In line for David
November 20th 2008 17:58
There is a free and fake David in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the same height, same posture, same everything. I bet nobody among millions of tourists can see any difference between it and the real Mechaelangelo David housed in the Galleria dell'Accademia on Ricasoli street. But people want to see the real one at all cost--I mean at the cost of 8 euro and standing two hours in line in the white hot summer sun, which I myself also did out of the thought that I must see this THE most famous statue in the world.
When I arrived there the line went all the way down Ricasoli till the street corner. Three people from California stood in front of me, a girl from Spain next to me, people were chatting. There were graffitis in various languages on the wall aside. "It's too hot." one small line said and I heartily agreed, because the afternoon sun was scorching and glaring everywhere and the line was hardly moving. There were carts selling souvenirs and one postcard read "The Backside of Florence" with the bottoms of all the famous statues. Lots of people stood or sat on the shady side of the street when their family or friends stood in line. Some were having gelato ice creams. Some went to peek through the gate because David stood right facing it. The narrow street looked like an expectant fair. And people at the end of line worried that they might not get in before the closing time.
And when I was finally IN I could hardly recover from the heat. David is right there, at the end of the hall under the dome. I tried to gather all my feelings to be struck by awe, but somehow couldn't. The dying and dropping slaves by Mechelangelo in the hall way shook me with their power, but David didn't. Was it the height? The fierce facial expression? or the one thousand picture-taking people around? or whatever the effect of seeing it too many times in pictures. Anyway I walked around to all angels and sat on the benches around and tried to take in all the shapes and curves, among the noises and bustles of the crowds. Then I went upstairs to see the other exhibits.
That was an afternoon for David. I stayed till the close time and when I went out of the gallery the narrow street was empty and quiet and no longer sunlit, hardly the same street. I went into a small store opposite the gallery and bought some snacks for supper. The food was so much more real than the statue under the dome...
When I arrived there the line went all the way down Ricasoli till the street corner. Three people from California stood in front of me, a girl from Spain next to me, people were chatting. There were graffitis in various languages on the wall aside. "It's too hot." one small line said and I heartily agreed, because the afternoon sun was scorching and glaring everywhere and the line was hardly moving. There were carts selling souvenirs and one postcard read "The Backside of Florence" with the bottoms of all the famous statues. Lots of people stood or sat on the shady side of the street when their family or friends stood in line. Some were having gelato ice creams. Some went to peek through the gate because David stood right facing it. The narrow street looked like an expectant fair. And people at the end of line worried that they might not get in before the closing time.
And when I was finally IN I could hardly recover from the heat. David is right there, at the end of the hall under the dome. I tried to gather all my feelings to be struck by awe, but somehow couldn't. The dying and dropping slaves by Mechelangelo in the hall way shook me with their power, but David didn't. Was it the height? The fierce facial expression? or the one thousand picture-taking people around? or whatever the effect of seeing it too many times in pictures. Anyway I walked around to all angels and sat on the benches around and tried to take in all the shapes and curves, among the noises and bustles of the crowds. Then I went upstairs to see the other exhibits.
That was an afternoon for David. I stayed till the close time and when I went out of the gallery the narrow street was empty and quiet and no longer sunlit, hardly the same street. I went into a small store opposite the gallery and bought some snacks for supper. The food was so much more real than the statue under the dome...
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