Good bye Verona,

thanks for the memories

A walking bridge that has been through many

restorations since the Second World war.

I feel honored to have been able to see it in person

I hope you enjoyed this beautiful city

A panoramic view of the park

This arched façade is the last remaining piece of the original inner wall

around the main city

Can you just imaging what it would have looked like?!

Let's explore more of what Verona has to offer...

Stroll down the main promenade...

Down to the city's clock tower

From one fountain to the next...

Main clock tower

More shops, restaurants and wonderful things to see

A panoramic view of the stadium

Still in use today for concerts and plays

(hence the red floor chairs)

How wonderful it would be to experience that

A couple of inside views of the stadium

Come...join me in the walk up to the light

An above view of the Piazza or the heart of Verona

See that group of trees, that's where we had our lunch

This Roman arena was built in the 3rd century

Although considered small it is one of the best preserved arena of it's kind in the world

If you wish to read more about Verona and it's 2000 year history I suggest checking out

 whc.unesco.org

Another view of the arena

Welcome to Verona

The inner city wasn't made for vehicles, certainly not a large bus.

We will walk from here

The Adige river flows through the city of Verona

 on it's way to the Adriatic Sea

On the road to Verona

(Likely) most famous for being the 'stage' for Romeo & Juliet 

Bell tower of a small roadside town

Evidence of the storm that followed us all the way there

Well our time is up for the Uffizi Gallery. We have to meet the rest of the group...it took us over 45 minutes to get out of the gallery. Every few feet or so there was something else to see, to reflect upon, to stand in awe of...we did come across one more painting that really spoke to me.

'The Scullery Maid'

by

Contini Bonacossi

17 Century

 I love his use of light

(Sadly) we are now leaving the Region of Tuscany. We have had a wonderful time here. We have travelled all over this beautiful big world and although we have loved every minute of our adventures I have never really needed to go back to any of the other places. I would happily return to Costa Rica or Thailand don't get me wrong that being said I truly hope to return to Tuscany. The B&B that we stayed in would be a lovely 'home base' for a three week holiday...rent a car, go off to other areas of Tuscany like Pisa, Lucca or Volterra for day trips. Each of these cities are within 2-3 hours of the hotel...sigh...someday maybe

Next we head to Venice via the cities of Verona and Ravenna

'The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence'

Carved by Bernini

Aged 15

Words fail me

Silenus and the Young Bacchus

4th century BCE

Bronze

Figure of a Sea Nymph astride a Sea Horse

Greek Marble

3rd Century BCE

Laocoon and his Sons

Copy

Original was unearthed / excavated in Rome in 1506

& placed on public display in the Vatican

A few more elaborate ceilings along 

the way to the sculpture section of the gallery

'Portia was the wife of Brutus, one of the conspirators involved in the murder of Julius Caesar. After her husbands suicide

she too killed herself by swallowing burning coals (on the ground on the right of the portrait), 

thus becoming a symbol of wifely loyalty'

GOOD GRIEF!

'The Adoration of the Magi'

By 

Leonardo Da Vinci

Uncompleted pen and ink drawing

Has been at the Uffizi Gallery since 1670

'The Annunciation'

by

Leonardo da Vinci

One of the first oil paintings of the 20 year old master

'The Baptism of Christ'

by

Leonardo da Vinci

1472

Portrait of Youth with a Medal

Botticelli

1475

Unfortunately I was unable to get the names of the following

portraits.

Although this one appears to be Jesus and the Angel Gabriel perhaps?

Madonna and Child

Madonna of the Rose Garden

by

Sandro Botticelli

1469

One of his earliest paintings

'Primavera'

by

S. Botticelli

1482

"an elaborate mythological allegory of the burgeoning fertility of the world"

This is a very complex painting. One that I encourage you to look up

and read about

'The Birth Of Venus'

by

S. Botticelli

1486

'It depicts the Goddess Venus arriving at the shore

after her birth, when she has emerged from the sea fully grown'

'Madonna of the Pomegranate'

by

S. Botticelli

1487

Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino

by Piero della Francesca

Oil on Wood

1467-1472

One of the most celebrated works of the Italian Renaissance

Inspired by the design of ancient coins, two figures shown in profile

The background with rolling landscape represents the area that the Duke and Duchess ruled over

"On the back of the panels, the Duke and Duchess are featured being carried triumphantly on

ancient wagons" according to the write up on the Uffizi Gallery website.

All of these paintings spoke to me

The brilliance of their colors, the brightness of their gold

Everything centers around the Madonna

This one is very interesting once you know it's story...do you see on the left side

near the front of the painting the monk looking towards the artist? With his hand on his face? Looking a little bored

That is a portrait of the painter himself

&

Do you see the man praying on the right side of the painting? How he appears faded or off color? 

This is a portrait of the man who commissioned the artist but did not live to see it completed

 

I thought this one was quite stunning

Most of the paintings up until this point in time only showed 

one 'layer' of life.

 This one shows everything around it. Including people and animals in the distance

A vanishing point

Madonna and Child with St. Nicholas, St John and St. Benedict
refer to the write up below

Madonna enthroned with two Sainted Martyrs

Madonna and Child enthroned with Angels