I have a confession to make – Florence did not make a great first impression on me.  I know, I know, there are a lot of people who will have a negative reaction to that statement, but for context, when we showed up, it was St. Patrick’s day, and the entire city felt like an American Fraternity / Sorority party.  I remember thinking as soon as we started walking down the street, looking for a place to eat, “Oh wow, if this is Florence, I don’t get the appeal”.  Luckily the next morning the co-eds scurried back from whence they came, never to be seen again in such large quantities, and suddenly the city was transformed into a stunningly beautiful Italian city.

As we walked the streets and took in the city’s vistas, one structure in particular stands out – formally the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, but more commonly referred to as simply the Duomo – Florence’s main cathedral is jaw-dropping.  I quickly found myself wanting to photograph it from every angle I could find.  As you thumb through the pictures below, you’ll experience that yourself.  This week’s Alternative Perspectives section is almost entirely a study of the Duomo.  I personally loved how prominent it was.  Walking the streets around it, it would seemingly just appear, with its round windows looking down at you.  Such a beautiful structure.

One image below that I would call your particular attention to is the first one.  This is the painting on the inside of the dome, and unfortunately the picture doesn’t do the painting justice.  The painting was inspired by Dante’s Inferno, depicting multiple levels of heaven and hell.  What stood out to me is the artists recognition of how the viewer would be taking in the painting.  As your eyes work up the painting, the perspective adapts, such that at the very top, you’re looking at the bottom of people’s feet, as though they were hanging directly above you.  Pretty interesting style.

More next week!

–Dan Thompson