On Monday the guys drive up to Maranello to see the Ferrari museum. They go over the Appuan alps and I think are somewhat surprised to see snow!
Tuesday and they're down in the eternal city, Rome, while Annette and I are working :O((( and in the evening we bid our farewells...
On Wednesday I receive a text message from an Italian friend, telling me that this week is 'culture week' and all the state museums are free of charge! So after work my first port of call is to the Medici Chapels...
The church of San Lorenzo is second in importance only to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Consecrated in 393 it was Florence's main cathedral until the 8th century. It was reconsecrated in1059 and entirely rebuilt by the Medici in the 15th century, thereby linked closely to the Medici and ther family, so much so that a extra sacristy and chapel were added on.
Brunelleschi was entrusted with the project and Michelangelo added a 'new' sacristy. This was to be a mausoleum of Lorenzo 'the magnificent' Medici and his family.
Michelangelo created no less than 7 sculptures for the new sacristy. He was between 50 and 55 years old and finally getting his chance to sculpt exclusively. He did two sculptures of Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano for their tombs, a madonna and child and the most famous, the four reccumbent figures of day and night and dawn and dusk. These are allegorical figures representing the fleeting nature of man.
In the words of Michelangelo himself (yes he wrote poetry too!)
"Dear to me is sleep, dearer still being made of stone, while harm and shame last, not to see, not to hear, to me is a great boon. So do not waken me, aaah, speak, but softly..."
Sculpture and poetry, what a guy!
(Original journal entry 17/4/02)
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