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The Florentine
Trompe l'oeil: ‘Style of representation in which a painted object is intended to deceive the viewer into believing it is the object itself.' (Encyclopedia Britannica) Trompe l'oeil, also called illusionism, is a virtuoso optical technique that artists have practiced for centuries. Using a wide variety
For some, the stairs down to the crypt extended the visit to Florence's cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore. For others, it led to information about other sites in the city. The low ceiling and musky smell was enough to turn others away. But for Brett Hurley, a
I almost don't want to write about this interesting 22-square-kilometer quartiere composed of six small neighborhoods, located to the east of Florence's historic center: despite Campo di Marte's proximity to the city center and its attributes, it has managed to remain relatively inconspicuous to the
Are your feet tired of the discoteca, the endless fight for survival amidst herds of sticky stiletto-wearing stumbellinas swaying to the beat of techno remixes, courtesy of last year's most overplayed rappers? Have you seen enough ambitious renditions of Rigoletto, not even counting the countless pop-culture references
It is just before noon on a bright and clear Wednesday afternoon, and I am on the hunt for a new street. Crossing Piazza della Repubblica with five potentials scrawled on an index card, I suddenly realize I need lunch-and fast. I have only so much time, so I
Spring is here. It's time to play with nature's elements-the water, land, and air under the sun's fire-to enjoy the paradise around us in Florence. Oceans are warming up causing global air displacements. Atlantic tempests and Indian Ocean desert storms meet on the
At a moment when morality, money and mortality weigh heavily on the minds of people throughout the world, Shakespeare's Macbeth seems an eerily close reflection of the times. So it is no surprise that three well-respected local institutions have coincidentally decided to present the play to Florence this
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
It has become a habit for me, but one that always comes as a surprise: when walking toward Piazza della Repubblica from via del Corso, I sense something extraordinary ...
It is a very ordinary street in Florence, via Sant'Agostino. Some may say it's dirty, or even unpleasant. Graffiti is scrawled on nearly every wall, outdated posters look like they've been scratched at, and the stones on the street could use some repair. Cars and bikes roar
Where in Florence can you purchase a vintage scarf, sample local cuisine, chat up a local and perhaps find a bargain or two? Varying not only in products but size, location and schedule, Florence's outdoor markets are a great way to experience the cultural wonders of the city.
Lampredotto, bistecca fiorentina, ginestrata, fagioli all'uccelletto, polpettone, pasta e ceci, lepre in dolceforte, biscotti di Prato: the first edition of the Biennale Enogastronomica Fiorentina Leo Codacci has it all-and much more. With food and wine that stimulate the senses and feed the soul, this two-week event, at
It's one of the most dramatic stories from fifteenth-century Florence. In 1478, the Pazzi, a well-established Florentine banking family, with support from Pope Sixtus IV, the king of Naples, and the archbishop of Pisa, and others, hatched a plot so daring as to almost appear ridiculous: to
Florence's Festival dei Popoli is a premier documentary film festival, famous for featuring works of social substance and intense quality from all over the world. This year, the 49th edition of the festival promises to continue the rich tradition. Although the festival includes international competitions (for long and
A suburb where Jesus winks at you, the ice cream is divine and there are vintage finds to be had. Along the banks of the Arno, past Piazzale Michelangelo, the Gavinana area is a trendy quartiere packed with locals. Take a stroll across the Ponte San Niccolò, head
Devoting an entire exhibition to Giovanni Fattori, among Italy's most renowned plein---air artists, may at first seem a bit commonplace for the Florence Academy of Fine Art, home to works by more famous Italian artists, such as Botticelli and Michelangelo. The title of this exhibition, The Places of
When a group of young, independent artists held its first exhibit in mid-nineteenth-century Paris, no one was expecting it would give rise to one of the greatest artistic movements of the modern era. Drawing inspiration from the theories of Goethe and Helmholz, this heterogeneous group of revolutionary
Villa Bardini’s recently restored museum complex is quickly gaining a reputation as a first-rate center for art and culture. The opening of its newest portion signals a shift in the ...
On April 23, 1908, the cornerstone was laid of what would become the sanctuary of St. James, la chiesa americana (‘American Church') in Florence, Italy. Last week, in friendly cooperation with the City of Florence and the U.S. Consulate, the parish hosted a series of events to commemorate
When Maggio Musicale chose ‘women' as its theme for the 71st season, opening April 26, the idea in mind was not the self-sacrificing consumptive heroines of classical Italian opera. Think of a much feistier sort of female: donne contro, women who go against the grain. Carmen, Joan of
The large international vegan community does its fair share of traveling, but maintaining the diet and lifestyle can be challenging while on the road. A more strict approach to vegetarianism, veganism eschews all animal by-products including meat, dairy and honey. Opting for a vegan diet doesn't mean
Florence is not just a painter’s city. The Renaissance had as profound an impact on the written word. Florence was the center of this great humanist tradition, which sprang from reappraising the classics of Greece and Rome and gave birth to some of history’s greatest authors
Taking a stroll through the courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi these days you may feel you’ve gone back to the Renaissancein China, that is. Fondazione Strozzi’s newest exhibition, China: At the Court of The Emperors, is a spectacular celebration of China’s Golden Age that brings
