Visiting museums in Florence during these pandemic times offers new challenges, at least at the most popular museums; reservations are a necessity, and due to social distancing fewer people are admitted at one time. This has complicated entry to the Uffizi, Academia, and Museo del Opera di Santa Maria dei Fiori (theDuomo), but gaining entry to the other museums and to the churches has proved quite simple.
In fact, due to the miraculous benefit of fewer tourists, I have entered rooms in the Bargello and San Marco only to discover that I was the only human being present. The realization is awesome; literally being there alone grounds me in the miraculousness of silence and solitude, as well as a feeling of simplicity amongst all the complexity involved in the art.
In fact, due to the miraculous benefit of fewer tourists, I have entered rooms in the Bargello and San Marco only to discover that I was the only human being present. The realization is awesome; literally being there alone grounds me in the miraculousness of silence and solitude, as well as a feeling of simplicity amongst all the complexity involved in the art.
The other morning I was the first to enter the Bargello, which houses the sculpture of the Uffizi. Most visitors start on the ground floor with Michelangelo, Cellini, and Giambologna, but I climbed the inside courtyard steps, turned to the right and entered the Donatello Room. I was there alone for over five minutes before a few people wandered in; alone with Donatello’s David, and with works by Verocchio and della Robbia, I was alone with the Sacrifice of Issac, models crafted by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the contest for the ‘Gates of Paradise.’
The following day I experienced another miraculous visit, this time to the Covent of San Marco. It was mid-morning; there were other visitors, but I was alone when I entered the newly renovate room displaying the recently restored altar pieces painted by Far Angelico. Oh, that lapis lazuli (blue), and gold leaf!
I was also alone along the corridor of the monks cells, each of which displays a FrAngelico fresco depicting the life of Christ. I’ve had many opportunities to stand alone in one of the corridors. I can never get enough of it.
For those of of us who love silence, solitude, and simplicity and sometimes like to be alone, all of this was miraculous.