MORNINGS IN FLORENCE

By

JOHN RUSKIN, M.A.




MORNINGS IN FLORENCE.

THE FIRST MORNING.
SANTA CROCE.


If there is one artist, more than another, whose work it is desirable
that you should examine in Florence, supposing that you care for old
art at all, it is Giotto. You can, indeed, also see work of his at
Assisi; but it is not likely you will stop there, to any purpose. At
Padua there is much; but only of one period. At Florence, which is his
birthplace, you can see pictures by him of every date, and every kind.
But you had surely better see, first, what is of his best time and of
the best kind. He painted very small pictures and very large--painted
from the age of twelve to sixty--painted some subjects carelessly which
he had little interest in--some carefully with all his heart. You would
surely like, and it would certainly be wise, to see him first in his
strong and earnest work,--to see a painting by him, if possible, of
large size, and wrought with his full strength, and of a subject
pleasing to him. And if it were, also, a subject interesting to
yourself,--better still.