Seeing the David and the other works of art in unfinished marble by Michelangelo was an amazing event for me. It took some getting used to as I was once again completely unprepared for my strong reactions.
Of course it all started by seeing first what I believed to be some Robert Mapplethorp pictures of nude men and women. I told my daughter as we walked quickly by them that I believed them to be Robert Mapplethorp pictures. Of course I would have known this if I had bothered to read the signs all around us. That's what focus can do to someone : we were so intent on getting to the David marble statue that nothing else really mattered. And once we finally did see it and walk up to it ( I love where they have it displayed - so impressive and perfect to set this wonderful marble off from all the angles ) and around it, well, in my humble opinion then and now, nothing else really did or does matter. It's amazing any way you cut it - simply a total break-down/melt-down of all the senses where all that one can really do is stand and contemplate and admire and be touched on so many emotional and mental and soulful ways that the body pretty much goes into a heavy pause.
I loved it and really enjoyed my walk around it, stopping and looking and observing and admiring periodically. I did not sit down like my daughter but I could have if we had had more time. This really set the mood for me to enjoy as well all the other marble and other statues there. I was pleased beyond belief to be surrounded by so many that began to speak to me and reach out tome. I would have liked to have circled around many times in the two rooms around the David filled with other statues. I could easily have spent the whole day there meeting people, sketching and admiring them from so many different angles and perspectives. We simply did not have this time so maybe someday I will return and do just this. Even so the experience with my daughter was amazing and I am thrilled to have it finally now with someone in my life that means the world to me.
I did enjoy very much the Robert Mapplethorps, too after we looked at all of the statues. They in their own way are just as profound even though they are not three dimensional as are the statues. I can still feel the same intensity and eyes of Robert as they drilled into and around and about his subjects as he carefully posed and positioned them into and with their backgrounds.
Seeing all of this was another defining moment for me as if I was completing a really satisfying chapter in my life or beginning one?!? Which is it?
I have more pictures to include here and I am sure some more observations and emotions all personal and incomplete in nature. Enjoy what I have already written and included here. It is now Monday night, November 9th, 2009 here at home in northern Virginia at 9:57 PM as I add this bit.
I am determined not to lose all this wonderful week's experience and am adding and writing and posting pictures as fast as I can to be sure that I do record as many of the thoughts/feelings/reelings/flights/deep dips down into my psyche and soul, imagination, fantasy, guts, etc ... preserving a freshness, rawness and truth I hope that is of the moment and as real as humanly possible to both register and record through image and words ... cheers ... it was all so very deliciously grand, all of it, even when we stumbled and fell and lost our way momentarily ... everyone was so helpful in Italy ... both other foreigners like the married couple from Perth, Western Australia as well as all the wonderful Italians of all ages and the French, too ...
These are some of the last pictures that I took as we strolled around Florence before heading back to our hotel Accademia to get our bags and then be off to the train station to catch it heading for Rome at around 3 PM as I recall. It seems like a long time ago and yet it was just two weeks ago, Tuesday, Oct. 26th, 2009 I believe. Wow, my daughter and I in Florence : now that's something that is precious and amount of money can buy.
We strolled through the open markets to see al the leather goods and I enjoyed snapping some of the pictures with the leather goods against the backdrop of the beautiful old churches. This market was all around the enclosed market that we entered and stumbled upon this really nice wine store. It was closing until later in the evening and a blond exits and asks us in English if we need any help? Turns out she's from California, dating an Italian man and gets to go to a lot of the wineries and sample their wines for free : all really good things she added with a broad smile.
Stay-tuned as I add more pictures and commentary as I have time. TONY
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