I wish i had brought my camera. Our excursion tonight was great. We ventured over to Rimini to view this fortress that had an exhibition of paintings featuring kisses throughout time. Centered around Paolo and Francesca, popular characters of Italian literature. Other characters such as Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot and Guinevere, etc. where also pictured. Some great works, but the fortress was great to see as well. A lot of the (what i am hoping was) medieval furniture that came with the house was still in tact and on display.
BUT, we also travelled to the tip toppiest town on the outskirts of Rimini, which overlooked the Adriatic coast. What you see above is a picture i managed to shoot with my phone. Im a little sad, because this reminds me that it turns out that a lot of museums and exhibitions do not allow photography inside, EVEN if it is without a flash. :(
Im going to miss taking lots of pictures of beautiful stuff!
Soon to come...pictures from Ravenna, where i saw some of the greatest Byzantine mosaics! And check back for pictures of Florence, coming soon!
Today I visited the Boboli Gardens, the Galleria dell'Accademia and the Palazza Pitti. Whew! That was a LOT of walking for one day. It doesn't help that both locations are on opposite sides of the ginormous city center. But it was definitely worth it.
Seeing Michelangelo's David was amazing, along with the Mapplethorpe exhibition. It was great to see both artists displayed side by side. The connections made between the two where definitely interesting to see pointed out. And this was the first time i got to see Mapplethorpe as well, so huzzah!
Later today i decided that if i was going to see the Michelangelo's David (I booked my reservation today for tomorrow), that i was going to see ALL the big name Davids. So i stopped into the Bargello Museum to see Verrochio's David (sorry - no photographs - inside ANY Italian museum i am afraid, this is pretty standard). Also at the Borgello, i found Donatello's David, fresh from a restoration. Later that day i mentioned to a friend i had made at my hostel my mission to see all the Davids. Apparently, she didn't know there was more than one! And what the differences where. Donatello and Verrochio's for one, picture David quite young, very boyish. Michelangelo's and Bernini's, well, thats another story for another time, i could go on, and on, and ON! But, here are some pictures i took at the Bargello out in the courtyard...where photography is allowed. Technically if you are "outside" though still in the museum, it is allowed. Odd. Whatever.
