Travel Tips From My Summer Adventures.

Before I get into the art stuff, I want to mention a few of the indispensable items that kept us happy for our two month trip.

1. Maps and Travel Books.

I don't like to bring those very thorough, yet totally unwieldy 500 page travel books. I have in the past, but this time we were packing light. Carry-on luggage only! The best solution for a slim site seeing book with great shopping and eating picks PLUS manageably sized maps is the Knopf MapGuide.

The genius behind these books are the fold-out maps. Here we have an example of useful origami! The image above shows, on the left, a description of the neighborhood and a small map to mark its relation to the rest of the city. On the right you find restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping. Once you flip the page from the bottom up you will find a larger detailed map and cultural destinations listed along the bottom.

Snacks in Rome. 

Looking for a pizza rec in Flo.


A long leisurely dinner at La Beppa near St. Miniato in Florence. 
On this night we had the best pizza of our entire trip.
Thank you guidebook! GO THERE.

Planning tomorrow's Florentine adventure.

With this classy design you actually want to display your travel guide.
On the train from Padua, heading toward Venice.

From Venice to Athens!

Passports in hand! Next destination in the bag.
En route to Istanbul via the seaside airport in Iraklion, Crete.

Surprise upgrade to FIRST CLASS. Thanks to Turkish Airlines we flew to Stockholm (with our MapGuide in place), surrounded by complete luxury and lots of space. What a lovely experience.

Now you can see some of the major cities that we traveled to: Rome, Florence, Venice, Athens, Istanbul, and Stockholm. Lucky for us there was a book for each one on our itinerary. Knopf MapGuides are not published for every destination under the sun. I kind of like that they are selective. Our future trips will have to be based on which cities they offer.

Take note:

Make sure that you always get the most up to date edition. For some reason I ordered an older copy of Athens and it turned out that many of the recommended places had closed. This was especially devastating when we went looking for Greek bakeries. Not getting those lovingly described pastries at the end of a long, sweaty trek is the worst. 

Although the recommendations for food, shopping, and top ten neighborhood sites were always fantastic, these guides do NOT offer extensive information on works of art or architecture. You will need supplemental books if you want to learn about these things while you are looking at them. We saw a lot of people reading from their books in churches and museums. We didn't really need them in this case, since I am an art historian after all. However, we did get some small art books here and there along the way just to be sure we didn't miss anything. Even though we filled every single day with a dozen stops, barely remembering meals, seeing way more than I thought was possible, we still managed to miss a few very important things...

Like Bernini's 17th century St. Theresa in Ecstasy in the Cornaro Chapel at Santa Maria della Vittoria and Bramante's Tempietto. I am utterly devastated that these were in reach and went unnoticed. More trips to Rome!

Tempietto, Rome

Completed in 1508, Bramante's Tempietto was modeled after the early Christian Roman martyria. It was thought that this spot, where the "little temple" stands, is the site of St. Peter's crucifixion. Bramante was one of the architects involved with St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican City. Even though the basilica did not follow the central planning that Bramante wanted, his plans for the dome, finally designed and built by Michelangelo later in the 16th century, were partially included in the final product.

St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

2. Camera case. 

This was such a good investment for us. Twenty bucks probably saved us another 700 and possibly invaluable documentation. I have a history of bad luck with digital cameras. I usually break them while on important adventures. This has happened three times already! First in Berlin, a separate trip in Stockholm, and finally last year in Barcelona. That was the most painful occasion since I had traveled far to see the church I had written about during my graduate program. Luckily we had a film camera so I was able to take a few pictures for my archives. I also invested ninety euros in a very thorough book I found in the makeshift souvenir shop. It is massive and filled with hundreds of images that were taken with a crane. So this story turned out okay, but we were determined not to be foiled again.

Part of the problem here is the lens. If the lens is mechanical, the camera is more susceptible to malfunctioning. If the lens can't open, then the entire camera is unusable. This time we got a Nikon1 which has a manual lens and a nice leather case for complete protection in case it gets dropped. You can wear the camera on the strap instead of fishing it out of your bag and then throwing it back in. This setup made taking 7000 photos easy, exciting, and somehow a little bit classier. Of course I still took lots of pictures with my phone like everyone else.

A Pentax photo on real film! 
But notice my Nikon digital camera all safe and cozy, Roman Forum.

3. Avene Products. Especially SUNBLOCK.

You really need good sunblock (and a hat) to brave these cities in the summer, especially if you've ever had the lucky chance to have some mysterious mole carved out of your leg and are now terrified of skin cancer. On our first day in Rome we went to the apothecary and consulted with the saleswoman. She took one look at our pasty white skin (summer hadn't reached New England yet) and recommended a French brand, Avene, which uses thermal spring water as its base for every product. The best option for us: very high protection, very water resistant 50 SPF.

This is the good stuff. We never once got a sunburn, which is saying a lot considering how much time we spent outside in the sun. We barely ever saw any clouds at least for the first month, only a lot of sunburned tourists. It's so water resistant that sometimes we didn't have to reapply every day even after sweating, swimming and/or showering. I also discovered some of the other marvelous Avene products such as thermal spring water in a can. These spray cans became indispensable for refreshing cool downs and energizing sweat cleansers. 

Now that we live closer to the equator, I'm using Avene now everyday, all year, forever. 

In conclusion: I highly recommend these travel products for a safe and happy adventure of any kind! 

Our Italian Adventure In 5 Cinematic Minutes.

After days of driving south from Massachusetts we dropped our cat and our car with loving caretakers and took two carry-on suitcases to the airport. Our adventure abroad would take us through the entire summer and four countries. What a strange experience to spend a a full season away from home. Even the home changed: from comfortable Cambridge to unfamiliar Texas. More to come on that.

Over the summer we managed to take more than 8000 pictures: a combination of digital, film, and cellphone. With our Nikon 1,  I discovered a setting that takes a series of photos at one click, creating a natural cinematic effect as you look back at them. This feature led to the creation of the video below, which Alex quickly put together during the jet-lag of our return. 

Follow along as we explore Rome, Florence, Ravenna, and Venice. How many masterpieces can you spot?!

The List Piles.

I'm still thinking of Italy and Greece and all of the goodies I'll get to see. This month is dedicated to the Renaissance so I'm really getting to (re)learn all about these gems in advance. 

*It's been a long time since I took classes on the Rinascimento.

San Lorenzo (with projected facade), Florence.

Mocking of Christ, Fra Angelico, 1438, San Marco Monastery, Florence, fresco.

Of course, the Renaissance is not complete without the Greco-Roman world!

Nike, 410 BCE, Acropolis Museum, Athens.

Arch of Titus, Rome.

Constantine, Vatican Museum, Rome. 

Other things I'm excited about!

San Clemente, 1120, Rome.

St. Mark's, 13th c., Venice.

Rape of Proserpina, Bernini, 1621, Rome.
Really looking forward to seeing this. 

 Primavera (detail), Botticelli, tempera, 1480. Uffizi, Florence.
Neoplatonism!!

Daphni Crucifixion, 11th c., Daphni Monastery, Athens.
Monophysitism? Two streams? So many questions.

Pantocrator, 11th c., Daphni Monastery, Athens.

I never really studied Botticelli before having to teach it this week. I had no interest in knowing more about his paintings, despite their obvious beauty, mostly because his are some of the few Renaissance paintings that are constantly reproduced (and drained of their meaning). I am happy to say that I have finally become acquainted with both The Birth of Venus and Primavera and I love them. They are even more beautiful now. I can't wait, CANNOT WAIT, to see them together. That blue behind the personification of spring is stunning and gives me a weird feeling that I like. Also, I realized that I will be able to see the above mosaics in Athens. Oh!

ITALY...GREECE...Only In My Dreams, But Not For Long.

Finally, finally after all these years of learning and looking from afar:

I'M GOING TO SEE IT ALL. 

RENAISSANCE: Masaccio's Trinity, 1427, Sta Maria Novella, Florence.

RENAISSANCE: Masaccio's Expulsion, 1426, Brancacci Chapel, Sta Maria del Carmine, Florence.

PROTO-RENAISSANCE! Giotto, Virgin and Child Enthroned, 14th c., The Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

BRONZE AGE, MINOAN: Knossos Palace, 1800 BCE, Crete.

MINOAN: Knossos Palace, 1800 BCE, Crete.

RENAISSANCE: Alberti's Sant'Andrea, 15th c., Mantua.

Commitments have been made and for 30 days and 30 nights I will travel back in time to:

Rome...Florence...Ravenna...Mantua...Padua...Venice
Athens...Mykonos...Delos...Thera...Crete

This includes works (most in situ!) from the Bronze Age, Antiquity, Byzantium, the Medieval era, the Proto-Renaissance and of course the Renaissance and even more and more! The Vatican, the Uffizi, the monastery at San Marco, the Pantheon, the Parthenon, Knossos Palace, Palladian architecture in Venice, maybe the lady in a red coat! Ah! I hope not!

I'm putting my lists together and planning to have several Stendhal experiences. Is there medicine for that? I need a suitcase full.

RENAISSANCE: Palladio's Redentore, 16th c., Venice.

BYZANTINE: San Vitale, 6th c., Ravenna.

Mosaics! Ravenna.

I can't even express how excited and overwhelmed and thankful I am. To my homeland!

Week 12: Bernini and the Popes

Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini was born in 1598 in Naples and lived through 1680. When he was young he moved with his father, a sculptor, to Rome where he stayed for the rest of his life. He was one of the most important Baroque sculptors of 17th century Rome. Not only was he successful in his sculpture, but he went on to combine that with his success as an architect. He worked with three Popes: Urban VIII Barberini (1623-1644), Innocent X Pamphili (1644-1655), and Alexander VII Chigi (1655-1667). He was knighted at age 23 and he became the Architetto della fabbrica at 31 (1629). He was a master in the era of Counter Reformation Baroque, where the art is meant to communicate religious themes and involve the viewer.

Baldacchino, 1624-33

Urban VIII Barberini, who was Pope from 1623 to 1644, would be in charge of commissioning a young Bernini to decorate much of the interior of St. Peter's, including the notable Baldacchino. Placed above the tomb of St. Peter, the Baldacchino is made of bronze as well as other materials. There are four spiraling columns, the rotary motion expresses an upward feeling of movement.

The entire structure is covered with papal symbolism, for example the Barberini bees. The structure stands at 100 feet and with its mix of natural, architectural, and decorative it acts as a mediator between the pilgrim and the vastness of St. Peter's. Bernini, who went on to be the most important sculptor of the Baroque period, highlights his variety of skills. By considering architecture and sculpture, he produces a continuum through space where the viewer is involved in activating the scene.
















At the altar behind the Baldacchino is Bernini's Cathedra Petri (Chair of Peter), is a reliquary holding a wooden chair that is said to have belonged to St. Peter. The sculpture backing the throne is an example of how Bernini combined sculpture with architecture; the sculptural beams of light and the stained glass evoke the harmonious relationship.

S. Andrea al Quirinale, Bernini

San Andrea is a Jesuit church that was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII. It was started in 1658 and completed in 1662. The space allowed was restricted, a challenge Bernini met with inspiration.

The interior uses an oval plan. As you can see in the floor plan, Bernini carved out four equal chapels on either side of the altar. The facade has a convex entryway flanked by two concave walls creating movement, a typical Baroque convention.

Also featured:

- tripartite composition

- single pedimented bay, versus the usual double tabernacle facade

- monumental Corinthian pilasters reminiscent of St. Peter's

- portico with freestanding Ionic columns

- semi circular entrance repeated in entablature

By diminishing the size of the coffers and narrowing the ribs toward the oculus, Bernini used illusion to suggest a higher dome. The dome has a ring of windows at the bottom to illuminate the interior.

An excellent example of the melding of architecture and sculpture is the High Altar with Antonio Raggi's sculpture of St. Stephen. Again the motif of projecting and recessing is used here. The plastic center pulls forward and projects the figure of St. Stephen breaking through the pediment in his ascent to heaven.

San Pietro gets some work done, 1629

Bernini was appointed Architect of St. Peter's in 1629, following Carlo Maderno. Commissioned by Urban, Bernini would go on to renovate the facade, create the open piazza, and raise the Scala Regia. Maderno has planned to add towers on opposite ends and Bernini attempted to follow through. However, due to the instability of the ground these towers, near completion, began to crack. They were subsequently taken down. During this time Urban died and was replaced by Innocent X, who was not as supportive of Bernini's choices.


Luckily, by 1655 Alexander VII was in place and together they got the construction of the piazza started. Composed of a trapezoidal shape feeding into a large oval, all of which is surrounded by colonnades. The rows of Tuscan columns are topped with a trabeated entablature. This innovative design gave the church an illusion of greater height (countering Maderno's bottom heavy facade but did not overpower it. Bernini had included in his plan a third colonnaded section, adding an element participation. It would have allowed those passing by to see through the columns, treated to different views of the awe inspiring church. This was not added on, however.





Around 1663 Bernini started work on the Scala Regia. As you can see in the plan, there were some discrepancies in the continuity. In order to maintain the illusion of naturalism, Bernini has varied the distance between the columns and the walls and reduced diameter when needed. This use of perspective along with the Palladian motif of a broken entablature arch on columns creates a sculptural effect.