Unusual Florence- with artist Martha Wakeman

           Artist  Martha Wakeman, who now resides in Connecticut,  has been coming to Florence and the hills of Settignano  and Fiesole  for decades.  

Her dreamy pastels  give present day travelers   a personal view of Florence and its suburbs . 

She  shares her fascination for  the Florentine light, shadows and  atmosphere  with student-artists  during  annual art retreats, this year to be held  in October at a  lovely  family-run pensione in Fiesole. 

More information on her website. 

Throughout history innumerable artists,  creative people  and  travelers  have immersed themselves in the magic of  Florence and received   inspiration from the city and its artistic wonders. 

From our archives - an 1878 view of Florence from San Miniato 

While rambling through the Pitti Palace  or relaxing  under the trees in the Boboli Gardens, you can still feel the presence of these past visitors.

Following  in the footsteps of  historic travelers and writers adds a deeper appreciation to a stay in Florence. 


Reading  about their  itineraries reveals  how much-and how- the city has changed.

  The Medici  palaces and  zoological collections  in the Specola museum were "must-sees" for 17-18th century travelers, but are now  ignored by  most modern tourists. 

The Medici 's pet hippo once  lived in Boboli Gardens
 stuffed and kept at the Specola 

For an unusual view of what it was like to visit Florence during the 1700s  see  “Travels to Tuscany and Northern Lazio”,  based on the diaries of  an exiled claimant  to the English throne.

The exiled royal Stuart family lived in Florence,  renting one of the Corsini family palaces, during the early 1700s.  The Corsini family still conserve a beautiful  double portrait of the Stuart princes they received at this time. 

Palazzo Corsini and   the double portrait given to the family by the Stuarts
illustrations from "Travels to Tuscany and N. Lazio"

Later, at the height of his influence as a Prince of the Church, Cardinal Henry, made trips to Tuscany and northern Lazio in 1763, 1764 and 1776.   Each of these voyages was meticulously documented by his secretary Don Giovanni Landò.

Original diary of the Travels- 1764, discovered at  the British Library 

Royal coat of arms in Palazzo Guadagni San Clemente,
now the University's School of Architecture   

The Cardinal’s travels were also sight-seeing expeditions and his secretary’s detailed descriptions are a mine of information on the treasures of the many villas, churches and cities visited. 


 The gifts presented and received  were incredible: from gastronomic delicacies to  silver candlesticks and rock crystal altar ornaments.  Also much appreciated was Spanish tobacco, snuff  and foreign wines. 


 The Cardinal's diary gives a fascinating  picture of a royal progress that makes one want to  jump on the next train to Florence and follow in his footsteps with his diary as a guide. 

He   visited the  private Medici zoo where exotic animals -elephants and other African species- were kept. 

Fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli (Palazzo Medici Riccardi) shows

  young  Giuliano de'Medici  with his exotic  pets .

Musical events and local festivities such as   the cuccagna  and  the tossing of cooked meats  to the crowds in the piazza are described  in detail. 

Modern readers may be appalled to read of cruel  "fights between the wild beasts” staged for religious festivities and to entertain  the Cardinal and his entourage.  

  Today the rooms used for this zoo can still be seen as well as the  skeletons of ostriches,  badgers, porcupines, monkeys and other animals that once roamed the Boboli Gardens.  

Find out what Florence was like in 1700s

presentation of  Travels to Tuscay and N. Lazio, Library of Uffizi Gallery, Florence
l. to r.:  Maurizio Bossi, Cristina Acidini, Claudio DeBenedetti, Mary Jane Cryan

Researchers will find copies of "Travels to Tuscany and Northern Lazio " at the  American Academy and British School at Rome libraries,  Paul Mellon Centre and British Library in London and dozens of academic  libraries in N. America and Europe.  

  Limited copies still available  directly  from the author. 

Inexpensive Italy-living well on a small budget

Years ago as a contributor to the popular guidebook  "Designer Bargains in Italy"  I revealed  how Italians were able to dress so well on small incomes: they  found quality clothing and household goods at  factory outlets, discount shops and   bargain basements.

Roberta's open air  boutique

Today with  fixed income  Italians bearing the brunt of another  economic crisi, the thrifty  tightwad in all of us  returns as we  organize  ways to continue living well without throwing away hard-earned euros.

evening and beach wear 

 Many more  people-not just penniless students- are taking pride in  outwitting  the sky rocketing  cost  of living.  

  

made in Italy   at bargain prices

My fashion conscious yet frugal friend Regina  proudly  posed  before her weekly dance class  wearing a couple of the fashionable tops found at  a country  bancarella for  2 euro each.

Along  with once-skeptical friends, she  enjoys choosing  Italian-made  jackets and dresses  that would have prohibitive prices  in  Olgiata or Parioli.

 15 euro for everything

   

April 15^th has been declared “no gas”day   in Italy in protest for the ever-rising prices. 

What to do when the price of excellent local  wine (1,70 per litre)  is less than that of gas for the car? 

just one of the many local wine dealers 

save on bottles, bring your  own 3 or 5 litre jug

Here are  some ideas: 
Drink more wine and drive less 
Take public transport whenever possible
Group errands together on  the same trip
Shop  locally: walk to the weekly  market and nearby shops whenever possible

This weekend  there were three  separate  fairs offering handmade products in our area-other opportunities to save and meet creative artisans. 

 I have selected  a few of the best to share with readers. 

If you live here  or are planning to visit, why not choose hand crafted objects to bring back home.
  If you'd like more information, feel free to ask, leave a comment (its now easy-no fuss)  and share with friends.

seen in San Martino al Cimino

  San Martino al Cimino,  close to Viterbo, is a hilltop town once home to the  Mistress of the Vatican (more about the town on Chestnut Festival post). 

Here  a few tables were set up in the main piazza where local artisans in wood, wool, plastic and leather showed their wares. 

felt bookmarks   to encourage reading 

 Tiny, easy to pack  felt bookmarks, knit cotton and wool caps and scarves by the Coluccia sisters  are perfect as Easter gifts. 

 Domenico Minnocci 's photos celebrate  Etruria and Tuscany

The Coluccia sisters showed their wares in Viterbo ...

..and San Martino 

recycling buttons as jewellery 

Silvia of  San Martino shows her wares 

On the shores of Lake Bolsena at Capodimonte the recently restored Cascina  hosted a larger, higher level gathering of excellent artisans  in wood,  precious stones, mosaic artists, weavers and woodworkers.

Organized  by a resident French-German couple Katherine and   George, of La Porticella association, the fair L’altro Mercatino showcased  biological products as well as  handmade  items. 

outside  the just restored Cascina 

Nonna Natalina from  Tuscania 

the Cascina makes a perfect exhibition space

homemade marmellate 

macrame jewellery 

The array was tempting and my purchases,under  20 euro,  included  a lavender perfumed  pillow in an African textile  and an iridescente   vase by Raku Enaan. 

cushions  with natural fibers and fillings

raku  vases and jewellery 

Roberto begins a new vase

Etruscan style bucchero ware 

Tempting  were the Etruscan-style vases of Roberto Bellucci and  inlaid wood by Barbara Banco along with  jewellery in silver and semi precious stones.   

Da Giggiotto, Ischia di Castro 

old fashioned flavor  in decor and  food 

What better  way  to end the  morning than to discover  a new  trattoria in nearby Ischia di Castro.

Adelina and daughter  in the kitchen 

Rocca Farnese with newly re-opened loggia

Directly across  from the  Rocca Farnese, now undergoing a complete restoration, we enjoyed  a perfect Sunday lunch (30 euro for  two) at this family-run  trattoria that opened two years ago. 

 It  was a  return to the past: huge helpings of  pasta,  excellent meat and contorni, friendly atmosphere and tiramisu from heaven.

the best tiramisu I've had yet

Secrets of Soriano

The first thing one notices about Soriano nel Cimino is the Orsini Castle, built for  Pope Nicholas III  Orsini around 1287 as a summer getaway from the heat of Rome. 

Over the centuries it has been the  private domain  of cardinals and papal authorities and,  until 1989,  a maximum security prison.  For this reason it has not been fully studied and reserves surprises for future art historians.

Many plaques  adorn the fortress  walls reminding of happenings in its long history:  Santa Rosa of Viterbo was exiled here 750 years ago, the  English Stuarts were  guests of Cardinal Albani in 1717 and the Allies bombed the town in 1944.  

Palazzo Madruzzo Chigi-Albani in its present sorry state

Another stunning complex, now in ruins, is Palazzo Chigi-Albani,  Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo’s  pleasure villa  between 1562 and 1578. 

 Here visitors lucky enough to find the gates  open can  admire the gigantic sculpted figures of the Papacqua  fountain: a reclining goat-hoofed woman with three babies clinging to her breast. Other figures include  a devil, Pan, gargolyles, animals, Moses and the four seasons.

There are obvious similarities with the nearby Sacro Bosco (Monster Park)  of Bomarzo  for  Cardinal Madruzzo was an  intimate of Vicino Orsini and their continual correspondence shows they exchanged ideas and artists during the construction of their respective  country places.

The  altar sculpted in walnut 

Soriano  is a town for people with strong  legs, complicated  to park and best during the October  Chestnut Festival when its  four quartieri compete in colorful parades and flag-throwing contests. 

 Another secret of Soriano can be found just down the hillside  bordering the town cemetery - the  delightful little  church of Madonna del Poggio.

behind the curtain, a sacristy full of  surprises

young guides 

vestments for different seasons 

wax Madonna

wax  head of S. Eutizio

Madonna del Poggio, Soriano nel Cimino

Adjacent to its  pink peperino facade  is the entrance to the cloister  and the sadly abandoned  Franciscan convent .

The cloister with its frescoed walls telling  the story of San Francesco. 

chestnut trees and giant stones near S.Eutizio

About  6 kms. from the center of Soriano, another surprise: the Passionist  sanctuary dedicated to early Christian  martyr  Sant’Eutizio   in the hamlet  of the same name. 

tower of S.Eutizio  monastery 

local girls guided us through the catacombs

  Beneath the church  is a small catacombs  used in early Christian days.  Frescoes adorn the walls and water filters  down to fill an empty tomb.

 Most of the sarcophagi  were removed decades ago but a few bone-filled burials remain, adding a spooky  atmosphere to the underground site. 

  
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