Chasing Art On Streets Of Italy.

Honestly speaking, street art was the last thing in my mind while visiting the land of the Old Masters.

Florence was picked because of David, the one that Michelangelo carved. Well, he was spectacular but then so were Michelangelo’s unfinished Prisoners/Slaves that really don’t get the attention they deserve. Anyway more of that in another post.

What I did notice was that in spite of the original housed in The Accademia Gallery, one could find many Davids like I did on the very first day.

There was one installed in a piazza that had people flocking around. I saw the other one near the gorgeous Florence Cathedral. Compared to the former, it was pretty much ignored by everyone except yours truly.

As an updated version, this David set the bar for quirky art.

“Veni , vedi, vici.” (I came , I saw , I conquered)

He slayed in his tourist avatar.

That was a wake up call for me.

My street art experience was off to a flying start.

Beauty on the street!

Also when I say street, I saw the road literally become a canvas.

I could barely take my eyes off this one when I saw another one coming to life.

I was in an art heaven.

” And we came forth to contemplate the stars.”

Dante Alighieri.

It was reminder, Firenze was the city of Dante as well.

Actually while there, I was keen to spot art by Blub. A year ago, I discovered him through Pattie’s pilotfishblog. Her posts on Florence captivated me; one of them had a picture of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring and Goggles.’

Needless to say, I swooned.

Interestingly he too works under a cloak of anonymity like Banksy.

Cut to June 2019, I was squealing with delight to find my own Blub plastered under an arch leading to Ponte Vecchio.

” Starry starry nights , paint your palette blue and grey…”

I couldn’t resist Don McLean’s Vincent.

Just perfect, wouldn’t you say?

I stumbled on another one, a bit worn and marred and yet what a find !

“(Galelio) Galelio.

(Galelio) Galelio.

Galelio Figaro .

Magnifico-o-o-o-o.”

My artsy Bohemian Rhapsody played on!

This little gem, Raphael’s Madonna del Granduca (that is what the original is called) was chanced upon in the most unlikeliest of all places.

I was in Tuscany, strolling in Siena, home to the fantastic Siena Cathedral and Palio Race. All thoughts of Blub were left far away in Florence when it caught my eye.

Serendipity, right?

Next stop Venice or rather the island of Murano.

The cherub strumming a guitar was pasted at the entrance of an alley. It stopped me in my tracks faster than any dazzling glassware on the island.

All signs pointed it to be a Blub Art.

I was euphoric!

To think one wacky street art in Florence set me off on this artsy scavenger hunt.

I would do it again in a heart beat. All I need to do is build my roster of interesting art and chase.

So do you have any favourites? Talk to me about it in the comments.

PS: Also if you knows the name of the last cherub/ angel painting, please let me know that too.

Curiosity is killing this cat!

PPS: An update – I found the details of the Angel painting, finally. It’s Angel playing the lute by Rosso Fiorentino and it hangs in the Uffizi.

The search is a over. Yay!

Lens Artist Challenge: Pick a place

Fan of…street art