Tuesday al Fresco: S. Ambrogio and Santa Maria Novella

This morning I got up early for my 9 am class with professor Nero. This was our first real class out with him since the first one was just an introduction and the second one had to be canceled because he hurt his leg. This particular class is the one that I look forward to the most... but it seems to be beset with misfortunes... today's being more rain!

We began by going to a small church in the neighborhood where my apartment is--one that I walk by at least four times everyday (no joke!). Inside we learned what components made up the typical Catholic church (including tabernacle and high altar), their uses and also received an introduction to catholic ritual. We were also in for a treat because the church had a wonderful fresco that was created by a relatively unknown artist--but we discussed the technique of fresco with it as an example.

Karl you would think this was funny--The teacher often uses me as an example in his lectures, mainly because he knows my name but also because I am a fellow Michelangista. In this church I was the fresco artist--ordering my assistants around, climbing the scaffolding, mixing pigments and applying plaster, so on and so forth. Even more coincidental that I am an artist myself!

It was useful to go to this particular church because restorers had actually separated the fresco from the wall to reveal its synopia layer underneath, which is quite telling of the techniques utilized by the artist. I thought that it was extremely interesting!

When we finished with San Ambrogio (the small church) we opened our umbrellas once again and made the long walk to Santa Maria Novella--all the way on the other side of the city. Although it was taxing it was worth it 100 fold. We waited outside in the rain (while the teacher acquired our tickets) in the church's interior loggia, which was very pretty despite the rain.


Once inside I immediately spotted Masaccio's Trinity on the left wall and I didn't want to take my eyes off of it. This piece was the first to successfully use the principles of linear perspective and is considered the first work of the Italian Renaissance--as such, it is brought up in every class in Western art that I have taken. It was AMAZING to finally see it in person--but it was not the first work we were there to visit. Giotto's Crucifix hung from the center of the ceiling--a large work demonstrating his knack for naturalism--and it was imposing in the central space of the church.


After the class we were free to wander around but I and two of my other roommates stayed to gaze at the Masaccio. The professor came up beside me and asked me what I thought. All I could say was that it was amazing and that I had come almost half a world to see it. He said "and it was soooo worth it." I wished I would've had more to say, but I just didn't! We had stood in front of it for more than 40 minutes while he lectured, and there was just nothing else to say--it was awe-inspiring and if my feet hadn't hurt so much from standing I could've stood there and looked at it for an hour more. I definitely plan on going back. €2.70 is nothing!

Afterwards I walked back to my apartment to pick up my backpack and books for my Italian class--we had our first test! The rest of the afternoon was spent at the student center catching up on e-mails and news.