ADX Florence

Anne Hollander discusses the depiction of cloth by 16th century Italian artists. Explaining that artists used clothing and drapery as an expressive means and not necessarily to portray the actual way that cloth lay and formed folds against the body, Hollander introduces early portraits of the century. Discussing the artwork Hans Holbein the Younger’s Henry XII (c. 1537) and Titian’s La Bella (1536), Hollander points out the great attention to detail of the fabrics worn by the sitter, the trend…

When Julius Caesar was challenged by the Roman Senate to lay down his arms and return to Rome unarmed and alone to face a trial for multiple charges for crimes his political opponents thought appropriate, he had to make a choice, go to Rome as asked and most certainly be tried, convicted and exiled, maybe executed, or he could march on Rome at the head of his Army. This scenario is one which countless individuals over every century have faced, not the part about leading an Army necessarily, no,…

The Roman Pantheon and the Mausoleum of the Samanids The two artifacts that I choose to do are The Pantheon in Rome Italy 118 – 125 CE, and the Mausoleum of the Samanids, Bukhara, Uzbekistan of the early 10th century. The reason I choose to do these two was because they really stood out to me. They are both built the same and a little identical. The pantheon in Rome Italy was the main temple for all the Gods and also one of the best preserved of its time. The person who designed it ids unknown…

Machiavelli wrote ‘The Prince’ to tell others how he sees a good prince. He says a prince “in order to hold his position, must acquire the power to be not good, and understand when to use it and when not to use it, in accord with necessity” (The Prince ch15). He didn’t believe that humans are perfect because “But because no ruler can possess or fully practice them, on account of human conditions that do not permit it, he needs to be so prudent that he escapes ill repute for such vices as might…

Yesterday when I was researching the major Renaissance artists da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael,and Brunelleschi I looked at their artwork and I was most impressed with leonardo’s. Leonardo da vinci was simply a genius in general and poetic sense . His painting, anatomy studying, and many sketches inventions. He lives up to his title of being the Renaissance man. By far in my opinion the coolest invention by da Vinci was his machine gun. The 33-barrelled organ was never built but it would have…

Machiavelli’s Attitude Toward Human Nature: Is It Accurate? Machiavelli is often criticised for his attitude toward human nature, being seen as overly cynical of humanity. However, is this portrayal of Machiavelli warranted, or are his viewpoints justified? By analyzing key points made in The Qualities of the Prince and comparing these arguments to real world examples, it is possible to determine whether Machiavelli’s beliefs regarding human nature are sound. There is one portion of his essay…

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most successful man of his era. He could have been even more successful, but with the lack of Latin language a big barrier existed for him. Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in the republic of Florence, Italy and died on May 2, 1519. Leonardo da Vinci was, according to Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia Leonardo was “ one of the great masters of the High Renaissance (see Renaissance Art and Architecture), celebrated as a painter,…

The average person uses a toilet an estimated 2,500 times each year (or six to eight times daily). As one of humankind’s most efficient and essential forms of maintaining sanitation and preventing disease, the flushing toilet was a byproduct of a special period in human history: the Renaissance. Including the influential invention of the flushing toilet, following the war-stricken period of Medieval Europe, the Renaissance was a time of great-accelerated change that gave rise to new, previously…

Duccio’s life, influences, and experiences all affected his artistic style and the way he designed the Maesta. Duccio was born in Siena, Italy. The topic of artwork discussed did not come until later in his life. Throughout most of his life his skills were used in a variety of different venues from political leaders and parties to cultural celebrations. Duccio was also known to have trained italian painter Guido da Siena( known for painting a lot of religious pieces). Duccio was influenced…

The advice that is given by Machiavelli is presented in a very unscrupulous manner. Many of his recommendations are extremely harsh and immoral. When it comes to whether a prince should be loved or feared Machiavelli states it is better to be feared. It is considered to be alright if a prince has the reputation of being loved, but better to be feared than loved. Fear will captivate the citizens of the nation to do what the prince wants. The actions will be done out of pure fear of the…