The Academy

Our next day saw us up bright and early, ready for the day's activities. First on the agenda was visiting The Academy, home to Michaelangelo's David.  Not wanting to waste anytime Alex had purchased out tickets in advance, a tactic that would throughout our trip maximize the time we spent viewing sites and minimize the time spent in line.  Our reservation was for 8:30, when the doors opened.  As we walked across the city that morning we joined those rushing off to work or to school.  We walked through delivery vans making final morning stops in the piazzas before the crowds would make it a nightmare to get vehicles into the historic district.  

We were among the first admitted into the Academy.  We knew that we wanted our first stop to see David before the rest of the throng waiting in the line outside the door rushed in.  We left the chaos of the crowds in the lobby and turned the corner to the hall leading up to David at the end.  Alex got chills and Arthur may have had moist eyes when beholding this masterpiece for the first time in person.  Fourteen feet high, he is an impressive sight even at that distance.  Michelangelo originally intended for his David to stand atop Florence's Duomo, and he consequently was meant to be viewed from far away and looking up.  For this reason, David's head is slightly out of proportion to his body; the effect makes David into more of the thinking man that the Renaissance idealized.  The detail put into him is stunning; and his countenance now personifies for me quiet resolution in the face of opposition.

The hall leading up to David houses the Prisoners, statues Michelangelo never finished. The one closest to David is actually a deposition scene that might or might not actually be a Michelangelo, it certainly brings to mind a deposition definitely by Michelangelo we'd see in about three hour's time.

 At this point, we had a brief moment of panic; Alex had sent our day pack through security and hadn't picked it up.  Fortunately, she was able to go back to security and get it without any problem and that was perhaps our closest brush with calamity through the entire trip due to Alex's sharp planning.

After we grabbed the daypack and made our way past the opening atrium, we entered a room where a copy of the "Rape of the Sabanese Women" stands in the center.  Perhaps ironically, the walls of this room are lined with religious paintings from the pre/early Renaissance period.

We walked along the hall leading up to the David again, however now swarms had gathered at the base of the statues.  We glanced at some of the magnificent paintings that have the great misfortune of being displayed in site line of one of the most attention-grabbing works of art in all the world.  There was one portraying the story of Abraham and Isaac, but that's honestly all I can tell you.

Next we went into a huge room filled with final exams from aspiring sculptors from years past the at the Academy of Fine Arts next door. Busts line the walls three shelves high.  At ground level rest elaborate tombstones commemorating fallen loved ones.  We walked in a circle around the large rooms and marveled at the talent displayed.

In another wing there was a small museum for Renaissance music. Music took a huge step forward during this time with all sorts of new instruments created by luthiers and artisan instrument makers every bit the product of their times.  It was a fascinating part of the Academy, complete with what might legitimately be the oldest piano in the world.

At this point, it was time to continue on with the rest of our day in Florence, and we walked past David one last time on our way to the exit.  I did not know that I would be moved so much by the view of him; after all, I had seen pictures of him all my life.  Our trip was filled with many larger than life moments; David literally and figuratively stands out among them.

Well, the name of this post was originally "A Full Day in Florence."  I now find myself with a decent sized post after recalling two hours, and I'm disinclined to edit it down to make things more manageable.  Next time, we'll head to Florence's Duomo and discuss the baptistry, bell tower, and cathedral.  We might even get through the museum.  Omnia Vincit Amour.