Alexandra Lawrence is an expert on the language and art of Italy. Based in Florence, she is a lecturer of literature, art history and contemporary Italian cultural studies. Alexandra is currently offering a six-week guided reading of Dante’s Divine Comedy, in addition to other Dante-related courses, which you can learn more about at www.formasideris.it.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. . . any man’s death diminishes me, because ...
Here's a question for you: when was the last time you visited the Museo degli Argenti at Palazzo Pitti? I confess that I had not been since my long-ago student days, when the collection of jewels, crystals, cameos, semiprecious stones, ivories and, of course, silver, had paled in
After having spent the majority of the last decade living in the center of Florence, I became one of ‘those people' who high-tailed it to the outskirts as soon as baby came along. Amidst romantic notions of ambling through the Santo Spirito morning market and frolicking in the
A lot has changed since the court of Cosimo I de' Medici swept into town in 1537 and began systematically defining the Medici legacy as the vital center of the Florentine Renaissance. The hope had been that young Cosimo, plucked from the Tuscan countryside as the only chance for continued
When I was approached about writing a review for a book titled Speak the Culture: Italy, I groaned-loudly. Writing about culture is hard. Writing about national culture in a land where no one feels particularly national about anything is even harder. The list of authors and editors boasted an
Josephine Rogers Mariotti Florence, Edizioni Polistampa, 2009 12 euro What is it about the Mona Lisa that keeps people talking-and publishing books-500 years after the fact? Is it the ambiguous smile? The mysterious identity? An obsession with all things da Vinci? At a time
Rumor has it that Piero della Francesca's Early Renaissance masterpiece The Duke and Duchess of Urbino languished in the Uffizi's deposits until the 1860s, when the artist was ‘rediscovered' by Cezanne. Thanks to the renewed attention, the fifteenth-century della Francesca piece quickly became a must-see
I recently sat down with Jane Fortune, author of Invisible Women: Forgotten Artists of Florence, due out later this month from The Florentine Press. ‘Indiana Jane' has spent the past five years scouring archives and haunting the recesses of some of Florence's most revered museums in an effort
Bringing Florence to the forefront of change. Contributing to the contemporary public policy debate for the most urgent questions facing the United States and Europe. Building a strong network of academics, politicians, and business leaders. These are the goals of New York University's La Pietra Policy Dialogues, which opens
I recently sat down with Jane Fortune, author of Invisible Women: Forgotten Artists of Florence, due out later this month from The Florentine Press. ‘Indiana Jane' has spent the past five years scouring archives and haunting the recesses of some of Florence's most revered museums in an effort
The refrain is becoming increasingly familiar: ‘We're staying in Florence during August this year; it's like having two vacations!' There is no doubt that more and more residents are choosing to go on holiday in June, July or even September, rather than August, as tradition has typically
One of the most intriguing aspects of Florence is its ability to hide-sometimes in plain sight-many of its most special treasures. Take the church and monastery of San Marco. Founded in the thirteenth century, the complex was enlarged in 1437, when Dominican monks from Fiesole moved there
Until I read Stay Close: A mother's story of her son's addiction, the phrase ‘heroin user' conjured scrawny addicts shooting up in back alleys and cheap motel rooms; malnourished models getting their buzz in posh clubs. This book shattered my naïve image and showed me
New Year's in March? That's right. Up until 1582, Europe rang in the New Year on March 25, the Feast Day of the Annunciation. According to Christian tradition, the Annunciation commemorates the moment that the Archangel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary to announce the birth of Jesus
After having worked in Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other cities in North America, what is your take on Florence? Is it a cosmopolitan city? Florence is the most extraordinary city I have ever lived in. I say this for two main reasons. First, for its size: it is so
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we gathered a panel of some our professional women friends in the Anglo community for a two-part series addressing a variety of issues facing our ...
On March 8, we mark International Women's Day, a day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In an effort to celebrate this event, we gathered a panel of some our professional women friends in the Anglo community (see box)
The British economy is undoubtedly going through a difficult period lately; how has this affected tourism to Tuscany? The UK is in the same situation as everyone else-no one ...
What do a 33,600 euro bottle of wine and a restored bronze pharisee have in common? The answer is Friends of Florence. When Friends member Michael Corliss paid an astronomical sum for a nine-liter bottle of Ornellaia at a Christie's auction in November 2007, he knew his
The year 2004 marked the 500th anniversary of the year in which Michelangelo's David was completed and placed in the Piazza della Signoria. To honor the occasion, the Accademia Gallery, current home of the masterpiece, organized a program of conferences and events, including exhibits, publications and restored works of
Pronto, Alexandra? Sono Milano25. I'm on my way to your office, why don't you come down and we'll do the interview in my cab?' Most people living in Florence are familiar with the white PT Cruiser decorated with flowers, driven by a woman sporting a huge