Galleria Palatine

Over the past three weeks, my cohorts and I have met with the directors of the Uffizi, the San Marco Museum, and the Palatine Gallery at the Palazzo Pitti, where they gave us tours and explained the philosophy behind the museums and their organization.  Since these buildings were never originally conceived as public museums, their architecture and any decor or works left in situ present a singificant and obvious connection with the buildings' past.  In these museums, the amalgamation and display of their works become a work in itself.  Every museum creates a unique experience with its space, its collected works, and the classification, arrangement, and overall organization of its collection (issues with which modern theory has tremendous problems).  A museum in itself is open to examination as a form of art.

The Palatine Gallery was particularly interesting, as it was originally a private Baroque gallery whose current display remains true to its past.  There is hardly a foot of space between the pictures, which, stacked in heavy, gilded frames, reach from eye-level to the carved, golden ceiling.  Many of them are attached to the wall so that they may swing outwards in order to catch the sunlight, the only healthy source of illumination before the dawn of electricity.  Panels and canvases have been expanded or cut down to fit the measurements of frames or wall space; time periods are blended together to better express certain sentiments in different rooms; and the collection's greatest works are scattered so haphazardly that it can be hard to find them.  Without some form of guide, the Gallery, dominated by tastes and pholosophies of display of past centuries, would make little sense, but that fact lends it charm.

Otherwise, on my way back from the New Sacristy this morning, I saw Converse All-Star wedges.  What a stupid idea for a shoe.  I bet it will make millions, like Uggs or leggings.

New flatmate moving in tonight.  We're all making dinner once the vicar cleans me feet.  I'll be working for the majority of the weekend, except for Easter Sunday, when I have church and then Mexican Brunch with my fellow graduate students and TAs.  I refuse to eat Mexican Brunch on Easter, so I bought quarter a lamb today at the Mercato Centrale.  I am going to roast that puppy in a mustard, rosemary crust.  Isn't funny how all blogs devolve into food?

Back to Bronzino.