The Tourist

The first week in class we learned about the tourist's experience when traveling and had field visits to The Uffizi Gallery.

The Uffizi took us on a deep dive into Renaissance art. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries people traveled to discover new art, fashion, technology, and to look into the past which is similar to the goals of travelers presently. As tourists in Florence, we seek to uncover the history and traditions of this city as well as get a truly "authentic" experience. The gallery reflected the importance of religion at the time of the Renaissance with many depictions of Jesus, saints, and events from the bible like Adam and Eve. These depictions showed how important the Catholic faith was at the time and how religious depictions were chosen to be displayed and kept in the gallery year after year.

At the Uffizi we saw the work of Botticelli, Caravaggio, Da Vinci, Raphael and many other well-known artists. Every painting was breathtaking and detailed with rich colors. One of the most well-known paintings in the Uffizi is "The Birth of Venus" pictured below. This painting had a crowd of people surrounding it, taking in the sight of one of the most famous paintings.

Some of the less well-known paintings had less people crowded around, but were just as beautiful and detailed. Many people have a bucket list of art, monuments, and museums they must see before moving onto their destination. The Uffizi and the The Birth of Venus is usually on this list for tourists visiting Florence, which would emphasize why there was a crowd surrounding this painting specifically.