The Renaissance: Florence Leads the Way - The Wise World Traveler: Becoming a Part of All that You Meet - page 105

ings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel demonstrate “the scope and power…of his geni-
us.” [95]
Leonardo's genius had parallel yet different dimensions. His “curiosity about nature
led him deep into anatomy, botany, geology, mechanics and astronomy.” [96] He made draw-
ings of flying machines and heavy-duty winches. He dissected the dead and made draw-
ings of the human skeleton, ribcage, and eye. He was a military engineer. And, hardly last,
he was a superb painter. His Mona Lisa is one of the world's most recognizable paintings,
perhaps because his knowledge of perspective gave the figure its air of mystery: He used
“two perspectives simultaneously…her figure and her background are constructed on two
different vanishing points.” [97]
WISE TRAVELERS IN FLORENCE
Florence is a living arts centre where the people enjoy constant intimacy with master-
pieces…. (As the tourist walks)… he will see…the six-balled shields of the Medici,
the niches, the flower decked resting places, the altars and sculptures that adorn the
facades. [98]
Florence is a city for strollers who delight in palaces, museums, and churches. [99] Cars are
barred from the historic city center. The only dangers to the traveler are the pickpockets and
the crush of crowds. The city is a “Renaissance museum” studded with palaces, churches,
outdoor statues, and three museums—the Pitti, the Bargello, and the Uffizi. All display an
embarrassment of riches in paintings and statuary. The historic city is a city on a human
scale. All the important places in the city can be reached on foot.
The Piazza del Duomo, with its cathedral, bell tower, and sacristy, is the city's most
famous site. The Piazza della Signoria is the political stage of the Renaissance. Dominat-
ing the square is the heroic-sized (seventeen foot) Michelangelo's David (now a copy—the
real one is inside the Academia Museum), whose stance and gaze served as a warning to
any lurking goliath that the Republic of Florence is not to be conquered. The Medici Palace
begins at street level; the fortress-like first story serves notice that the palace is the cen-
ter of political power and that it is not easily assaulted. The interior courtyard is graced
by a fountain (with a putti by Donatello), lovely murals, and pillars. The courtyard gives
entry to (what seem like) endless rooms, beautifully decorated and “peopled” by Renais-
sance statues. Nearby, the Loggia del Lanzi contains Cellini's triumph, his bronze statue of
Perseus holding aloft the head of Medusa. [100] No less famous are statues by Giambologna:
The Rape of the Sabine Women and Hercules Slaying the Centaur.