The reason I'm not posting this Saturday

A bit tired...

I thought I’d just share a few of the photos I took today, and then go crash.

Starting quite early, my friend and I drove up to Florence.

It was a working trip.

I had a list of supplies I needed from the speciality professional art supply shop, the world-famous Zecchi.

They’ve got things only they make and other things you can’t get anywhere else in the country. I had quite a long list. And the stuff I came home with is going to be a game-changer.

Then it was time for the treat of the day: the convent of San Marco, where Fra Angelico lived and worked, and where he decorated the monastery with his works.

The upper floor is the large dormitory in which each of the friars cells has its own immortal art treasure; frescos painted by the master for the contemplative use of each monk.

Some of them are very famous and appear in all the Fra Angelico books.

And many of them, equally sublime, I’d never seen before.

Most of the frescos of the cells were roped off, so we could only lean in and take the pictures from funny angles.

But there was one large room in which I could get my nose right up, and get a look at the brush and gilding work.

There’s more. Quite a lot more. But from starting out - on four hours sleep - at 7:30 this morning, and only getting home at half past eight, I can hardly see straight. So we’re going to have to come back to this…

Buona notte…

~