Camille

Ciao a tutti!

Welcome to my study abroad experience in Florence! My name is Camille Dejoras and I am fourth year journalism student at SDSU. These past six weeks abroad have completely changed my life. I must admit I knew very little about the Italian culture before I arrived in Florence, however, I’m so grateful I chose this city to be my home away from home. I was excited to dive into the history of the Etruscans and explore the Renaissance in depth and in person. Below are some of my favorite academic and personal experiences from this trip. Enjoy!

The Etruscans

Chimera

Etruscan Urn

After spending six weeks studying Etruscan burial artifacts and tombs, I believe they are one of the greatest civilizations that ever existed. The Etruscans were largely influenced by Greece through trade, and they often put their own twist on Greek stories which made their bronze and bucchero art incredibly unique. Tombs and ash urns show Etruscan people banqueting together, watching boxing matches and celebrating life. I also appreciated the Etruscans’ attitude towards women. Women were considered equals to men and were allowed to engage in all social events and even hold powerful positions. This is why the Etruscans were way ahead of other civilizations at the time.

My favorite Etruscan art is the Francois Vase. This vase is enormous and contains action scenes with famous Greek heroes like Achilles, Diomedes and Odysseus. This vase demonstrates just how skilled the Etruscans were and why their art should not go unnoticed.

Exploring Chiusi

Necropolis in Orvieto

My favorite part of our Etruscan class was visiting old Etruscan cities. Chiusi was my favorite town because I felt like I was going back in time to the Oriental period. Visiting the Tomb of the Monkeys and local museum made me realize just how many incredible statuettes and ash urns were created. Elaborate burials were a huge part of Etruscan culture, and I’ll always respect how they honored their dead.

Sarcophagus (Chiusi)

Renaissance City

David

Learning about the Renaissance in “The Cradle of the Renaissance” is a once in a lifetime experience. Artists like Michelangelo, Donatello and Vasari all flourished in the city because there were endless opportunities for them. Seeing Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus in person was a surreal experience because I never thought I would see them outside of a history textbook. I’ll always remember living a stone’s throw from the Duomo and walking by Michelangelo’s childhood home on my way to class.

Gates of Paradise

Palazzo Vecchio

Chapel of the Magi

My favorite part of the Renaissance class was learning about the Medici family. It’s hard to walk around Florence and not see any buildings or paintings with some sort of connection to a Medici. Cosimo de Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent and Cosimo I all built up Florence and made it a place where artists could reinvent themselves and religion could thrive. Although I don’t agree with everything the Medicis did, their contributions like San Lorenzo, San Marco and Palazzo Vecchio will forever be a part of Florence’s history.

Penitent Magdalene (Donatello)

Take Me to Church

My faith has always been an important part of my life. I grew up in a large Catholic family and have attended mass ever since I was a little girl. Visiting the churches around Florence was a real treat for me because I got to admire the most beautiful architecture and learn more about my religion during the time of the Renaissance. Giotto’s frescoes in Santa Croce and Donatello’s pulpits in San Lorenzo completely blew me away. I attended mass in the Duomo and was amazed by the beauty of Brunelleschi’s dome and Vasari’s fresco of the Last Judgment. I’ll definitely miss seeing beautiful churches around every corner!