Day XV11 - Florence "The Museum without Walls"

Florence has always been called “the Museum without Walls” and how true it is in the case of Piazza della Signoria, which has been the center of political, social and cultural life in the city since the 14th century.

In the public square, no bigger than a football field, is an open-air sculpture gallery where the magnificent artistic achievements of the Italian Rennaisance sculptors are displayed in all their glory and majesty, for all to see and touch and feeeeeeel......

Masterpieces such as Michelangelo‘s “David” (lifesize replica) Bandenelli‘s “Hercules’s, Ammaunati’s “Neptune“, and Giambologna’s “Duke Cosimo” are located in the open square, while the Loggia dei Lanzi, a classical colonnade designed by Orcagna in the 14th century, displays the masterpieces of Cellini, Giambologna and many of their contemporaries.

If you still have breath left, come stroll with me, for a hundred yards on the narrow street linking the square and the Arno river. Under the arches of another colonnade, by the façade of the Uffizi Gallery, are twenty glorious portrayals, by glorious artists, of glorious artists, who contributed to the glorious achievements of the Italian High Rennaisance in all areas of human endeavour. After centuries of the dark ages, the artists and philosophers of the renaissance found their inspiration in the ancient civilizations and cultures of China, Egypt and Greece.

Now it is back to reality and standing in line for three hours and twenty five minutes to enter the hallowed halls and galleries of the Uffizi Gallery. The highlight of our tour was the current exhibition of Carravagio's and Carravagiesque art. Inspired by the dramatic use of light, tenebresi, Carravagio and his "Mannerist" followers give new meaning to spirituality in art, art produced in a state of higher consciousness, when the artist is "in spirit" or inspired, and can inspire and elevate the spirit of the viewer.

It seems to me that the world of art has lost its way and has been gobbled up by the dizzy digital world of commercial exploitation. It is conceivable that, before the end of the present decade, an art treasure, already stored in a safe, secure, air-conditioned vault will be moved to another safe, secure, air-conditioned vault for an amount in excess of a billion dollars, euros, yen or rubles.

Artists and art-lovers unite, James