It has been a good, amazing, fabulous, busy week. I started my art history classes and am now well on my way to becoming a wise Renaissance art historian. In fact, I'm almost there already. Only 10 more weeks and I'll be able to tell you everything there is to know about Italian Renaissance art. Probably.
I have some fabulous classes and very wise, knowledgeable, meraviglioso (marvelous) professors. I am excited to learn from them. Right now though, I have a confession to make to you all (don't judge me, don't hate me, don't scold me...): for the most part, Renaissance art doesn't really excite me. I know, it's horrible. But it's true. Actually, it's not completely true. Renaissance architecture (and some sculpture) does excite me. A lot. But Renaissance painting generally bores me. Probably because I am ignorant and don't know anything about it. However, the more I learn, the more I appreciate it. There's nothing like being able to look at a painting and understand it, really understand it, from the content to the theory to the technique. I'm trying to get to a point where I can do that with most of the paintings that I encounter so that I can therefore at least appreciate them, even if I don't necessarily love them. Surprisingly enough, however, in spite of my general non-enthusiasm and ignorance when it comes to Renaissance painting, Masaccio's Trinity from 1427 honestly made my jaw hit the floor today. It's incredible. You see, I am a modern and contemporary art kind of girl, not a Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, and Brunelleschi kind of girl. I am fascinated by conceptual art; art that engages you in a dialog, that doesn't spell out what it's trying to say specifically, excites me. Renaissance art is, as one of my Hope College professors said, the country music of the art world: it tells you everything up front, flat out. It leaves you with no room for misinterpretation. In country music, you know what color the truck is, what kind of drink they're drinking (probably beer), what bar they're at, who was there, everything. Nothing is left to your imagination. Similarly, Renaissance paintings often tell you up front who the patrons were that commissioned the work; who the patron saint is; what city the work was created in; again, everything. Not much room for imagination. Even the contracts which were written at the time of the commission included ridiculously specific demands that the artist had to meet. Much of the art from the Renaissance period was not created from the imagination of the artist, it was created according to the demands of a guild, or a confraternity, or a priest, or some other commissioner. So like I said, that's not too exciting to me, a girl who loves Richard Serra, Francis Bacon, and Barnett Newman. But I'm learning. Don't worry.
Okay, so that was a long, rather boring paragraph for most of you. Sorry about that art history lesson/complaining session. Actually, I'm not sorry. At least not for the art history lesson part. It's good for you. It makes you smarter. You should probably send me a thank you note, to be honest. In the form of mail. Sent to my address. To me. Like a letter. Or a card. Or even a postcard. (Are you lot getting the hint that I really enjoy getting mail and would love to get some from you all? I've mentioned it several times. I like to think that you are smart people and have caught on by now. But I also like to think that you do love me and you're not just flat out ignoring my tasteless, desperate requests for mail. So really, I don't know what to think when it comes to you people and your intelligence and your love for me. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, will you please please please send me mail? It would make me so very happy. Just saying...)
Moving on...this last week has been full of fun and joy and happy things like rainbows and bunnies. Except for the rainbows and bunnies part. But you get the point. Last weekend I had my first real "going out" experience, save for that first night at Space, which doesn't count because it was just way too ridiculous. So anyways, on Friday, the day after I last wrote to you, I went out with VALERIE! Yes, the Valerie. It was amazing. Between Friends Pub and Chinese food and new friends named Francis (maybe? haha), we had a fabulous, very late night. (For those of you who do not know me well, I am very much like an old woman. In fact, I may indeed be an old woman in a young woman's body. Really. If I go to bed past 10:30 pm, it's a really late night for me. I have quite an early bedtime and I require enormous amounts of sleep. For example, yesterday I took a three (yes, three) hour nap. It was great. Some of you may think that after a nap like that (I woke up at 7:30 pm) I wouldn't be able to sleep that night. Well, those of you who think that are obviously the ones who don't know me well. I got a solid eight and half hours last night. And I'm about ready for a nap right now before dinner. It's all true. I speak truth. But the point is, when I was out with Valerie, I went to bed at three o'clock am. That is unheard of for me. Ridiculous. I think I'm losing my mind. Wow. It actually still impresses me to think about that. I'm kind of proud of that. That's a big accomplishment for me. Maybe you should send me a note of congratulations. To my address. Like mail. Just a thought.)
On Saturday I had lunch with some girlies from my program for Zoe's birthday. Zoe is a girl in my program, for those of you who don't know, which is all of you except the occasional creeper from my program like Steph and Alyse and maybe a few others (Amy, are you a part of this group? I hope so) who read my blog like creepers. Because they're creepers. Creepy. After lunch, my roommate Leslie and I did an assignment for one of our classes. The assignment was to walk around the city to different landmarks that represent Medieval Florence. This would include family palaces, churches, early family towers, the palaces of the wealthiest gilds in the city (the wool, silk, butcher's, and calimala (cloth sellers) gilds), and other various buildings and old streets around the city. It was long (it took about four hours), but it was incredible. I really loved it. I think I am going to try to do it again when I am not so focused on answering questions for my class and not getting lost. Post-walk, Leslie and I came home to an especially yummy dinner prepared for us by Momma Anna. But then, which of her dinners is not especially yummy? None of them. I mean all of them. I mean...I don't know what is the proper way to answer the rhetorical question that I just asked you all. Whoops. Well, what I'm trying to say is that all of Momma Anna's meals are especially yummy. End of story.
Sunday was a mellow day of homework and napping, a good day. Monday was my first class! The topic for the day was the Duomo (the campanile, to be specific) so we met there at 9 am. It was C-O-L-D. I think it was below zero outside, similar to the temperatures of the arctic region. Well, that may be a little bit of an exaggeration. But really it was uncomfortably cold to stand outside for almost two hours and take notes. Still, it was very interesting and exciting to learn about this huge, beautiful, incredible building that I see almost everyday. It's so fascinating! After that class, I had a break so I went home and took a nap. Typical. Then I had more Italian. The next day I had my other two art history classes. Jodie (my program director and one of my professors) has quickly become my Mrs. Schaperkotter of this trip. I love her. She is my idol. Her class is going to be so so so good. I can't wait to glean knowledge from all her areas of expertise. Don't be surprised if I come home and I am a Renaissance art genius. It will probably happen. I'll be the next Giorgio Vasari. Look out!
Anyways, the rest of the week has passed with reading, on site class meetings, and hanging out with friends. And now today is an important day: it is Alex's birthday (!) and Valerie and Vittoriana are done with their crazy hard classes today!!! Two major events. You know what that means...time to CELEBRATE!!!! Tonight might accidentally turn into another way-too-late night. But it will be worth it if that does accidentally happen. It's gonna be a good good night. And then tomorrow (feel free to scream with jealousy at my announcement here...), I am leaving for VENICE. That's right. Venice. The Venice. The one that is amazing and unique and beautiful. This is going to be the best weekend ever. I'll be back on Sunday. I promise a blog soon after my return. Have a good weekend everyone. I know I will...
Ciao bellisimi!
xo me
P.S. I expect mail next week people. I'm serious. In fact, I'm so serious that I have decided to offer an incentive: for all those of you who send me mail, I will return the kindness by sending you a postcard. I may or may not write on the back of it. It depends on how good the mail I get from you is. But I know you all will not half-ass this. I have faith in you. Besides, how could you half-ass this when I am shamelessly begging, flat out begging, for you to send me mail. For pity's sake, humor me here people. I am begging. I don't know what else to do. But that's not the point. The point is that I love you all and can't wait to hear from you :)
P.P.S I have found my favorite place in Florence: Santa Maria Novella (where Masaccio's Trinity is located). It is the most beautiful, incredible, historically significant church I have ever been in. I am officially obsessed. If anyone in Florence needs to contact me, just come look for me at Sta. Maria Novella. I'll be there. All day. All night. Forever. Except when I'm in Venice, of course.
P.P.P.S. The picture I included is one of my favorite that I've taken so far. In case you're not aware, this picture is of the place where I live. Holy cow. How fabulous is my life? Super fabulous. Super duper fabulous. I love my life :)
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