Ponte Vecchio Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In my last post, I wrote about the longest standing bridge in Florence, Italy, the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge was also built upon the most narrow point of the Arno River during its passage through Florence. I showed you some snapshots that I took during the day.

However, like most living entities, il Ponte Vecchio takes on a new life – and a new look – at night. In this first shot, I wanted to make a transition from my last posting. This is the middle part of the Ponte Vecchio as one of the more subtle sunsets I have witnessed from this bridge passes on and an Italian musician earns his wages sharing his music. You can see the silhouette of the bronze portrait of the Florentine Cellini in quite a prominent place.


It is believed that the bridge was originally built in Roman times, first being documented in the year 996. The lower section is stone, with the upper section utilizing wood and metal. During the day, the shops along the bridge are all opened up to show their wares, but at night … everything gets locked up behind wooden doors that drop down as protective awnings. This second image shows these awnings lowered over the door panels. You may see the long metal hooks that hang from above that are used to secure these tops out of the way while providing protection to customers in the event of rain. By the way, the Vasari Corridor passes along just above this area.


In these next images (including another reflected self-portrait), I wanted to share with you the beauty of the wood and metal doors. They are bathed in the golden light of the street lamps of Florence. Strangely enough, this city is fairly safe at night, even for a lone girl, and yet, one does not need to be out very late before noticing how deserted the city can be. It is quite lovely and one of my favorite attributes of Florence, Italy. Enjoy!








I am celebrating my birthday alone this year, if you do not count the many kind people sending regards electronically, including via Facebook. While I am currently staying out in the curvaceous hills near vineyards and olive groves outside of Florence, I am relishing the lack of convenient transportation close by and using it as an excuse to get back to my normal work schedule. Perhaps I will have more art to show you in the next few weeks.

Thank you so much for your interest in Italy and in my work. ti ringrazio.

Cellini Ponte Vecchio

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

When you visit Firenze, Italia (or Florence, Italy, if you prefer translated proper names), you will no doubt see the famous Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge” or, literally, “bridge old”). She was the only bridge over the River Arno in Florence that was not bombed during World War II.

And she has traditionally housed merchants and much later, the Vasari Corridor – the private passage built for the Medici family and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1564-5. The corridor above all of the shops allowed the powerful rulers to move from one palace to the other across the river without actually mingling with the common folk. These days, for a not insignificant fee, you may pass through this corridor and see a portrait gallery along the walls with other artworks and feel what it might have been like for the Medici.

On the Ponte Vecchio herself, there is a very well done bronze portrait sculpture of Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571). The son of a musician and instrument maker, Florence-born Cellini was also a musician [a flute player, like myself only much better, I am sure], and goldsmith, sculptor, painter, and soldier. The most famous and seen sculpture by Cellini must surely be his bronze “Perseus with the Head of Medusa” that is featured in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. I must say I especially love the backside of this standing figure!



Like another Italian artist Caravaggio, Cellini killed people, also for emotional reasons more than justice or self defense. And no doubt his autobiography would be a racy read.

Built of stone and wood, the Ponte Vecchio has shops built along it, as was once common. First there were butchers, but today, jewelers occupy most of the spaces. The butchers were apparently asked to leave to enhance the prestige of the Vasari Corridor above them. Gold merchants quickly took over.

More tomorrow…

Pastel Pensive in Bologna

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Since I was a small child, I have had a habit of sitting and thinking (or maybe as the joke goes, “Sometimes I sit and think; sometimes I just sit.”). I like to watch people move. I like to watch how their bodies express their true emotions. I enjoy imagining the lives of others I see, but do not know. It intrigues me how people’s lives touch one another, no matter how briefly or seemingly insignificant.

This next pastel painting “Pensive in Bologna” that I created on handmade Wallis-brand paper was inspired by my first trip to Bologna, Italy, back in 2004. I went to Bologna after receiving many recommendations from travelers along my route. They all described Bologna as having “good energy.” It is a university town and the youth and inquiring minds do bring a certain something to the city that felt different than other places in Italy.

And then I saw this lone man, a grown man, gathering his legs in his arms as he sat in a sculpted doorway under a portico, for which Bologna is well-known. I have not forgotten him. And I sometimes catch myself wondering what his name is and what his life is like.

“Pensive in Bologna”
23” x 17”
Pastel painting on Wallis Professional Paper
$1200 + $20 shipping & handling

Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Sculptor Vincenzo Gemito

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Hello. Back in May I wrote about one of my favorite sculptures in the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy. He is Il Pescatore (The Fisher Boy) by Vincenzo Gemito

Imagine my delight to be in the museum honoring the birthplace of sculptor Michelangelo in the village of Caprese Michelangelo and finding more work by another sculptor whose work had impressed me! Among the other exhibits in the museum, there was a section on the Napoliteano artists, as collected by Enrico Guidoni.

I am being lazy today (well, actually a bit distracted since I want to get back to my art-making. So here is what the museum write-up said (I photograph these things sometimes to help me not misquote or misremember something):

Gemito and the Neapolitans

Displayed in the adjoining small room is Guidoni’s Collection of artists from the area of Naples [Italy]. Among these, for the number of preserved works, stand out those of Vincenzo Gemito (Naples 1852-1929). The sculptures of Gemito presented here in the museum are in large part made from bronze, some of these being unpublished. This great sculptor is noted for his wonderful small bronzes that often represent the most recurring popular Neapolitan themes: the little fisherman, the rascal, the old man and the woman of the people. His works are characterized with a strongly expressed realism and an extraordinary production capacity typical of the Neapolitan schools of the period.

Two graphic works by Vincenzo Gemito, a Self Portrait (oil on paper) [1908, detail shown here] and an important otherwise unknown sketch Portrait of Charles V, shows Gemito to be an excellent designer with a classical upbringing yet impulsive, nervous and stiff at the same time.

Alongside the works of Gemito are displayed those of other noted Neapolitan artists, such as De Martino, D’Antino, Barbella, Cataldi and De Matteis. The latter named artist, little known in the history of art, aroused the collectors interest in Enrico Guidoni, who dedicated particulare attention to the collection of his works and the study of the artist.

I include here some snapshots of other compositions of fisherboys that appear to be done after 1876 when the Bargello’s Il Pescatore was completed by Gemito. The first sculpture is titled L’Acquaiolo - 1880, while the last two were both given the same title (“Pescatorello”) with no date given.

Enjoy! And DO visit Caprese Michelangelo in the province of Arezzo, Italy.

Happy Birthday, Skye in Australia!

Sculpture Museum Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Continuing my report of the small town of Caprese Michelangelo
in the province of Arezzo, I wanted to share with you a few more of the sculptures on exhibit in the Museo Michelangiolesco.

This first one just caught me off guard and made me laugh. This museum celebrates the birth of Michelangelo. His works strike me as dark and serious most of the time, and this bronze titled “Il Pollo Innamorato” (“The Chicken In Love”) by Giulio Galgani in the year 2000 is hardly that. I thought it was an idea well depicted.



This next sculpture in wood, “Scultura Multiforme” by Mauro di Scovola, was a bit confusing for me and I am not sure even now what I think of it. I can see obviously at least one female torso, but there are so many elements of Escher-like qualities and other symbols, perhaps, that I had a difficult time relating to this work. Basically, regardless of how curious I felt, the overall effect for me was not beautiful and for this, I think it has failed (for me). And yet, I included it here, so . . .


Another room exhibited the following sculpture and struck me as a moment that I had not previously seen sculpted. Decimo Passani, a Florence-based sculptor created this colored plaster piece titled ”Bambino che cade dalla sedia” (“The baby (boy) that fell from his chair”). I like the energy, the texture, and the naturalness of this artwork in sculpture. Not kitsch at all.


Although there are many more works of sculpture and even a few drawings on exhibit in the museum (some more of which I will be sharing with you tomorrow), my main complaint is that the exhibit is set up in such a way as to make viewing the art really difficult. I understand the need to protect the art from theft and dust, but the plastic enclosures were full of glare and frankly, horrible. It was lovely to be able to see outside into the surrounding green areas, but I wonder if it would have been better to place some light curtains over the openings and install lights overhead. They could be placed in positions to minimize reflection on the Plexiglas. My images are horrible largely due to the fact that I could not find a good viewing position.

Still, the museum is worth a visit in a charming location in central Italy. When I was there, the Michelangiolesco Museum and its lovely grounds on the hilltop were open Monday through Friday 10:30 am to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 10 am to 7 p.m. Tickets are four euros each, with discounts for groups and children.

Museum Caprese Michelangelo

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In my last post, I spoke about my visit to the birthplace of Michelangelo Buonarroti.

In this post, I wanted to share with you some of the scenery of the museum in the small town of Caprese Michelangelo, north and east of Arezzo, Italy. Inside the buildings are copies of many of the great works of Michelangelo, but there are a lot of other artworks on exhibit as well.

I love the omaggio to classical storytelling in art in this bronze sculpture and bas relief combination that you see in the first image. The young Michelangelo rests in a twisted pose (cleverly predicting his dynamic figure poses that changed the art world) as he gazes up into his future. Although my image does not show it well, each of the boy’s future sculptures is envisioned in varying levels of dimensionality, moving from high relief close to the young artist, to extremely low relief (upper left).



Unfortunately, I could not find the artist’s names on several of these outdoor pieces, although they are assuredly more contemporary works. I think what I am trying to show here also is that just because you have seen the original works of Michelangelo, do not think that this museum is only full of copies of the great artist. It is worth a trip and quite a beautiful area.



And I can highly recommend the food at the nearby Pensione e Ristorante Buca di Michelangelo. And if you find yourself there during the week, please stop into La Pecora Nera [The Black Sheep] shop and say hello to Simona and perhaps even her husband Andrea.

Birthplace of Michelangelo

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Recently I returned to the birthplace of Michelangelo Buonarroti for a party that one of my collectors held in their home there. The morning after the party, I revisited the renovated Museo Michelangiolesco that celebrates the life and work of the famous artist and architect.

One of my first and most important teachers, Michelangelo was probably born in the Palazzo del Podestà, the home of his parents Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti di Simoni and Francesca di Neri del Miniato di Siena. At the time of his birth (6 March 1475), babies were born at home and not in a hospital.

Podestà is the title for a delegate from the Florentine government who worked this area. Michelangelo’s father held this political post for six months during this time. Palazzo is the Italian word for “palace” but this stone house looks quite simple by today’s standards. I included a detail shot of the stairs leading to the upper floor where the living quarters were, but you may see a better image of the (left) building on the museum’s site.




Some of the furniture in the home is contemporary with Michelangelo’s time, but are not original to this space. Other furniture, such as the bed, is a reproduction in a Renaissance style from the 1900s. Also in the home are reproductions of works of art in which Michelangelo was a subject, including my two favorites: monochromatic sketches by Francescho Furini titled “Michelangelo sul letto di Morte / Michelangelo on his death bed” 1627-28 and “La Madre di Michelangelo incinta cade da cavallo / The pregnant mother of Michelangelo falls from her horse” created in 1628.

The name “Michelangelo” was added to “Caprese” in 1911 and this charming little town is north and east of Arezzo. When I was there, the Michelangiolesco Museum and its lovely grounds on the hilltop were open Monday through Friday 10:30 am to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 10 am to 7 p.m. Tickets are four euros each, with discounts for groups and children.

P.S. I hope that you enjoy my little self-portrait with Michelangelo! Ha.