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The text presented here, Francesco Bocchi's Le Bellezze della citta di Fiorenza (The Beauties of the City of Florence), originally published in 1591, is one of the most remarkable of Renaissance writings on art and thus an especially valuable document of the culture within which and for which Renaissance art was made. It is not exactly the first guidebook, nor is it entirely an art guidebook in the modern sense of the word, but it marks an important step in the history of guidebook literature, perhaps the definitive step in the formation of the modern genre. It seeks to direct people's attention to outstanding objects, but also to offer instruction in how to look, what to think, and what to say. Scholars find it useful for purely archaeological reasons, as a record of numerous minor works of art and their locations, for instance, but its deepest source of interest is the lively discursive engagement with art to which it attests, and the passionate and eloquent way in which it makes the case that such engagement is a matter of the greatest urgency and importance. For this reason, the book has much to offer the non-specialist - anyone who visits Florence and gives any thought at all to what it means to look at art - and the desire to reach this kind of reader has been the real motivation behind the preparation of this translation. Enough of the city remains as Bocchi saw it to permit the book still to be used as a guide, held in the hand as one walks from place to place and read before the objects described. The notes and illustrations provided here are designed to facilitate that process. What Bocchi emphasises and what he ignores will sometimes surprise the modern reader, and what he says about individual works may occasionally prompt bewilderment or disagreement. His values and habits of thought are close enough to ours to seem familiar yet are not exactly our own; his way of looking, of thinking, and of speaking are foreign enough to remind us of the distance that separates us from the Renaissance, of the singularity of historical moments and individual points of view. In reading Bocchi, one begins to understand something of how his contemporaries thought about what they saw; one learns to see the works differently and, as a result, to develop a sharper sense of the presuppositions we bring to our encounters with art, to see our own way of looking and thinking more objectively. This translation is thus an invitation to enter into a dialogue with history; its deeper purpose is to stimulate modern visitors to Florence to objectify their own processes of looking, thinking, and speaking, and in so doing to develop a new degree of self-consciousness, a new, historical perspective on themselves. Thomas Frangenberg's main research interests concern European Art and Architecture (1500-1770), Italian Art Theory 1400-1800, the history of linear perspective and its relation to the theory of optics. He teaches at the University of Leicester. Robert Williams is a specialist in Italian sixteenth-century aesthetic theory. He is Professor of History of Art and Architecture at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
"In the tradition of Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Palombo has married fine art with romantic historical fiction in this lush and sensual interpretation of Medici Florence, artist Sandro Botticelli, and the muse that inspired them all." - Booklist A girl as beautiful as Simonetta Cattaneo never wants for marriage proposals in 15th Century Italy, but she jumps at the chance to marry Marco Vespucci. Marco is young, handsome and well-educated. Not to mention he is one of the powerful Medici family’s favored circle. Even before her marriage with Marco is set, Simonetta is swept up into Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici’s glittering circle of politicians, poets, artists, and philosophers. The men of Florence—most notably the rakish Giuliano de’ Medici—become enthralled with her beauty. That she is educated and an ardent reader of poetry makes her more desirable and fashionable still. But it is her acquaintance with a young painter, Sandro Botticelli, which strikes her heart most. Botticelli immediately invites Simonetta, newly proclaimed the most beautiful woman in Florence, to pose for him. As Simonetta learns to navigate her marriage, her place in Florentine society, and the politics of beauty and desire, she and Botticelli develop a passionate intimacy, one that leads to her immortalization in his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus. Alyssa Palombo’s The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence vividly captures the dangerous allure of the artist and muse bond with candor and unforgettable passion.
Does your dream vacation seem out of reach? Discover stress-free, cost-saving secrets for planning the ultimate Italian getaway.Is a trip to Italy on your bucket list but out of your budget? Does preparing for international travel leave you feeling anxious? Do you worry about falling into a tourist trap? Italian travel guide and blogger Corinna Cooke has years of experience creating private vacations throughout every corner of the country. And now she's here to share her insider tips so you can make the most of your time abroad.How to Travel Italy is your all-in-one guide for crafting your personalized dream vacation. You'll create an itinerary that's custom-fit to your interests: from world-renowned art to mouthwatering cuisine and from breathtaking landscapes to trendsetting fashion. Whether you plan to travel in style or on a shoestring budget, you'll discover hidden gems and little-known advice for touring Italy's most famous attractions. With Cooke's hassle-free guide, you'll finally learn to sit back and savor your authentic Italian experience like a local.In How To Travel Italy, you'll discover:- Step-by-step methods for planning your entire trip, regardless of time or budget- Lists of the best restaurants, cuisines, and wines by region to satisfy any appetite- Optimum lengths of time to visit each attraction so you can get the best bang for your buck- Simple tips for booking flights that will save hundreds of dollars from your bottom line- Precautions you can take to stay safe and healthy while traveling and much, much more!How To Travel Italy is your go-to portable travel guide to this charming Mediterranean destination. If you like practical tips, trusted advice from a local expert, and stress-free planning, then you'll love Corinna Cooke's handbook for your dream vacation.Buy How To Travel Italy to pack your bags for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure today!
An intimate narrative history of World War I told through the stories of twenty men and women from around the globe--a powerful, illuminating, heart-rending picture of what the war was really like. In this masterful book, renowned historian Peter Englund describes this epoch-defining event by weaving together accounts of the average man or woman who experienced it. Drawing on the diaries, journals, and letters of twenty individuals from Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Venezuela, and the United States, Englund’s collection of these varied perspectives describes not a course of events but "a world of feeling." Composed in short chapters that move between the home front and the front lines, The Beauty and Sorrow brings to life these twenty particular people and lets them speak for all who were shaped in some way by the War, but whose voices have remained unheard.
The vivid and masterful story of Isabella Stewart Gardner—creator of one of America’s most stunning museums—an American original whose own life was remade by art. Includes archival photos of Isabella’s world, museum, and the art she collected. Isabella Stewart Gardner’s museum, with its plain exterior enfolding an astonishing four-story Italian palazzo, rose from Boston’s Fens at the turn of the twentieth century. Its treasures encompassed not only masterwork paintings but tapestries, rare books, prints, porcelains, and fine furniture. An extraordinary achievement of storytelling and scholarship, Chasing Beauty illuminates the fascinating ways the museum and its holdings can be seen as a kind of memoir, dazzling and haunting, created with objects instead of words and displayed per Isabella’s wishes in the exact placements she initially curated. Born in 1840 to a privileged New York family, Isabella Stewart married Boston Brahmin Jack Gardner as she turned twenty. She was misunderstood by Boston’s insular society and suffered the death of her only child, a beloved boy, not yet two years old. But in time came friendships, glittering and bohemian; awe-inspiring world travels; and collecting beautiful things with a keen eye and competitive pace—all these were balm for loss. Henry James and John Singer Sargent—whose portrait of Isabella was a masterpiece and a scandal—came to recognize her originality. Bernard Berenson, leading connoisseur of the Italian Renaissance, was her art dealer. From award-winning author Natalie Dykstra, Chasing Beauty is the story of the complex and singular woman behind one of the most fascinating museums in the nation and the world—a tale of beauty and loss, grit and American self-invention.
The first pop-up book on Florence. Dario Cestaro's spectacular drawings and paper architecture reveal Florence and its treasures in a pop-up book telling the city's history with straightforward texts and interesting facts. This fascinating journey in colored pages shaped into Florence's most celebrated landmarks will help even younger children to recognize the main buildings: the cathedral with its famous ogival dome; the Palazzo Vecchio with its great tower and crenellated walls; the Palazzo Pitti, once the Medicis' majestic ducal residence; the Ponte Vecchio, the iconic bridge over the Arno with its historic craft shops; the Church of Santa Croce, which contains tombs and monuments to many illustrious persons (Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo).
A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”