November 2016 – Finding Florence

Art’s Greatest Spy: Exploring the Museo Casa Siviero

FUA digital writing students visit Casa Siviero. Photo by Beatrice Santini.

By Leeya Mengistu

A Florentine home-turned-museum houses the intriguing story of a man whose involvement in WWII and fascism in Italy made a priceless contribution to Italian art.

Lungarno Serristori 1 is nondescript in the way that every historical home in Florence blends into the Renaissance landscape of the city. The exterior is a faded shade of yellow. The front courtyard is shaded by trees and the driveway covered in gravel. The building itself is styled the typical Florentine architecture. But the former owner of the home, as well as the treasures that lie inside, are what draws visitors from around the world.

Meticulously cared for by the Amici dei Musei e dei Monumenti Fiorentini, the Museo Casa Siviero hosts the memory and history of classical art’s 007 figure: a man whose reputation as a smartly dressed, valiant ladies’ man is surprisingly much less known than James Bond’s.

Rodolfo Siviero’s two-story estate is home to an exciting legacy. The basement holds a museum of his life and achievements, while the main floor holds the personal art collection of Siviero, who wanted to be remembered for his achievements as a collector as well as his achievements as a spy. The pieces include weapons, paintings, sculptures whose cultural and historical significance attributed to their owner are priceless.

But how did a failed art historian become a national hero?

Siviero, born in 1911, began as a humble humanistic studies major at the University of Florence with dreams of working in art history. Instead, life led him to the fascist Italian secret service, where he became an agent going undercover to recover beloved pieces from the Nazi party. His largest mission in 1937 brought him to Berlin, where he collected intelligence undercover as a persona very close to himself: a student pursuing art history.

A few years later, Siviero joined the resistance in Italy and became an anti-fascist. He began to monitor the movements of artwork stolen by the Germans. This time he worked from the home at Lungarno Serristori after previous owner and dear friend, Jewish artist Giorgio Castelfranco, fled Florence in fear of the incoming Nazis.

It wasn’t long before he was captured and tortured in the Villa Triste, or the Sad House, by the Fascist military in 1944. Committed to the role, he resisted relentless interrogation and won back his freedom. Even today it is still unknown whether Siviero himself was truly with or against the National Fascist Party.

Of course, Siviero’s work was not in vain. Around 200 pieces of artwork recovered by the spy are currently hosted or archived in Florence’s world-famous Uffizi Gallery.

Although anxious to secure his status in the Italian art history world, Siviero remained an obscure figure during his time. An interesting fact, he loved women and a letter to Hollywood’s popular blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow, was reciprocated with autographed photo. Siviero eventually retired his life of espionage and returned to a traditional job in the arts: President of the Accademica delle Arti del Disegno. He maintained the position until his death in 1983, and his home was given to the Tuscan Region in order to keep the legacy alive for generations to come.

Museo Casa Rodolfo Siviero
Lungarno Serristori, 1-3
Free entry, see the below site for opening times.
www.museocasasiviero.it

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Florence in the Rain

By Jess Pitocco

A typical day in Florence looks like this: the Duomo is never shrouded by clouds, the sun always makes the bronze ball on the top of the cupola shine like gold, the streets are filled with bustling people, and in each doorway, a new delicious smell entices you. Florence may seem like just another city of dreams; however, what does it look like when it’s raining?

The contrast can be quite stark, actually. The streets slowly get less crowded as the sky opens up. Ponchos and umbrellas are sold at every corner. The whole city feels like it is in a shadow as people try and find shelter from the storm. And just as the rain pours down and splashes you, the sun peeks through the clouds and you see blue sky. But only for a moment. The rest of the day is cloudy, on and off rain, making the Duomo as gray as the sky.

I find solace on these rare rainy days at small cafes, preferably on a side street. I usually throw on sneakers and try to get through the puddles without making my socks too wet. The rain boots I bought for this occasion have a hole in the sole and are useless when it gets stormy outside. I fast-walk, bringing my backpack and hope that the wifi works today.

Depending on how I feel, I get a cappuccino, coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. It makes my hands sweat and fogs my glasses, but it’s so comforting to me in my soggy clothes that I don’t care. I usually get a snack while I sit and do homework. Sometimes I read, or just relax. At home, where I’m from, rainy days are designated movie/cinema days. Here, I will happily settle for a cute cafe, some sweet treats, and a good book.

Florence, before arriving, had never seemed like a cold season city to me (a fellow FUAer shares how to spend a winter day alone, btw). However, a rainy day can sometimes bring a fall-like atmosphere to the city. People bundle up, briskly walk back and forth to escape the rain; it reminds me of the snowed-in streets of New England where people do the exact same with snowflakes. Either way, some of the gloomiest looking days in Florence make me feel most connected to the city. I found a good reading spot, my favorite coffee, and a comforting ambiance to a city that is most of the time lively and exciting. Rainy days here aren’t sad; they are calm, introspective and more enjoyable than you’d expect. What’s your favorite rainy-day spot?

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Experiencing Eataly: Italy & the Global Market

By Anastasia Finney

An FUA Marketing class goes inside the food retail business through a site visit at Eataly Florence.

Studying abroad at Florence University of the Arts is truly an experience like no other. Oftentimes, this is due simply to the location of this institution in the heart of Florence, allowing effective and memorable learning outside the traditional classroom walls.

An “Introduction to Marketing” class taught by Professor Andrea Adams experienced a site visit this fall to local Eataly store. Eataly is a food retailer, comprised of grocery markets and restaurants, that focuses on selling quality Italian goods to an international market. According to the website, the Eataly mission is “to demonstrate that high-quality Italian food and drink are at hand.” Eataly also highlights that they not only focus on Italian food itself, but also “living the Italian way” in terms of taking the time to enjoy this high-quality and local food.

The marketing class was able to go on a tour of the Eataly facilities, as well meet with a store manager to get an insider’s perspective. “We got to learn about an Italian business through an international marketing perspective,” said student Nicholas Tyndall. “I got a new view on how Italian businesses are vying to compete in an evolving global marketplace.”

Founded in 2007, Eataly has already grown exponentially and received international attention. The most recent addition to the company is a second New York City store in downtown Manhattan, opened in August 2016, which has received excitement and positive reviews. The students in this marketing class were able to see Eataly here in its founding country, as well as see how it has already influenced their home countries.

Besides in Italy and the United States, Eataly has locations in Brazil, Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Turkey. From the presentation, Tyndall said the most interesting thing he learned was “how far Eataly has already spread across the globe and how aggressive its expansion plans are for the future.” The company plans to open additional stores across the United States, as well as expand into Canada, Mexico, France, Russia, China, Australia, and more.

The marketing class also received student cards from Eataly to experiment with the customer experience of benefits and discounts, ranging from bakery items to restaurant meals.

“I like that FUA really emphasizes this kind of experiential learning,” Tyndall concluded. “It makes the material much more interesting and helps you to explore Florence itself.”

Interested in visiting Eataly? The main store is on Via de’ Martelli, 22, right by the Duomo. There is also a smaller Eataly marketplace within the Mercato Centrale – Via dell’Ariento, 50123 Firenze.

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My Love of Slow Tourism

By Amber Wright

I’m a slow tourist. You won’t see me power walking from monument to monument or rushing to get through a museum because there are still three other places I need to get to that day. This is the main reason that studying in Italy was right for me. At the start of my program I had four whole months to see Italy for what it really is. I had 106 days to get to know the heartbeat of the city and understand the area.

The art and detail put into everything in Italy is astounding. You can’t capture this with your camera and you won’t be able to see it all with a short walking tour through city center. I walk by the Duomo every day, twice a day, and because of my busy schedule between classes and my experiential learning tasks, I never really stop to admire it. I glance up and think how beautiful it is, but that’s the extent of it. Because I walk by these monuments so often, I tend to take them for granted, and I have to intentionally take time to go experience them and just be engrossed by the beauty.

As for my slow tourist style and as weird as it sounds, steps are my favorite thing in Italy. I love sitting on the steps of Santa Croce in the morning, before all the other tourists wake up, and then heading to Piazza Della Signoria for the Fountain of Neptune. The steps of Santo Spirito are the perfect place to enjoy a pizza at sunset and the steps of the Duomo at midnight are worth missing a few hours of sleep for. These steps are where I sit for hours, slow down, and take in every detail of Florence.

As for seeing every detail, Stendhal Syndrome is real. It’s a funny diagnosis of being absolutely overwhelmed by beauty, and it’s hard not to believe its real. However, when it was first diagnosed, it was to tourists who had spent all day in the heat, running from place to place, looking up at the monuments. Its no wonder they felt dizzy.

Don’t rush to do everything, like the diagnosed tourists, just to say you did it. Take time to experience and be in the moment of the places you go. Slow down and etch the details of Santa Croce, The Fountain of Neptune, and Duomo into your memory – these are the moments you will take home with you and remember forever.

Time may feel like its against you, but Italy isn’t a sprint. As a student here, my time is a marathon that I’m soaking up every moment of.

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The Side Effects of Traveling

By Jess Pitocco

From Florence, it only takes an hour and a half to fly to Paris, France. From Paris to Lisbon, Portugal, it only takes two hours to fly. From there, it takes another two hours to fly to Barcelona, Spain. In my personal experience, I have never been at such ease while traveling by plane. Italy’s central location made it an easy jumping-off point for my ten-day trip to these places over the fall break. While I was at ease traveling, what I didn’t expect were the side effects of all that country-hopping.

My room was filled to the brim with laundry, and my brain was filled with anxiety about homework as classes geared up for the homestretch of the fall semester. I had been so used to switching languages that I resorted back to English instead of Italian when ordering a pizza. I had gotten so little sleep on my travels that I was constantly tired and needed three cappuccinos a morning to stay awake for class. The blisters on my feet were excessive, and my bank account was drained from eating out for every meal while away.

I was overwhelmed, and I still am. While traveling, you learn so much about yourself. You learn how to navigate a city without a data plan. You learn how to let go of the little things that go wrong, like losing jewelry or getting stopped at the airport for having too many liquids in your carry-on. You learn how to stand in a line without getting too impatient with the wait. You learn how to pack for ten days in a bag built for two.

What you don’t learn is how to cope with all that change, both physically and mentally. Now that I am back in my temporary home of Florence, I cannot help but think how much more I want to see and how much more I want to travel. However, my body cannot take the lack of sleep and bad eating habits, and my mind cannot handle the stress of prolonged travel. I missed my routine in Florence; getting my coffee in the morning, walking to class, having dinner with my roommates, and even taking a shower without using miniature travel bottles. Traveling overall was an extremely positive experience. But, traveling is also a double-edged sword: I loved exploring the world, but I craved the stability of cooking in my own kitchen and sitting down to watch Netflix before bed.

I wouldn’t regret traveling, and wouldn’t discourage anyone from doing so. However, some words of wisdom: if I had stayed in one place longer I think I would have had a much more relaxing journey. I wish I had foreseen the complications, and taken it easier. I didn’t need to see four museums in Barcelona, but I did so anyway despite my body telling me to slow down. My advice for a long trip? Take it one day at a time, the world will still be there tomorrow.

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A Local & Two Foreigners: Our Favorite Places in Florence

By Amber Wright, Deborah Galasso, Jess Pitocco

Our mission this week between the three of us, Amber Wright, Deborah Galasso, and Jess Pitocco, was to write down the places that best symbolize or represent Florence, Italy. It proved to be pretty difficult; there are thousands of unique bars, monuments, churches and museums to visit in the city. It could take years to explore all that Florence has to offer! Even so, from each of our own perspectives, domestic and abroad, we chose our favorite spots in Florence.

Florence from the perspective of a local, Deborah Galasso, is full of art, culture, and cappuccino. Her favorite parks, restaurants and artistics centers that, in her opinion, best describe the culture and feeling of Florence, Italy:

Villa Bardini is a magical place where I go frequently. Today, it is an exhibition center that hosts temporary shows. Villa Bardini is a beautiful garden setting, and can be visited today separately with the same ticket that you would purchase at the Boboli Gardens.
Opera di Firenze is another particular place I visit as a fan of art, theater, and Florence’s musical works. I like the unusual and modern structure, and the theater’s interior is spacious and gorgeously decorated.
I always go to Anfiteatro Romano alle Cascine because I love art. This amphitheater located in the Cascine Park, and takes us back to past times. It’s a historic space for indoor and outdoor events in Florence, the best ones are featured in the summer.
Giardino del Drago, near Via Bolognese and a part of the Giardiano dell’Orticultura, is a relaxing place that makes you admire the beauty of Florence from another point of view. The distinctive and artistic statue in the shape of a dragon is at the center, and gives the garden its name. It is a place I visited as a child and remember fondly to this day.
Chiosco is a small bar/kiosk along the Arno near St. Niccolò. It’s great especially in the summer, because you can observe the river while having aperitivo. The bar is close to the Arno, is full of lights, and has a fun atmosphere.”

Florence from our perspective, Amber and Jess, two study abroad students, is a bit different. These five places represent Florence for us because they are landmarks to help us get home, great food and shopping, and places that make Florence feel like home since we’ve arrived.

We pass Piazza Gaetano Salvemini every day on our way to class at FUA’s J School. Whether in the morning or at night, there are always a myriad of characters in the Piazza, from tourists to locals. The old men play chess near the bike racks everyday, and the dog owners are followed by their pooches without leashes. There are helpful places on the edges of the palazzo: an ATM, Tabacchi, and 99 cent store. It is a place where everyone gathers for errands and meals!
Sant’Ambrogio Market is the most authentic market we have found in Florence, and conveniently one of us lives across the street from it. We love ordering a cappuccino at the bar inside, while listening to impromptu performances of the violinist and cellist in the center of the market. This indoor-outdoor market is cheaper than Central Market and offers everything from clothing, antiques, to any type of produce and food you could imagine – a gem for foodies!
La Milkeria is a small boutique coffee shop on Borgo degli Albizi. Every so often when we’re missing home, we go in there and get a good ol’ bagel. It’s our little secret how often we go in there to get a taste of home!
Walking east on that street, you’ll come to Piazza di San Pier Maggiore. This square used to be the home of the Church of San Pier Maggiore. While it no longer stands, the reconstructed arches of the church still outline the square. There is a fresh produce stand in front of the arches that is the perfect place to grab a piece of fruit on your way to class. We love stopping in this square to imagine what it used to look like!
Lastly, our favorite part of Florence are our own streets. We walk home and every time we stroll down our roads, we stumble upon a new shop or new restaurant. We continue to discover a mix of small boutiques, local restaurants, and vintage shops in our own corner of Florence. As we get closer to our homes, street art and familiar places welcome us home – our favorite places in Florence.

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