Immersed in Italy: Verona, by Renisa Maki

Immersed in Italy

A blog by Renisa Maki

 - Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Musuem in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

Verona: Va Va Voom

“In fair Verona, where we lay our scene”

-       William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Prologue

I fell in love. I don’t know if it was because it's allegedly the city where Shakespeare based Romeo and Juliet on, or the historic architecture of the city centre, but Verona is charming. Here are descriptions of the tourist locations I visited:

Arena di Verona

MINI COLLOSEUM! This stunning historic site survived a 12^th century earthquake and is used as an amphitheatre for large outdoor concerts and opera in the summer, and as a tourist attraction in the winter. The scale and size is astonishing, ring after ring after ring of seats, with only one colonnade of arches still standing atop. The views from the top rung peruse over the Veronese rooftops: tiny clumps of snow still lie dotted around, mostly melting in the afternoon sun. The snow capped mountains frame the scene, and you cant help but imagine that on the very spot you are standing Renaissance period artists and patrons sat and watched shows too. Its this odd sensation that time does not exist; one giant time capsule that is permanently being clicked with a Ctrl + S!

Tower of Verona

Sheesh. If you have a fear of heights, avoid this – and this is coming from someone unafraid of heights who has bungy jumped. Its one thing going on top of the Skytower with its reinforced glass, but the Tower of Verona was built in the late Medieval period and being at the top after climbing rickety stairs is the most precarious sensation! Having said that, the bells at the top are beautiful and the views of Verona are wow. Panoramic paradise.

True Love: Casa di Giuletta / Juliet and the Balcony

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone! Ermaghhheerrrrd best best best place in Verona, for the romantics at heart, is Juliet’s balcony. Not only is it superbly beautiful, but even the most cynical forget that Juliet is in fact a fictional character – merely ink on paper invented by Shakespeare – and instead marvel at the lovely balcony carved in stone and laced with ivy plants.

Millions add to the wall of love, a work of art in its own right, framing names and dates with hearts. For those who love symbolism and reading far too much into everything (aka me) you can buy adorable little locks which come with two keys (for two lovers) and you write names, dates, and special quotes on the locks and permanently ‘lock in’ the love alongside thousands of other locks under the balcony. And then to top it all off there are plentiful souvenirs!

But honestly. You get lost in the myth. The balcony, the ivy, the rustic stone, the carved relief sculptures, the fairytale. I’m standing there… on a balcony in summer air.

Castel Vecchio

Literally translating to ‘old castle’ this sensational fort, complete with moats, medieval armour, and menacing towers, is truly magnificent. The interior is converted into a museum of art with Mantegna, Tintoretto, Rubens… but even more magical is walking along the top of the fort where the guards and soldiers would stand. WINTER IS COMING. No seriously, its like Game of Thrones. Especially, I would recommend timing your visit to coincide with the sunset, because the view atop the fort tower extends all along Verona and it is truly beautiful.

Duomo: Titian’s Assumption

Churches in Europe are artistic jewels. Precious, priceless, pious. The Duomo in Verona is no exception, with stunning architecture, frescoes, chapels, altars, and then you see it – Titian’s Assumption in sittu. In sittu. In sittu. For the first time since I’ve been in Verona, I get the chills only Art History students would understand – when you see an authentic work of art in sittu and it is sooooooo different to a textbook page, to a powepoint slide, to a google image result. Art in its original context, and all of a sudden all those essays on the function of art, of Michael Baxandall’s ‘The Period Eye’ make complete sense because these artworks were made to work in unsion, in sync with one another, like the voices in a harmony, each complimenting and completing the others. The Duomo is well worth a visit and best part is super cheap tickets – only 2 Euros!

TEASER!

I am currently working on an academic article for this blog titled ‘Peggy to Picaso to Pollock’ which details what being an intern at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection entails. Here's a teaser photo! Watch this space – I aim to have the post up by the end of this week J