“Why is everyone naked?” “What does this piece mean?” “I could paint that!” and “What year was this finished in?”… “No really though, why is everyone naked?”
Florence is ALL about the art. No matter where you are, there’s always an ancient painting around the corner (and a curious tour group demanding answers from their trusty tour leader). I’m not majoring in art history and I’m definitely not the best at drawing, painting, sculpting, or anything else that requires pen and paper. But even though I’m artistically challenged, I can still appreciate the work of others. After all, Florence is home to Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Donatello (3 out of 4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!…Raphael was unfortunately from another small town in Italy).
I’ve spent a lot of time in museums while I’ve been here and it has been (literally) an eye-opening experience. From the many hours I’ve spent wandering the Uffizi, Bargello, and the Accademia, I’ve come to realize how impactful our first impressions can be.
Leonardo da Vinci once said, “All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.” To me, this means that much of our understanding is rooted our instinctive, personal interpretations of what we see. Yet if all knowledge is based on perception, then our subjectivity can limit our understanding of the world.
In college, we meet new people every day. We form opinions by what people wear, how people act, and what people do. Even unconsciously, we will judge someone by the type of clothing they wear or by their certain hairstyle. But in reality, such predictors can’t even begin to reach the surface layer of who a person is. Just like a new face that you see, a painting will always reveal more upon second glance. Appearance may say a lot about a painting, but when you look closer at each individual brush stroke you discern individual features that you hadn’t perceived; the harshness of a storm or the soft strokes of a light breeze. Likewise, the lecture of an art historian will transform a painting into a visual narrative vibrant with context and history. So whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or going to see an art exhibit, make sure to search for more than what meets the eye. After all, a painting’s only worth a thousand words if you take the time to appreciate and learn more about what you see.
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