Caravaggio Exhibit (Uffizi)

I am so glad to have been able to see this many Caravaggio paintings. Nothing in school can compare to seeing them in person. This particular sketch (sketch 2) is a portion of The Medusa. Her eyes being the most engaging part of the piece captivated me. Caravaggio's way of capturing intense emotion is uncontested of any other artist of that time period, in my opinion.

This particular exhibit in the Uffizi also gave me quite a pleasant surprise. An artist's works that have also amazed me were featured here as her works are very similar to Caravaggio's. Artemisa Gentileschi, best known for her Judith and Holophernes (Sketch 1), had this painting along with about 7 others. I never thought I'd see her work in a show in my life either. There have been so many different times here, in Florence, where I am completely astonished by what I am seeing in person. Things I never thought I'd be able to study before, right there in front of me.

Italy_Notes_Venus_of_Urbino

Today was quite the experience. While going back to the Uffizi a second time, and really looking for the five paintings that really stood out, it hit me. This feeling was like a time warp through the last six months of my life in my Art History class. Seeing more than a hand full of paintings in real life that I recognized from prior slideshows, history books, and personal papers I was truly moved. The one painting that truly got me the second time around was the Venus of Urbino. Just how Tiziano contrasted her and that dog, with the painting done by him directly to the right of the Venus really spoke to me. Yes we may never understand what he really meant by this “nude”, but we can all have our own separate ideas. Thinking about that notion is what I feel viewing all these artworks are all about. Scholars may have the official word, but to ourselves no one can tell us what we think. Artwork will always be up for interpretation and that is what makes it art.

Uffizi

On the first visit to the Uffizi two paintings really grabbed my attention. The first painting was "Spring" by Botticelli. His use of color is really unlike any of the other painters of his time, which I feel is why I was attracted to this particular one. The tones contradict each other by being rich, dull, and soft all at the same time, yet they work to pull the piece together.

Leonardo's "Adoration of Magi" stunned me the first time I saw it, and it still had the same affect on me seeing it a second time. I believe I spent the majority of my time looking at this painting. Even though it is unfinished it is still an incredible work to study. As great as it is now it makes you wonder what it would have looked like if it had been finished.

Uffizi

On the first trip to the Uffizi, my favorites were the Botticelli room and "Adoration of Magi" by Leonardo.

Today was my second time visiting, and those two are still, my favorite, but I have now had the chance to look closer at them.

Upon first viewing the Botticelli works I pretty much only looked at "The Birth of Venus" and "Spring," but today I took my time in the room, looking at each piece carefully. I began to notice fine details that any photograph of the works would fail to show. In his showing of the Annunciation, part of the Angel's robes consist of a delicate transparent material. The detail within this section kept my attention for quite a while, and is truly beautiful.

Leonardo's unfinished piece caught my attention the first time and I spent quite a bit of time there, noticing quite a bit, but not taking everything in. This time, I tried to look at the entire piece slowly, sketching parts that caught my eye. I plan to go back just to view Leonardo and Botticelli's pieces more closely and in depth.

Uffizi

This second trip to the Uffizi allowed me to take a closer look works that interested me. Several pieces appealed to me more than others: Martini’s “The Annunciation and Two Saints,” Michelangelo’s “The Holy Family with Young St. John the Baptist,” and Leonardo’s “Adoration of the Magi.” These stood out because they were each so different, yet had a similar religious theme. I find it interesting how religious art progresses over time, yet still remains relatively true to its core messages. The way the museum is categorized allowed me to experience this development by enabling me to follow the artistic progression of painting techniques.

Uffizi

Walking through the Uffizi museum again today gave me a chance to really absorb what I was seeing and take more time to study the paintings. Two pieces in particular really stuck out to me, they are Michelangelo's "The Holy Family with Young St. John the Baptist," and Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus." The reason these two stand out is because I have been learning and hearing about them since I began taking art classes. I have done many master studies in the past, but attempting to sketch these two paintings roughly today could not possibly do them justice. It is so different to be standing in front of a large piece of art instead of just looking at a small image and reading about it in a book. I love being able to see the reactions that others have to the piece. Today, there was a woman standing in front of me as I sketched the Michelangelo piece; she was with a tour guide and every time she moved her head she changed her expression. Although it was nice to have more time there today, it was still not enough to really take in all that is there.

Uffizi

One of my favorite paintings I saw today was, the Holy Family with Young Saint John the Baptist, by Michelangelo. The perspective, proportions, and use of light and shadow were incredible and created very three dimensional figures. It was nice having around two hours this time to visit the museum. I hadn't even made it to the second wing of the building the first time we were there. There is so much to see, it's very overwhelming. I still need more time in the Uffizi.