Firenze e Bella!

Well, I can die happy now. Ok, I would have been happy before, because I didn't know what I was missing. But, ora, posso morire felice! Meanwhile, my reflections on Botticelli and art patronage, followed by photos:

And here are images of my rainy wanderings through la bella Firenze! I started from Stazione di Santa Maria Novella, walked to Il Duomo, then to the Uffizi (which I had been told ALWAYS has a wait - no wait on a rainy January day), then to Ponte Vecchio, through the San Frediano quartire, back to Santo Spirito, a number of chiesi, and then again to the Stazione. Camera died toward the end, I'd been out so long!

The Duomo...

Outside the Galleria Uffizi:

The courtyard inside Palazzo Vecchio:

The art of the renaissance, reminding me of all the art history books I ever read:

Giotto! His birthplace is ten minutes from my friend's house here in Mugello.

Lunch break in the caffetteria, with views of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio:

Laocoön copy from the original at the Vatican in Rome:

Basis for the American Statue of Liberty?

Botticelli's "Primavera"

And..."Birth of Venus". Even behind thick glass, it is a stunning, stunning image Must have stood here for 30 minutes, just WOWED.

The Tribune room, reconstructed at Uffizi to what it may have looked like centuries ago.

Shells embedded into the walls and ceiling of the Tribune:

Oh hayyyy Rembrandt. Stared at these next few for a good long time as well. Unbelievable to be in the same room with these masterpieces.

And while this was originally thought to be a self-portrait, experts now say it may not be after all. I find that hard to believe! Look at the nose!

Leonardo da Vinci. Damn.

Titian!!! Venus of Urbino.

Caravaggio! Absolutely amazing. He was such a rebel.

In the hall of the Uffizi

In San Frediano neighborhood:

Porta San Frediano.

Ponte Vecchio