MICHELANGELO: Los Angeles/Italy
ARTH 373
Professor Frank
January 2014
Itinerary January 2- 19, 2104
Your academic requirement in Italy has three parts (see syllabus for details):
1. 8 formal analysis assignments: Dates indicated on syllabus. Assignment specifics to be distributed onsite.
2. Daily Journal. An observational journal, which reflects on the art-historical observations of the day is
required.
3. Capstone essay. A capstone essay, based on your formal analyses and on your journal, will be
composed on January 17.
1). Thursday, January 2 (Florence)
Introduction to Florentine urbanism
Michelangelo’s ecclesiastical and secular core: Piazza Santa Maria dei Fiore to Piazza della Signoria
Michelangelo’s family context: via de’Bentaccordi and the Santa Croce quartiere
2). Friday January 3 (Florence)
Painting apprenticeship and narrative tradition
Brancacci Chapel
Santa Maria Novella
Santa Croce
3). Saturday, January 3 (Florence)
Sculptural Training and the Medici
Casa Buonarroti
Santo Spirito
Looking Assignment: Technique and early style: Battle Relief, Madonna of the Steps, Crucifixion
4). Sunday, January 5 (Florence)
What Michelangelo knew
Bargello
Looking assignment: Donatello’s St. George, Bronze David and rilievo schiacciato
5). Monday January 6 (Florence)
Scale, structure and ecclesiastical urbanism: Brunelleschi’s Cupola
Climb Brunelleschi’s cupola
Baptistery and Campanile
6). Tuesday, January 7 (Florence)
Public and Private Painting: Battle of Cascina, Doni Tondo and their Precedents
Uffizi
Palazzo Vecchio
7). Wednesday, January 8 (Florence)
Monumentality, context and development: David, St. John the Evangelist, and the Julius Tomb
Accademia
Looking Assignment: David di sotto in su: pose, emotion, and meaning
8). Thursday, January 9 (Florence)
What Michelangelo Knew, and a Pieta
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
Looking Assignment: Florentine Pieta
9). Friday, January 10 (Florence)
San Lorenzo, Florence, then Rome
San Lorenzo
Laurentian Library
Medici Chapel
Looking Assignment: Architecture and meaning in the Medici Chapel
***SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 11: DEPARTURE FOR SIENA
10). Saturday, January 11 (Florence to Siena)
What Michelangelo Knew, and a Papal Monument
Siena Cathedral
Piccolomini altar
Palazzo Pubblico
Looking Assignment: Piccolomini status: “minor” Michelangelo?
11). Sunday, January 12 (Siena to Orvieto to Rome)
What Michelangelo knew: Signorelli and the Cappella San Brizio
Orvieto Cathedral
12). Monday, January 13 (Rome)
Roman Precedents: The Pantheon and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Looking Assignment: Risen Christ
13). Tuesday January 14 (Rome)
Saint Peter’s
Pieta
Julius Tomb precedents: Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII
San Pietro in Vincoli
Julius Tomb
Looking Assignment : Moses
14). Wednesday, January 15 (Rome)
Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums
15). Thursday, January 16 (Rome)
Roman Palazzo design, Michelangelo’s roman urbanism late architecture
Palazzo Farnese
Capitoline Hill and the Capitoline Museums
Porta Pia
16). Friday, January 17 (Rome)
Capstone essay composition
17). Saturday, January 18 (Rome)
Enjoy your last day in Rome!
18). Sunday, January 19 (Rome)
Return to Los Angeles