Wear and Tear After Centuries

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

This is my final posting on the unveiled floor in the Duomo of Siena, Italy.  I hope that you have enjoyed this series.  The art has been well taken care of and one can understand how even a material as durable as stone is still a “living material” and therefore vulnerable.  For all of the millions of feet that have trodden over her surfaces over the centuries, she is still amazingly beautiful.  I took these images purposefully seeking the glare of the window light to help you see the cracks and broken parts of the stone mosaic floors.  I often find beauty in decay or destruction (as I did when I washed my street paintings away each night as the water ran over the pastels), but realistically, there will always be the debate between conservation and enjoyment.  However, this summer and fall, many enjoyed seeing what beauty humans can create while they share their stories in stone.  

Thank you for following along with me . . .

~ Kelly

Today is the last open day for the unveiled floor in the Cathedral in Siena, Tuscany. I hope you can see the temporary unveiling of the highly decorative stone floor of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena. http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

If you would like more information about Siena and its gorgeous Duomo, check out these links:

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena_Cathedral
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Feeling generous?  If you would like to donate any amount to support this blog, you may do so via PayPal. Please visit the blog online and see the PayPal links in the column on the right:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
Thank you for your interest and support.
Saluti,
Kelly

Artistic Effort

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Maybe it is because I am a slow producer that places like the Duomo in Siena, Italy, completely boggle my mind.  You have been hopefully seeing many of the images I have been sharing in the last two weeks from my trip to this amazing Cathedral that was the hope of being the most wondrous place in the world.  If so, perhaps like me, the scope of what was accomplished (hard to believe it falls short of the original dream!) is simply overwhelming.  Let us take a look at a few details today.  How many skilled artisans and artists?  How much artistic effort did it take to create just one small section of this enormous endeavor?  No electric power… all done by hand work and hand-forged tools!  This type of accomplishment allows me to use the word “awe” appropriately. Have we lost a lot of knowledge over the centuries?

If you find yourself in Tuscany before 26 October 2013, I hope you will go see the temporary unveiling of the highly decorative stone floor of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena. http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

My final post for the Divina Bellezza or “Divine Beauty”exhibition and the Duomo in Siena in the next post.

If you would like more information about Siena and its gorgeous Duomo, check out these links:

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena_Cathedral
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Feeling generous?  If you would like to donate any amount to support this blog, you may do so via PayPal. Please visit the blog online and see the PayPal links in the column on the right:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
Thank you for your interest and support.
Saluti,
Kelly

Stone Portraits as Decorative Edging

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Who could have ever imagined using a row of life-size marble portraits as a decorative border?  But with the “cone-heads” giving an even more geometric element to the otherwise round form of the human head, a transitional edging is exactly what is going on up inside the Cathedral in Siena, Italy.  Now, each portrait is clearly labeled with a man’s name, presumably someone important in the church’s history, however, if you step back to just look at the overall patterns in the design of this – for my taste – information-overloaded interior decorating space, one can appreciate a little more the artistry.

There is also a catwalk over the heads.  It is obviously a functional addition, but serves well to create a shadow to help separate the top arches from the larger arches below the border of heads.  Clever… only I wish the men did not have such stern expressions!   

If you find yourself in Tuscany before 26 October 2013, I hope you will go see the temporary unveiling of the highly decorative stone floor of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena. http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

More of the Divina Bellezza or “Divine Beauty”exhibition and the Duomo in Siena in the next post.

If you would like more information about Siena and its gorgeous Duomo, check out these links:

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena_Cathedral
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Did you know that my blog is searchable?   Just visit the main page:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
and see the search term entry box just below the subscription section. 
Happy searching and if there is a topic you would enjoy my writing about, please let me know what it is.  Thank you for reading! 
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Feeling generous?  If you would like to donate any amount to support this blog, you may do so via PayPal. Please visit the blog online and see the PayPal links in the column on the right:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
Thank you for your interest and support.
Saluti,
Kelly

Italian Art Siena Cathedral

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Still finding myself overwhelmed by the Cathedral in Siena, Italy… but I will soon wind down this series.  Still, amazing what people have accomplished, and in the days without electricity and pneumatic tools!  The last image was taken of me by my friend Dilya, the wife of my late mentor and friend, the amazing sculptor Vasily Fedorouk.  

If you find yourself in Tuscany before 26 October 2013, I hope you will go see the temporary unveiling of the highly decorative stone floor of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena. http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

More of the Divina Bellezza or “Divine Beauty”exhibition and the Duomo in Siena in the next post.

If you would like more information about Siena and its gorgeous Duomo, check out these links:

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena_Cathedral
+++++
Did you know that my blog is searchable?   Just visit the main page:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
and see the search term entry box just below the subscription section. 
Happy searching and if there is a topic you would enjoy my writing about, please let me know what it is.  Thank you for reading! 
+++++

Feeling generous?  If you would like to donate any amount to support this blog, you may do so via PayPal. Please visit the blog online and see the PayPal links in the column on the right:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
Thank you for your interest and support.
Saluti,
Kelly