[by
Javier de Blas in Florence, Italy] Nov/23rd-29th. In chiesa Santa
Felicita they celebrate her saint day and some Encarna´s friends
have invited us to the Mass and parish dinner, wich is really cozy.
There we know Benedetto, who lives in one of the Romanesque towers of
Borgo San Jacopo, in the heart of Oltrarno. Benedetto wants to invite
us for dinner before we leave Florence. Another day I draw the tower
where he lives and some of the surrondings. On its facade there is a
very nice Annunciazione porcelane made by Andrea Della Robia. On 29th
is dinner but Benedetto phones me at midday to propose me to draw
from his terrace. Waooo! My first surprise is that the Annunciazione
porcelain on the facade is just a copy. The original is inside the
portal and looks just beautiful. The other surprise is the splendid
view you see from his terrace. I feel sorry for arriving a bit late;
the evening light is going. I draw all the south surrondings in three
continuous double pages, but it is completly dark when I finish, then
I can't draw all the city, in the north side.
I am
very grateful for Benedetto's invitation so that I draw, for him, the
first sitting room you find when you go dan from the terrace. The
room has high ceiling, made of a beautiful ribbed vault.
Later,
the dinner is splendid. A group portrait of the guests will be my
last sketch in Florence. Benedetto is so kind to print a copy for
each one of us and there is a big fun when ask me to sign the copies.
