A Day Trip to Siena

Right when I woke up this morning, I checked the forecast for Siena. Even though it said a 100% chance of rain, I decided to wear a dress. Maybe it wouldn't rain? During the train ride, I worked on an assignment then I started reading more about Michelangelo and the Sistine Ceiling. I didn't know that when the half-way point was showcased, Raphael was in awe of Michelangelo's work. THEN Raphael tried to steal the commission from Michelangelo so he could do the rest of it. Obviously it didn't work, but WOWWWW.

Siena is just beautiful. I was really looking forward to this day trip and I wished we could have spent more time there. Luckily it didn't rain there at all. 

This is a painting by Simone Martini of Mary in Majesty. It was painted around 1315. Since Mary is the patron saint of Siena, it was totally chill to have her painted in a civic building. This is an example of the International Gothic Style. It is meant to be decorative, courtly, and elegant. It is an aristocratic style which came from France. Martini really hung out in France a lot and the French helped out Siena when they were having troubles with Florence. That left a major impact on their art and architecture. 

This is a fresco called The Effects of Good and Bad Government by Lorenzetti. It is meant to display civic pride and it is definitely influenced by the Gothic period. The good government has angels distributing justice while the bad government is personified by the devil. In the bad government, the allegorical Justice is tied up.

This is a fresco about a guy named Guidorricio (I think). Siena claims it is a fresco by Simone Martini but that is pretty unlikely. I am just a novice art history scholar, but I can tell this is just not Martini's style. Nice try, Siena.

At the baptistery, we saw Donatello’s Feast of Herod. This is a relief panel on the lil font. It uses continuous narrative to tell the story of Herod getting John the Baptist’s head. It is emotional and uses perspective and had a human quality to it. It's hard to tell from this angle, but Herod was disgusted by receiving the head. I'd be too. Honestly, if I had a step daughter ask for someone's head, I would send her to therapy rather than doing it for her. Creepy, Herod.

 The Siena Cathedral is really cool. When The People In Charge™️ were planning out the building, they wanted to make it the biggest in the world, or at least bigger than the Florence cathedral because they hated Florence. Petty.

The cathedral captures the Romanesque (aspects of Ancient Roman architecture) and Gothic, which is pretty wild since Gothic architecture wasn’t really present in Italy. Gothic architecture was a French staple. When Siena needed help fighting Florence, they looked to France for help and they delivered. That’s the reason why there’s so much gothic art in town!

This church never got to be as big as they planned because of the plague. With 60% of the population kicking the bucket, there just wasn’t the power to build it. In addition, the foundation wasn’t strong enough to take the weight.

Another unique aspect of this cathedral is just how ornate the outside is as well as the inside. Typically Italian churches are more plain on the outside while the insides are lavish. Not this one! The inside competes with the outside for the spectacle. The ceiling was deep blue with stars.

Some major artists who contributed to this cathedral are Pissano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini.

The floor in the library was incredible. Definitely among my favorites in Italy. Also in the library of the cathedral were these massive illuminated manuscripts. Some of them seemed to be music books! The ceiling was also just incredible. I was starstruck when I looked up. 

There were some pretty interesting things to see on our walk to the bus stop.

Right when we got back from Siena, it was absolutely pouring. Steve sent us on our way and a bunch of classmates and I climbed the steps to the top of the Duomo (Brunelleschi's Dome). EXCEPT, along the way to the Duomo, a few of us had to cross the street underground and there was a guy peeing right in the middle of the way! I couldn't believe it because 1. He was peeing! 2. I hadn't seen anything like it before except the joke that is health education in Utah. We were screaming the rest of the way to the Duomo.

 Anyway. It wasn't too bad of a climb and the view was perfect since the rain just stopped. 

Right before dinner, Jessica, Rylie, and I went to a jewelry shop and along the way I found some street art by a famous artist. I wasn’t even planning on seeing it! Apparently there’s more art like this in Florence so I’ll have to keep an eye out!

Honestly, I’m pretty sick of food in Florence. It’s all pretty bland. Hopefully food is better everywhere else! Or at least I hope everywhere else has salt.