristy of San Lorenzo, or that the same Leonardo, using the linear perspective, discovered also the chromatic and aerial perspectives clearly visible in the Annunciation. These are interesting facts that if known prior to seeing the actual artwork will naturally allow for a deeper understanding.
