Skip to main content
Loading Explore guides…
Renaissance Florence · Acedra
Home
Explore
History
Renaissance Florence
Sign in to save
Chat
If YouTube asks you to sign in, open the video on YouTube.
Watch on YouTube
Reload player
Transcript
59 segments
Copy
Hide video
0:01
Hi, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. This time, we explore the city that pulled Europe out of the Middle Ages and into the modern world -- Florence. ♪
0:41
15th-century Florence was the home of the Renaissance and the birthplace of our modern Western world. Within a few hundred yards of where I'm standing, you can enjoy much of the greatest art created during that exciting age. And we'll do just that -- gaze into the eyes of Michelangelo's "David," enjoy Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," delve into the 3D wonders of Ghiberti's glorious bronze gates, appreciate Fra Angelico's serene beauty, and climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance.
1:14
And beyond the art, Florence knows how to embrace life. We'll cross the Arno to where Florentine artisans live, work, and eat very well. Oh beautiful. But first, a little background.
1:34
After the fall of ancient Rome, Europe wallowed in centuries of relative darkness. There was little learning, commerce, or travel. Then, in about 1400, here in Florence, there was a Renaissance. This exciting rebirth of the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome swept from here all across Europe.
1:52
In architecture, the Renaissance brought a return to the balanced domes, columns, and arches of the ancient world. In painting, it revived realism and emotion. Artists rediscovered the wonder of nature and the human body. Portraying beautiful people in harmonious surroundings, they expressed the optimism and confidence of this new age. The suddenly perky Western civilization made up for lost centuries with huge gains in science, economics, and art.
2:27
Florence was the center of it all, and for good reason. This is where capitalism was replacing feudalism. Being the middleman of trade between East and West, the city had money and it knew what to do with it. Wealthy merchant and banking families, like the Medici, who ruled Florence for generations, showed their civic pride by commissioning splendid art, and Florence, recognizing and paying creative genius like no one else, unleashed an explosion of innovation.
3:02
The Renaissance was an age of humanism. It was a time of confidence, when people worked hard, business was respectable, and excellence was rewarded. The Church no longer put a ceiling on learning, and the great pre-Christian thinkers, like Plato and Aristotle, were back in vogue.
3:22
In about 1400, with the advent of the Renaissance, man, now alert, begins to stand on his own, moving out of the shadow of the church. This "David," by the early-Renaissance Florentine sculptor Donatello, is one of the first freestanding male nudes sculpted in Europe in a thousand years. It's art for art's sake, adorning not a church, but a rich man's courtyard. While the formal subject is still Biblical -- David slaying the giant, Goliath's severed head is at David's feet --
3:51
truth be told, it's a classical nude, a celebration of the human body. A generation before, this would have been shocking. But with the Renaissance, it's art.
4:13
Florence was long an economic powerhouse. Rather than its church, it's the city hall, once the palace of the Medici family, that towers over the main square. Michelangelo's "David" originally stood here. This is a copy. The original "David" is the centerpiece of the nearby academia gallery, which feels like a temple to humanism. At its altar, one very impressive human.
4:44
The shepherd boy, David, sizes up the giant. Thoughtful and self-assured, he seems to be thinking, "I can take him." The statue was an apt symbol, inspiring Florentines to tackle their Goliaths. When you look at "David," you're looking at Renaissance man.
5:11
Artists now made their point using realism, and they did this by merging art and science. For instance, Michelangelo actually dissected human corpses to better understand anatomy. This humanism was not anti-religion. Now people realized that the best way to glorify God was not to bow down in church all day long, but to recognize their talents and to use them.
5:41
Artists like Michelangelo even exaggerated realism to make their point. Notice David's large and overdeveloped right hand. This is symbolic of the hand of God. It was God that powered David to slay the giant, and Florentines liked to think God's favor enabled them to rise above rival neighboring city-states. The nave-like hall leading to "David" is lined with Michelangelo's unfinished "Prisoners," struggling to break out of the marble. Michelangelo believed these figures
6:11
were divinely created within the rock. He was simply chiseling away the excess. Here we see the Renaissance love of the body as Michelangelo reveals these compelling figures.
6:28
While these statues are calledunfinished, perhaps Michelangelo was satisfied he'd set them free and he moved on to other challenges.
6:42
Now that the old center of Florence is essentially traffic-free, the city itself is more enjoyable than ever. Early in the morning, the service trucks make their deliveries. Then the people happily retake the streets. The city is easy to navigate and its sights are close together. Everything in this episode is within a 15-minute walk. And without the noise and distraction of cars, the architecture is easier to appreciate. The Renaissance lasted roughly two centuries.
7:13
The High Renaissance, or 1500s, is well known for the work of Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael, but the first half of the Renaissance, the 1400s, is often overlooked. While the main structure of the Florence Cathedral is medieval, its remarkable dome and much of the art decorating its facade, Baptistery, and bell tower define this first century of the Renaissance. The Duomo -- that's Italian for "cathedral" -- is huge, the largest anywhere when finished in the 15th century
7:44
and still in the top 20.
7:51
The church's claim to fame is its dome, the first of the Renaissance and the first great dome built in Europe in over a thousand years. The church was built in Gothic times, but rather than being capped by another spire, it was left with a gaping hole, waiting for technology to catch up with the city's vision. In 1420, Filippo Brunelleschi won the job and built the dome that kicked off the architectural Renaissance. Brunelleschi's dome, which inspired those that followed, from the Vatican to
8:20
the US Capitol, showed how art and science could be combined to make beauty, and today, it rewards those who climb to the top with a grand Florence view.
8:43
While the Duomo's architecture and statues are impressive, the Baptistery, across from the Cathedral, is centuries older. The Baptistery is separate because in medieval times you couldn't enter the church until you were baptized.
8:58
Its interior glitters with Byzantine-style mosaics created in the 13th century, long before the Renaissance. These vivid scenes, bringing countless Bible stories to life, inspired the medieval faithful. Jesus sits at the center of it all. Overlooking creation on Judgment Day, he gives the ultimate thumbs-up and thumbs-down. On his right, Angel Gabriel blows his trumpet, bringing good news to the saved.
9:28
And on the thumbs-down side... Well, you don't want to go there.
9:39
Some say the Renaissance began in 1401 over the excitement caused by a city-wide competition to design and build new doors for the Baptistery. Lorenzo Ghiberti won the commission and spent decades on this project. These bronze panels, Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise," were revolutionary in their realism. By utilizing the mathematical laws of perspective, Ghiberti helped give the art world a whole new dimension -- depth. He pulled out all the stops to create maximum three-dimensionality.
10:10
The tiles have lines which converge to a vanishing point.
10:17
The bench is fore-shortened to extenuate the depth. Elements are added to establish a foreground distinct from the middle and the background. The effect? As viewers, we become part of the scene. While the panels, like most of the art you see outside, are copies, the originals of the cathedral's greatest treasures are stored safely out of the elements in the adjacent cathedral museum. After nearly 150 years of construction, Brunelleschi's dome was up and the Cathedral was nearly complete.
10:48
Then they began decorating the interior with the finest art of the day. The Cathedral's statues and relief showed a realism and emotion unprecedented in European art. The work of Donatello was a ground-breaking example. This balcony for the choir captures the exuberance of the age. Dancing and swirling in a real space, oblivious to the columns, Donatello's happy angels celebrate the freedom and motion of this new age. Some say Donatello invented the Renaissance style
11:26
that Michelangelo would perfect half a century later. He was an eccentric, innovative, workaholic master who lit up his statues with an inner spirituality or soul. Donatello's "Mary Magdalene," carved out of wood, is provocative, shockingly realistic. The prostitute, rescued from the streets by Jesus, folds her hands in prayer. Her once-beautiful body has been scarred by the fires of her fasting and remorse. While her physical body is neglected and her eyes are hollow, her spirit stands strong.
12:07
The museum's most famous piece, sculpted a generation later, is this "Pietà" by Michelangelo. The broken body of the crucified christ is tended by three mourners -- his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Nicodemus. Michelangelo sculpted Jesus taller than life. Notice the zig-zag of his body. This accentuates its weight, making the theological point of the statue clear -- Jesus is dead.
12:38
Nicodemus is a self-portrait of the 80-year-old Michelangelo. After spending a lifetime bringing statues to life, Michelangelo reflects tenderly upon his savior, looking down thoughtfully at what could be one of his final creations. I'm meeting my Florentine friend Tommaso at I Fratellini, a venerable hole in the wall much loved among locals for its tasty sandwiches and wine sold by the glass. "Grazie." And when you're done, you leave it on the rack.
13:11
Boy, it's intense in the city. Yes, it is. Well, if you want to leave the tourists, let's cross the river, and let's go to where the real Florentines live and work. Where's that? The Oltrarno area. Steves: There's much more to this town than tourism, as you'll quickly find in the characteristic back lanes of the Oltrarno district. Artisans, busy at work, offer a rare opportunity to see traditional craftsmanship in action. You're welcome to just drop in to little shops,
13:36
but remember, it's polite to greet the proprietor. Your key phrase is, "Can I take a look?" "Posso guardare?" "Certo. Grazie." Here in this great city of art, there's no shortage of treasures in need of a little TLC. This is beautiful. How old is this painting? This is a 17th-century painting. From Florence? Mmm...we don't know. Maybe the area is Genova. Genova. Steves: Each shop addresses a need with passion and expertise. Fine instruments deserve the finest care.
14:09
Grand palaces sparkle with gold leaf thanks to the delicate and exacting skills of craftspeople like this.
14:20
A satisfying way to wrap up an Oltrarno experience is to enjoy a Florentine steakhouse which any Italian meat lover knows means Chianina beef. The quality is proudly on display. Steaks are sold by weight and generally shared. The standard serving is about a kilo for two, meaning about a pound per person. So, both of those for 4 people. Yeah. Steves: The preparation is simple and well-established. Good luck if you want it well-done.
14:51
Oh, look at this. Oh beautiful. [ laughs ] Chianina beef. Okay perfect. So, the meat is called "Chianina?" That's its name, because it comes from the Chianti. Oh Chianti okay. Exactly. And tell me about this concept of the "good marriage" of the food. Well, when you have a Chianina meat, you want to have some Chianti wine. And they go together well, they marry together. We say "si sposano bene." "Si sposano bene," a good marriage. The wine is from Tuscany and the meat is from Tuscany.
15:28
Exactly, you don't want to have a wine from somewhere else.
15:40
Steves: We're staying at Hotel Loggiato dei Serviti. This spiffed-up 16th-century monastery offers a good mix of character and comfort. From the understated elegance of its lounges and breakfast room, stone stairways lead to comfortable bedrooms. Once the cells of monks, today's rooms, with air-conditioning, antique furniture, and mini-bars, wouldn't be recognized by their original inhabitants.
16:10
A block away is another monastery, with simpler cells than our hotel, but better art. The monastery of San Marco, with its peaceful cloister, is now a museum, welcoming the public to enjoy the greatest collection of frescoes and paintings by Fra Angelico. Working in the mid-1400s, Fra Angelico, equal parts monk and painter, fused medieval spirituality with early Renaissance techniques. In this painting, he creates a realistic scene set in what many consider the first great Renaissance landscape.
16:45
Christ is mourned by both haloed saints and contemporary Florentines. The scene is holy, but rather than in heaven, it's set on a lawn in Tuscany, among real trees and people. The monks lived above the cloister, and greeting them at the top of the stairs was Fra Angelico's sublime "Annunciation." The quiet beauty and exquisite detail in these 500-year-old frescos can put even a busy tourist in a peaceful and reflective state of mind.
17:22
The halls are lined with monks' cells, each with a single meditation-enhancing fresco. Studying these religious scenes, we can see how Fra Angelico thought of painting as a form of prayer and why it's said he couldn't paint a crucifix without shedding tears.
17:47
This is the cell of Savonarola, the charismatic monk who, by giving fiery sermons denouncing the decadence of the Renaissance, threw out the Medici and, for a time, turned Florence into a theocracy.
18:06
Ruling the city, he ordered "bonfires of the vanities," in which his followers would collect and burn jewelry, fleshy paintings -- anything decadent, modern, or humanistic. Even the Florentine painter Botticelli got caught up in this moralistic hysteria, tossing some of his "decadent" paintings onto the fires of Savonarola.
18:27
Finally, when Florence decided it preferred the Renaissance to a church-sponsored return to the Dark Ages, Savonarola himself was burned.
18:41
Today's Florence could provide plenty of decadence for a Savonarola rant, but if you want to enjoy a splash of materialism or just appreciate the fine symmetry of Italian window displays, Florence can fill the bill. For shoppers, Florence means high quality and top fashions. Wandering through medieval streets while being tempted by a seductive array of fine fashion and Italian design can make for a delightful afternoon. The Ponte Vecchio, or "old bridge,"
19:09
has been busy with shoppers since before the Renaissance. Jewelry is a Florentine specialty. The bridge is lined with gold and silver shops, a tradition that goes back centuries.
19:30
Nearby, the Medici family ruled Florence from this grand palace, the Palazzo Vecchio. Their offices, or "uffizi," were next door. Now these offices hold the finest collection of Italian paintings anywhere -- the Uffizi Gallery. Each day here and throughout Europe, frustrated tourists who don't study their guidebooks waste precious hours in museum lines. Meanwhile, travelers who made a reservation by phone or purchased the city museum pass, as we did, are allowed right in.
19:58
The Uffizi's collection, displayed on one comfortable floor, takes you on a sweep through Italian art history from the 12th through the 17th century. Gilded Gothic altarpieces, like this "Annunciation" by the Sienese master Simone Martini, must have dazzled the faithful in the 1300s. The stars of the Florentine "Class of 1500" are all here. Leonardo da Vinci's Annunciationis exquisite. Michelangelo's "Holy Family" shows he can do more than carve statues. And Raphael, considered a synthesis
20:30
of the power of Michelangelo and the grace of Leonardo, captures a delicate moment in his "Madonna of the Gold Finch." And the collection follows art after the Renaissance with masterpieces like Parmigianino's slippery "Lady with the Long Neck."
20:50
For me, the Uffizi, like Florence itself, is all about the thrilling leap from medieval to modern, as happened when Europe moved from Gothic to Renaissance. These altarpieces are Gothic. Being pre-Renaissance, they simply tell their story through symbolism rather than realism. The gold-leaf sky isn't realistic, but it implies a rich and holy setting. The angels are stacked like a totem pole.
21:20
Flanking this cross, panels like painted pages tell the story of the crucifixion, but with little sense of depth. Yet, artists were trying. To show Jesus' head leaning out, it actually does. Giotto, while still Gothic, is often considered the first modern painter. Notice the progress. His more realistic setting places Mary and baby Jesus on a throne occupying a believable space. The kneeling angels in front and peek-a-boo saints behind create an illusion of depth.
22:00
If the Renaissance was a foundation of our modern world, a foundation of the Renaissance was Classical art. Sculptors, painters, and poets alike turned to ancient work for inspiration.
22:12
2,000-year-old Roman and Greek statues like these decorated gardens of the wealthy.
22:22
This ancient art was considered the epitome of beauty. Kings made copies of it. Napoleon stole his favorite pieces. In the 19th century, young aristocrats on the grand tour came here and swooned. During the Renaissance, as in the ancient world, people saw the glory of God in the beauty, order, and harmony of the human body, God's greatest creation. Classical statues clearly inspired Sandro Botticelli. For me, his "Birth of Venus" is the purest expression of Renaissance beauty.
22:54
The goddess of love, born from the foam of a wave, is just waking up. Botticelli combines the beauty of nature and the human body. The hands, wings, and robe mingle with the wind. With Venus' flyaway hair, the airy spaciousness of the distant horizon, and the flowers, caught at the peak of their beauty, tumbling in slow motion, the world itself is fresh and newborn. Botticelli's "Primavera," or "Springtime," shows the Renaissance finally in full bloom. The warm winds blow in,
23:27
causing flora to sprout flowers from her lips. Meanwhile, the figure of Spring spreads petals from her dress, the Three Graces dance, a blindfolded cupid happily sprays his little arrows, and in the center stands a fertile Venus, the classical goddess of love. Visiting Florence leaves lovers of art and good living with rich memories. And while much of the great art of the Renaissance remains here, the influence of that cultural explosion, the Florentine Renaissance,
24:01
reverberates throughout the world, and for that, we can be thankful.
24:10
I hope you've enjoyed our look at the artistic splendors of Florence. Let's explore more of this great city and more of Europe together again soon. Until then, I'm Rick steves. Keep on travelin'. "Ciao."
24:55
This time, we look at the city that pulled Europe out of the Middle Ages and into the Dark Ages -- Siena. Florence. Florence. That's Superman coming.
25:07
The suddenly perk-- [ man speaking indistinctly ] [ music playing on laptop ] Man: This is after only two weeks on the road. Imagine what happens after a month. It's the world with a pretty melody.
Here to help you learn
Sign in to keep a private conversation with your course tutor.
Ask me anything about the material…
Sign in to chat