RENAISSANCE MEN

Led by an acknowledged expert on the Italian Renaissance, Mrs Jo Saurin (Head of History of Art at Sherborne Girls), five Upper Sixth formers have just returned from a five-day study tour in Florence. They were in a party of Art Historians from both Sherborne and Sherborne Girls, and were treated to a veritable feast of art and architecture which will undoubtedly have helped them better to understand the requirements of their A2 module 'Florence, 1400 - 1483'.
 
The tour started with a close examination of the Baptistery and the Duomo, including an exhilarating climb to the top of Brunelleschi's cupola, and culminated with a visit to the Accademia to look at Michelangelo's David. In between were visits to galleries, churches and monasteries, in order to look at works by artists such as Giotto, Botticelli, Donatello and Masaccio. Other highlights were the stunning Santa Croce, San Moniato, San Marco, Santa Maria Novella, the Bargello and the Uffizi, home to the Strozzi Altarpiece, The Battle of San Romano, The Birth of Venus, Primavera and so many more.
 
It was not all work, however: there was also time for gelati and cappuccini, pizza and pasta in some typically Florentine restaurants and bars. None of the boys and girls will want to forget this privileged experience.

Michael Weston
Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Posted: Monday, February 23, 2009