The thing about studying in the UK, with continental Europe just across a tiny bit of water to the south, is that one can take field trips to places like Italy with relative ease. And in places like Italy are things that designers and art historians drool over and dream about and bore people to death talking about (which we are completely oblivious too). You see, in Italy, a little more than 500 years ago a little movement called the Renaissance changed the face of art, well, lets face it, mankind, forever. Many of the great things created during this time (and throughout about 2000 years before it) are still preserved in this great country. In fact, people just live in and/or around them. This land of wonder, friends, is where I spent the week following the end of Spring Term.

The Uni has an Undergraduate course that takes them to Italy to study letterforms. It has been the policy of the Department to invite the Postgraduates along for fun (yes, we designers like to study letterforms for fun). This year we vastly out numbered the Undergraduates, being 24 to their 6. I think the biggest perk to the trip, however, is that there are no course obligations for us Postgraduates. Don’t get me wrong, we had teaching sessions from 8:30am until 5:00pm most days, with only two afternoons off. We just don’t have to write any essays and such.

The trip was broken down into 5 days in Rome and 2 days in Florence. We were looking particularly at the development of the Republican (before 27 BC), Imperial (after 27 BC), Early Christian (about 324 CE), Medieval/Gothic (600 – 1300 CE), Florentine/Early Renaissance (1400 CE) High Renaissance (1450CE) and Baroque (1550 – 1600 CE) letters. So, while hoards of people were gathered around amazing pieces by Donatello or Michelangelo, we crouched on the ground looking at the letterforms on an epitaph.




Rome
We stayed in Old Rome, right in the centre. Most of the streets are cobblestone, and there are no sidewalks. Pedestrians walk on the road, cars park wherever, and if a car wants to pass they have to honk and hope that people move and there is enough room to pass; or, and more frequently, just keep driving (fast) and force people out of your way. It is true that drivers in Italy are crazy, but I think that some if it may be due the road structure. There are places where 3 lanes must suddenly merge into 1 or 1.5 to go through a 2000 year-old archway (I’m not kidding). In normal circumstance this would be no problem, except there are no lines painted on the road in many parts of Rome. Also, there are parking lots in what looks like the middle of a road, with again no lines or barriers to indicate the change. Needless to say, I was almost hit, a few times.



We saw all the major sites in Rome: the Forum, the Arch of Titus, the Arch of Constantine, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column, etc. A couple highlights were, in the Vatican Museum the portion that we had come to see was closed because it was under construction. We were, however, granted access and basically had as much time as we needed. So we spent about an hour looking at Early Christian inscriptions with no one else around.



The second was this little church that the group had stopped at to look at an inscription on the façade. The group moved on, but one of my classmates and I went inside to see a painting by Carrivagio. For those who are unfamiliar with his work, Carrivagio paints extremely moody images and is known for representing his scenes as if they were happening only by candlelight. They are represented in strong contrast of light and dark and are really quite moving. Again, no one was there.





Florence
Florence is beautiful and quite different from Rome, in feeling and appearance. The facades of the most famous churches, Santa Maria Novella, the Duomo and the Baptistry to name a few, are finished in green and white marble. The effect is very striking. We were joined in Florence by the information design tutor who has been ill since the beginning of this school year. He is expected back for the summer term, and it was a real asset to have him leading us through Florence.



Overall Florence is very touristy, and I felt that we did not see as much Italian culture there. Even the food was not good overall. I loved Florence, but 2 days was enough. It is true what is said, that 'Florence is more arogant in her beauty than Rome'.

A lot of the trip is still a blur, we saw so much in such a short period of time. It may take a few more visits to properly digest everything, and now that I will be doing a PhD at Reading, there is plenty of time.

(Editor’s note: This passing sentence is all she says of one of the biggest achievements of her life thus far. Sheesh. And here's something else you'll have to pry out of her: not only did they let her in, but they gave her a full scholarship for the full three years. That's my girl!)

More photos on flickr.