Meet my favorite guide in Florence, Agata Chrzanowska! Phd, Art Historian and professional guide. In this episode I’ll be sharing how her love for Reinassance Art brought her from Poland to Florence.
Links:
* Learn more about Agata Chrzanowska here.
* The Brancacci Chapel in Piazza del Carmine, Florence.
* Street Artist Clet, and his interview with Agata.
Full episode transcript:
In this episode I want to introduce you to Agata Chrzanowska. Her strong commitment to Florence is an inspiration to me. I first met her last year when she guided me on a tour of my favorite Florentine neighborhood, Oltrarno.
I was fascinated by her personal story. Her love for Renaissance art took her from Poland to Florence for her Master’s thesis, then to England for her PhD, before she moved back to Florence for good. She’s an art historian, a professional guide, a lecturer at the British Institute in Florence. She has also published a book on the Uffizi, written in Polish.
When I met her on the stone stairs in Piazza Del Carmine I immediately noticed her Italian. It’s perfect, with no accent. I hope that someday I can speak English as well as she speaks Italian! We spent a delightful three hours together, a mix of historical and artistic explanations, funny conversations about cultural differences between Italy, Poland and the US. I remember in particular talking about the Italian obsession for hanging clothes to dry outside the window!
I loved the details she made me notice during her tour: like the omnipresent cats in the Last Supper frescoes. Cats were symbols of betrayal, in opposition to dogs who represented fidelity. Now I know to look for Judas every time I see a cat in one of the frescos.
I expected that someone with such a breadth and depth of knowledge for Renaissance art would be a snob with a disdain for contemporary art. But I was pleasantly surprised when we left the Brancacci Chapel she pointed to a no entry street sign at the corner of piazza del Carmine, modified with a sticker that showed a man holding the white stripe. It was the artwork of the street artist, Clet, famous for his stickers on street signs all over Florence. I wouldn’t have noticed it otherwise! She was passionate that the streets should never be “cleaned” of this form of art.
She told me she felt uncomfortable showing me my own town. But I feel privileged to have seen it with her — it really felt like seeing Florence for the first time.
When did you fell in love with Renaissance art?
My adventure with Florence and the Renaissance started in university, where I studied Italian language and art history. The history of the Renaissance revolution, that happened in Florence during the 15th century, captured my curiosity. Then, in 2008, I came to Florence for a scholarship to finish my MA thesis. After those three months here I immediately knew Florence was my place on this planet. I moved here after my graduation and I continued my research on the history of Florentine art.
What is your favorite art work in Florence and why?
This is always the most difficult question to answer. Consider that Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze statue of Perseus that stands in Piazza della Signoria is my painkiller. When I feel sad or unhappy, I simply go to look at him and it helps.
However, a space that captures me every single time I visit it is the New Sacristy at San Lorenzo designed by Michelangelo as a funerary chapel for the Medici family. The fact that the artist designed both the architecture and the sculptural decoration of this place, makes of it one of the most interesting, complex and engaging monuments in Florence.
You’ve decided to make Florence your home. I know your primary reason was art, but were there other things that drew you to Florence as well ?
There were many reasons why I decided to move to Florence. I don’t know why but I felt at home here quite immediately. I met here many wonderful people who became my friends. Moreover, I fell in love with the Florentine libraries and bookstores. I knew I would never be bored here. Another reason was the size of Florence. I grew up in a 3-million-person city, which was really tiring. Florence is much more manageable, much smaller, but its cultural offerings equal big metropolises like Milan or Rome. This is why I love it here!
What’s your favorite corner of Florence?
My favorite corner of Florence? Difficult to say! Probably the Rose Garden! I love to rest there and observe the city from above!
Moving to Florence from Poland, did you notice any big cultural differences (or similarities) ?
There are many cultural differences between Poland and Italy! In Poland we are much more used to life in solitude. We are not good at creating relationships, opening up. I think it unites all the Northern people. I became much more open in Italy. At the same time I still prefer quiet and silent environments, so sometimes I get tired after a few hours in the Italian hustle. At the same time in Poland we are a bit more organized, honest and reliable. This is what I miss here. In Italy if you want something done, you have to call 1000 times, make sure nobody is trying to cheat on you. This is very much annoying.
Do you have a favorite walk in Florence?
I have many favorite walks! I love walking around Monte Ceceri in Fiesole. I love the woods and the peace up there. Another walk I do often is on the south of Florence, in the area of Arcetri, where Galileo spent the last years of his life. It’s really close to the town, but peaceful and green! I love it!
When you show people Florence, what do you hope they’ll learn or experience?
When I visit a painting gallery with my guests, I try to teach them how to look at a painting: what is a composition, what the use of color can change, what are the different supports. I want to make sure that after our visit they will have more tools to visit art galleries on their own, and that they will enjoy it more. I also like to show my guests how rich Florence is and that it is worth coming here for few days, rather than visiting the city with a rapid walk through the centre.
If it were up to you, would you change how Florence’s heritage is being managed?
If I could do something, I would promote small, less-known museums like the Bardini Museum, or the cenacoli, with the frescoes representing the Last Supper, which used to decorate the Florentine convents. It is important to invite the visitors to stay longer in the city so they not only see Michelangelo’s David and the Uffizi. I would also extend the opening hours at the museums.