Finished reading Sarah Dunant’s Birth of Venus in time to appreciate her views of 15th century Florence through the eyes of a young woman steeped in the philosophy, religious upheavals and art making when Florence was the world’s culture center. I have been inside her family palazzo paid by her fathers wealthy textile import and dying business. Like the reigning Medicis and others wealthy from banking, business and the church before Martin Luther, the Vecchi family hires a young monastery trained artist to paint frescoes in the family’s private worship gallery. The likenesses of mother father 2 sons and 2 daughters are captured for posterity, featured in various religious allegories al fresco.
An evening walk through the heart of Florence is to revisit Dunant’s family homes, cathedrals and markets will get me oriented before scheduled tours. Without entering a building, Renaissance architectural wonders abound. The Duomo at town center occupies a Times Square sized piece of real estate. Approaching it from one of many radiating side streets takes my breath away. Walking around with thousands of other tourists who are insignificant ants, in awe like me.
The streets team with youth and families. The guide book says if a college has a European/Italian campus, it will be in Florence, the most visited city on the planet.
The beauty, elegance and age are too great to be dimished by mere mortals subject to inconsequential timelines.