Details Galore
As we headed towards Venice, we had a brief stop in Verona for the afternoon. The main attraction of the day was to see the balcony of Juliet, the fictional character from Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. As we walked down the street leading to the Capulet home, I was creating an image in my head of the balcony having blooming flowers hanging over its edge and elegant, velvet drapes surrounding the window. But as we entered the courtyard, all I saw was a bronze statue of Juliet and a simple balcony that did not even come close to what I had envisioned. Even though it was just a stone balcony with a consistent arch pattern, I was reminded of the most significant detail about this structure: love. This balcony was built 300 years ago in order for people to come to this courtyard to promise their eternal love for their significant others. This detail alone defines the purpose of the balcony and allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation of its architectural simplicity.
After seeing Juliet’s Balcony in Verona, the architecture has allowed me to begin to understand how much Italy’s history has shaped what it is today and provided me with anticipation for what we will see in Pisa, Florence, Tuscany, and Rome. Thus far though, the most breath-taking structure I have seen is the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice. Right off the Grand Canal, the Byzantine-styled cathedral majestically towers over Saint Mark’s square lined by various shops and restaurants. When viewing its basic stone exterior with few details and carvings, you would not expect to find anything of significance inside. But, as soon as I set foot inside the Basilica I was in awe of the gold ceiling that was comprised of nine domes that were decorated with the twelve apostles and various saints. After bumping into at least ten people while intensely staring at the ceiling, I decided to finally look to see where I was going. In the process, the marble floor and columns and the stained glass windows caught my eye. It was a moment when I truly recognized the concept that the combination of details is what makes a structure what it is. Everything in the Basilica had some sort of detail that would stand out and grab a viewer’s attention, such as the hand-carved spiral alter columns and the bronze candle holders hanging from the ceiling.
In a place like the Basilica of Saint Mark, you can lose track of time very quickly because of all the detailing, which Lynn Beining and I did. Professor Taylor had to come back into the cathedral and find us because he thought that we were lost.
Italian architecture has taught me not to judge a structure by just its exterior. I am in the process of learning how to recognize all details, from the patterns on the floor to carvings in sculptures and pillars, while eventually pulling them all together to see the ultimate masterpiece. I am slowly learning to not just look simply at the architecture, but to see the beauty that each crevice and hand-carved detail contributes to the overall structure. Fortunately, I have a full week in Italy to observe those details and to develop a stronger interpretation of what the details contribute. Until next time, ciao!
-Abby Taylor
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