Submitted by Kerry Doring on the 2014 winter session study abroad program in Florence, Italy sponsored by the Department of Art…
Our program is winding down in Florence, as we prepare for our last week which will take place in Rome. Though I am excited for a new city, it is difficult to leave this one behind. With our cameras and sketchbooks, we have explored every nook and cranny of the city. We stop to capture everything from the touristy photographs, to a sketch of a Michelangelo sculpture. Walking down the streets, you are absorbing the culture, while testing your knowledge of two point perspective. Florence is a condensed city of everything mesmerizing about Italy. The art is jaw dropping, the food delicious, and day after day there is a new sight to take your breath away.
One day, we explored Pisa, which is, of course, most famous for its leaning tower. We climbed to the top, and though we were dizzy from the spiral stone staircase, we reached the bells and were stunned by the views. The Baptistry and Cathedral were almost as full of art as the museums. Every column, wall, mosaic floor or stained glass window is adorned and embellished to an unbelievable extent.
On yet another excursion, we were introduced to the workings of a foundry. Sculptures are abundant in Italy. The art form requires true skill, craftsmanship and hard work. The labor intensive process of making a bronze casting is fascinating. The artist first has to make a three dimensional version of the final sculpture, make a mold with wax and plaster, and fill the mold with the bronze. Next, teams of skilled sculptors grind, weld and polish the metal until the final product is fully realized. Not only have we been introduced to some of the most famous and most influential works of art in the world, but we now have a better understanding and greater appreciation for the process.
