Wenjun

In retrospection to this historic city

As being widely agreed, that the Renaissance period which is approximately from 1450 to 1600 constitutes one of the monumental eras throughout European history, characterized by the revitalization of Greco-Roman aestheticism and artistic veins that substantively ushered this continent into the golden age. Among this glamorous episode virtually endured over two centuries, there is an enormous profusion of artistic creations, religious or secular architectures, and illustrious literature etc. imbibed from classical periods and permeated into the ideologies along with cognitive conventions of the folks, firmly steered by the governmental authorities and elite class. The grandeur and flourishment of this seemingly cultural movement intrinsically bespoke the significant extrication from the murky medieval age wreathed by religious predominance along with the languished notions, ultimately ignited by the resurrected humanity of antiquity. In fact, the city Florence which is referred to as Florentine Republic from thirteenth century also renown as the provenance of Renaissance, whose thriving arts and exuberance of ideas reverberated through the Tuscany area and entire Europe and deemed the pedestal of modern western humanism.

21th May

After attending the first lecture of this summer program, I strolled along the sinuous street and captured the vintage redolence of historical architecture of Florence, from the pinnacle of churches to the baroque relieves of ornament on the pedestals of a commonplace construction merely passed by. There are countless alleys situated in the center of city and have a heterogenous array of stores strewed amid, such as several delicate gift stores (signum as prototype), hats/gloves& designer boutiques, art galleries which are replete with distinctive sculptures, miniatures, classical painting and utensils etc. I was particularly engrossed in a gelato store with chocolate fountain beside the various clusters of ice-creams, which would be poured into the cones and seemingly enthralling.

24th May

During the visit to San Marco this morning, I was enormously impressed by several constituents among this robustly religious site, which is the library located on the second floor of church. Other than the fact regarding the designer of this grand library (especially in the middle ages) who is Michelozzo in basilica form according to the overview, the astonishingly ponderous books displayed inside virtually grasped all my attentions. Those books are characterized by hard covers which meticulously incised and adorned, parchments pages still with gloss and distinct textures, in consort with the delicately-created religious images or allegories attached next to the bold texts written in Latin. Presumably, the governmental commitments to library and books’ collections may amply exemplify the emphasis on both religion and enlightenment of humanity during Renaissance.

29th May

According to today’s lecture which enlarged on the Orientalizing period of Etruscans subsequently to Villanovan civilization, there are numerous notions and inquiries propounded due to the significance of this episode in Mediterranean antiquity which exemplifies the substantive shift from Villanovans to Etruscans. More specifically, several cultural aspects among Etruscan society encountered the reforms and transmutations accordingly, including the burial traditions which was switched from the prevailing cremation to inhumation, as well as the increasingly elaborate tombs for wealthy through social stratification which seem to be ineluctably faced by complex societies. The social hierarchy in Etruria is intrinsically ascribed to the trading and commercial correlations with other regions (e.g. Carthage and Greece), which those factors are concomitantly substantiated by a variety of foreign potteries and items incorporated into the burials of upper-class Etruscans. In general, this subject is internalized such great number of components that warrant further investigations through the ancient sites or museum tours.

4th June

In today’s visit to Baptistery of San Giovanni and the museum adjacent to the Cathedral which collects a substantial assortment of religious objects and sculptures from Duomo, I was particularly engrossed in the prodigiously splendid cupola of Baptistery characterized by the gilded mosaics that forged the divine figures. Also there are multiple sarcophagi with elaborate reliefs carved on the lids and fronts appertained to Medici family placed on each sides of the hall. Additionally, the façade of Duomo is astonishingly magnificent, featuring the exquisitely intricate reliefs along with the august figures sculpted by marbles. When the sights continued raising to pinnacles, it was tightly clung to the alcoves with divine sculptures enshrined, that situated into an alignment and encircled by the dazzling adornments. It is not exaggerate to deem the Duomo an archetypical landmark of Florence.

6th June

During the visiting tour of Uffizi gallery this afternoon, there is a profusion of artistic concepts and evaluations introduced to me concurrently with the dazzling displays of miscellaneous paintings and artifacts. I especially gravitated to the substantial numbers of tempera paintings on panels which the collection majorly consists of, that infused the temperaments and veins of Greco-Roman arts and adequately exemplify the vitality of humanity at the age of Renaissance. Besides, the Flemish art forms were frequently adopted by numerous artists and characterized by the meticulous depictions toward every single details of both human visages and backgrounds or landscapes. Meanwhile, the arrays of marble sculptures of Greek mythological figures along with corresponding references to the existed images among history exhibited alongside the corridors captivated me a lot as well. I have even tentatively planned my next visit soon in the future.

18th June

Soon after class, I proceeded directly to Leonardo Da Vinci Museum which exhibits a profusion of profound and avant-garde inventions as well as scientific pedigrees attainted by Da Vinci, who is also renowned as a glittering genius even in human history that synchronized his versatility with articulately vigorous excogitations. Through a constellation of machines made of wood along with the contraptions that are entirely devised and practiced by Da Vinci, I was considerably engrossed in such war and engineering machines as the armored tank, scythed chariots, and cranes etc. which were highly fruitful to the constructions of both cathedrals and the Dome of Florence. The principles of their respective productions and operations are demystified and demonstrated through those gears and axles ingeniously crafted and installed in the apparatuses. In some ways, the prowess of tackling the intricacy of mechanism and physical laws characterized Da Vinci that coincided with other of his endowments, are sufficiently competent to impress any of the audiences.