Megan, Britynn and Morgan discover a geloto botega--see how happy gelato makes you smile?

Donatello's Mary Magdalene

Carved from wood around 1453-1455, Donatello's sculpture never fails to impress viewers with its expressiveness. After the 1966 flood, the statue was found floating in the streets between the Baptistery and Santa Maria del Fiore. It has been fully restored.

There are literally thousands of artifacts in the museum, but we couldn't stop to see all of them.

All over the city of Florence there are markers indicating the levels of the last great flood on November, 1966, when the dam upstream gave way and the entire city was flooded to a height of 21 feet is some places.

Many works of art were severely damaged and restorers were able to repair most of the damage, but some works were destroyed.

Here Shanshan poses beneath a marker of the flood level in the museum.

I told them that they were standing on the spot, at the foot of where David once stood, and everyone spontaneously marked the spot with their feet.

Inside Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

Although the museum is built over the spot where Michelangelo carved the marble statue of David, the courtyard still exists. Our class poses where Michelangelo created his famous statue.

Next to Brunelleschi's statue, Jacob presents his report about Brunelleschi and perspective.

On Monday (Labor Day in the US) we met next to Giotto's bell tower, near the statue of Brunelleschi.

Then, Jake reports on Brunelleschi's reinvention of perspective then we go to the Museo del'Opera del Duomo (This is the location where Michelangelo carved David.) to see the original Baptistery Door Panels and also Michelangelo's last sculpture yet another Pieta with his own self portrait.
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Shanshan, Daniel, Abby, Sara and Allison pose above the city at Piazzale Michelangelo. (Click image to enlarge.)

Melloney Dunlap's photo of the Sunset on the Arno river in Florence. (Click image to enlarge.)

Jacob & Daniel at Rome's Airport Train station. (Click image to enlarge.)

Shanshan, Alyson, Melloney, Sara and Britynn rest while the rest of the class buys leather souvenirs at the Santa Croce Leather Factory. (Click image to enlarge.)

Inside Santa Croce Britynn and Megan demonstrate ho devoutly pious they really are! (Click image to enlarge.)

Friday our class met at Santa Croce

There is a sculpture of Dante outside the church. Inside are the tombs of Michelangelo and Galleo. (Click picture to enlarge.)

Megaan and Morgan in a Confessional (Click image to enlarge.)

Would you believe that Megan is eating her way through class? She's enrolled in a "chocolate" class at Apicius International School of Hospitality. (Click image to enlarge.)

Here's how to get a sore neck looking at the ceiling illusion at Santa Maria del Caramine. (Click image to enlarge._

Next, we toured the Oltrarno and visited Santa Maria del Carmine. (Click image to enlarge.)

Abby relaxes on the wall of the Ponte Vecchio. (Click image to enlarge.)

Picture taking on the Ponte Vecchio. (Click image to enlarge.)

Thursday, May 27

Today, we all met at the famous Ponte Vecchio which dates from 1117. Quite a beautiful bridge, it was the only bridge left standing in Florence after the end of WWII. Hitler bombed all the other bridges to slow the advance of the Allies.

Many think it was left standing because in was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite monuments, and that he couldn't bring himself to destroy such a beautiful and historically significant structure.

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Daniel gets back to work while Sara and Jacob continue to laugh at my picture taking.

Daniel and Sara in class. Daniel complained that he bought a new European hair drier that burned-up the first time he used it. (Click image to enlarge.)

Abby and Britynn in class. (Click to enlarge image.)

Fresco Class at Florence University of the Arts

While Daniel is hard at work, Sara and Jake joke and have a good laugh about my picture taking. On the left is their fresco professor showing Morgan a technique while Britynn and Abby concentrate on their drawings. (Click image to enlarge.)

Alyson poses inside the world's first pharmacy at Santa Maria Novells.

Alyson's report dealt with how and why the pharmacy was created by the Dominican Monks, and why it continues on today. Surprisingly, she told us SMN Pharmacy is a world-wide business located on several continents. (Click image to enlarge.)

Foreground: Melloney Dunlap, Background:Santa Maria Novella

Melloney analyzed the Alberti's design for the facade of SMN. (Click image to enlarge.)

Wednesday, May 26, at Santa Maria Novella

Today we met in front of the church of Santa Maria Novella to see some works of art dating back to the 1300s.
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Tuesday at the Uffizi

On Tuesday, we held class at the Uffizi where we saw many well known works of art. Unfortunately we were not permitted to take photographs, so posted here is a view of the building with a photo of Bottielli's Birth of Venus. (Click image to enlarge.)

Britynn tells us about Brunelleschi's incredible 600 year old cupola construction. (Click image to enlarge.)

Morgan talks about the Gates of Paradise. (Click image to enlarge.)

Class picture at the steps of Duomo (Click image to enlarge.)

Florence Skyline Video

Group photo at Friday's Orientation Meeting at Florence University of the Arts. (Click image to enlarge.)

Group photo at Memphis Airport. (click image to enlarge.)