BACK FROM ITALY
I came home yesterday, after having spent almost a week in Vicenza, Italy. It's been a very different trip, but definitely wonderful. I'm not used to travel with groups, I must admit, so it took me a few days to "acclimate" to dealing with 10+ people's opinions and rythm, but it was cozy as well. The big minus was that the rain poured down EVERY DAY, so it was cold and wet and not at all good weather for Italian gelato.... I also had a nasty cold AND got my period, so my energy level was drained. BUT I was in Italy and enjoyed it very much!
The main focus on the trip was to study the architecture of Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). His most famous buildings includes Villa Rotonda, the basilica and the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza and two churches in Venice, but his style was also a major influence to European and Northern American architecture for centuries (="palladianism"). He's also responsible for lots of palazzi in Vicenza.
The highlight of this trip was to get to see the INSIDE of his many villas and churches. One thing is to read about them and see pictures, but to see his buildings in situ, see how the materials look in different light, see the frescoes inside, see the surroundings... it gives a whole other impression, much different than what I expected in many cases. It was also SO odd to see how different the villas was preserved. Most were well looked after and splendid, but there were one that were eliterally abandoned, with no doors or windows, the garden overgrown, and with birds flying in and out. We weren't permitted into the villa, but I spotted some wonderful frescoes both int he portico and inside, and the sight really tore my heart apart. The villa in question is Villa Forni Cerato, and a guy has owned it for 20-30 years, leaving it just like that. I don't see how the Italian government can allow it, as it is on the UNESCO list of world heritage. Pictures:
Since my exam essay is about his two Venetian churches, I took a day trip to Venice (which is not far away), and it was wonderful as expected. I got to see the Palladian churches (San Giorgio Maggiore and Il Redentore), plus an amazing Tiziano exhibition at l'Accademia. They had gathered several of his works, amongst others two versions of his Mary Magdalene, his self portrait from 1562, the portraits "Lady with fan" and "Pope Paul III Farnese", plus "Pietà", "Ecce Homo", "Venus blindfolding Amor", "Tarquinio and Lucrezia" and many more. I spent some extra time at the "Lady with fan" portrait, and I must say I liked it much better in person than in online or book photos. I've always found the dress rather plain, but it had some nice details at the sleeves which I hadn't noticed before. And hehe, gotta love the sign in the bottom... these rules must mean this has been a big problem at San Marco?
Costume wise the highlight was to see the frescos inside Villa Barbaro and Villa Caldogno. They both show lots of period Venetian outfits ca. 1570, and since I have studied them so much in photos it was amazing to see them "live" and to see what context they were placed in. But I was also surprised to see stuff I had never seen before, especially in Villa Caldogo but also Villa Godi (much by the same painter - Zelotti). What I found particularly interesting is the many details the frescoes shows, of blackwork chemises, cutwork sleeves and the backside of dresses and hairdo's. I will do an updated post on this later on. We had a photographer in the group and she took some very good photos of the frescoes in Villa Caldogno, but in the mean time you can enjoy these:
Villa Barbaro had amazing frescoes as well (by Veronese), but they had a strict "no photos" policy there. It's well documented online anyway (I did take one sneak photo of the amazingly cute litte girl in the doorway, I must admit...). Outside photos of the villa and the "tempietto" nearby (inspired by Pantheon):
RANDOM PHOTOS:
The train station in... Verona, I think.
Villa Cornaro, today owned by an American family. I look 30 pounds heavier than usual.... really!! Hahaha. This villa was one of my favourites, because of the amazingly clean lines and the "coherence" between the inside and the outside.
Downtown Vicenza, very idyllic city. I tried to pull an Italian diva look, but it looks more like I've just seen a chocolate store....
Villa Rotonda, possibly Palladio's most iconic building. It has the same facade on all four walls, and the roof has a dome (again inspired by Pantheon). Alas I only got to take one photo before my camera died....
Villa Chiericati, also a building in a sorry state. The front was basically falling apart, and the old woodwork severly damaged. But I think there were plans of restoring it, so at least there's hope for this one.
Teatro Olimpico. It appeared very much in real life as it does in the photos above. The actual building and the stage is by Palladio, while the perspective illusions in the back + some additions over the auditorium is by Scamozzi.
So..... a fantastic week, despite my cold and the constant rain. I felt so spoiled when I went from villa to villa, actually being able to study them in real life! It was amazing. Stay tuned for Venetian beauties updates...