During my first couple weeks at my language school, I also registered for an art history class. This seemed like a no-brainer since I’m taking my classes in Florence, the heart of the Renaissance. The art history lessons concluded this past week. In all we did three visits to historic spots around Florence: Capella Brancacci, Galleria dell’Accademia, and Basilica di San Lorenzo. My intention in signing up was two-fold. I wanted to get myself out into the important sights of Florence such that they would be put into context, and I wanted extra, specific exposure to the language, as the course was all in Italian. The course met both goals.
Paying attention for multiple hours to our Italian instructor Monica was quite exhausting at times. It was difficult to understand all the information seamlessly – I was able to get considerable chunks of it, but the gaps really hindered my overall understanding. Despite this, I was able to appreciate the art that we witnessed, and our instructor put it into context better than a visit by myself ever would have. By the third and final lesson at the Basilica di San Lorenzo, I was able to understand almost all of what Monica said. In fact, at one point an American man overheard Monica giving us the tour and asked her a question. She had trouble formulating her thoughts into English, and I was able to answer him. I felt like a translator briefly, as she added another point in Italian which I quickly told him in English.
Even with the lack of totality of my understanding at times, I felt that I was able to experience the artwork more intimately by virtue of receiving the information in Italian. It seemed a truer, purer way to experience it. I’m extremely glad I registered for the art history class. It gave me an important experience with the rich culture in Florence and a very real encounter with the language. Attached are some photos of my favorite parts of our lessons.
