(1578,43,'2011-09-19 17:27:57','2011-09-19 23:27:57','&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe <em>Arnolfini Portrait</em> or <em>Arnolfini Marriage </em>was painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434. This oil on canvas painting depicts a man and a woman, perhaps a pre–wedding portrait, holding hands in an upper–class looking room. Some major points of the picture are a dog standing on the floor between the two people, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a mirror on the back wall behind them, a window to the left, and a bed to the right. The man is wearing a hat, and the woman is also wearing some form of hat on her head. They are both wearing long drape–like clothing. This work, <em>Arnolfini Portrait </em>by van Eyck should be preserved because of  its symbolism and attention to detail.<!--more-->\n\nIn the 1400’s the Medici family (Cosimo in 1434) took control of the government in Florence, Italy. It affected the arts because Cosimo was a supporter of sculptors and artists (Stephanie). The religious movement, devotio moderna, spread throughout Northern Europe in the late 14<sup>th</sup> to 16<sup>th</sup> centuries, it stressed meditation and the “inner life (devotio).”\n\nThis work is typical of its era because it was usual to find oil painting portraitures, seeing as Jan van Eyck did perfect oil paintings in Early Renaissance (Fiero), which is when this painting was made. Another thing that makes this painting typical of its era is the dog on the bottom of the picture. It was usual for paintings to involve a dog, representing faith and fidelity (Panofsky). During this time period the subjects of most paintings were people (Fiero). Middle class patrons approved of paintings that “recorded their physical appearance and brought attention to their earthly achievements (Fiero).”\n\nWhat makes this work stand out from its peers is its attention to detail and how each detail stands for or represents something greater. Most Northern paintings had this characteristic, while most Italian Renaissance pieces did not (Fiero). This work was considered innovative because it “achieved the impression of dense, atmospheric space, and simulated the naturalistic effects of light reflecting off the surfaces of objects (Fiero).”\n\nThis work was received as innovative and revolutionary during its time because it was one of the first to achieve many aspects that it has become famous for such as the level of realism, extreme detail, and reference to religion and marriage (Fiero). Since in this painting, the man’s left hand was bound to the woman’s right hand, it was considered a “left hand marriage” which meant the woman had no rights of inheritance (Sandler), so this sparked some upset by its viewers.\n\nToday, people think this classic work is important and one of the most famous works of art of the Early Renaissance. There is much speculation today about this painting. There are a few different interpretations of this work; one of which is allegorical. In this interpretation this portrait is viewed as a work that has symbolic references in its details, which is what makes this painting so famous (Jeffery). I do not see any differences in reception then and today.\n\nWhen I first saw this painting I did not think much of it. It was not until I started researching it that I became more interested in it. What I came to admire about this painting is how at first glance you don’t notice a lot of the detail, until you zoom in and find the writing above the mirror, reflection in the mirror, the single burning candle in the chandelier; to speculate that each of these stands for something is fascinating. Something I find meaningful about this portrait is the dog standing between the couple, which represents fidelity (Panofsky).\n\nIn Titian’s <em>Pastoral Concert</em>, also oil on canvas painting, similarities between that painting and the Arnolfini Portrait is that they both have humans as their subject matter. They are different thought because in Titian’s work, the ladies in the painting are nude, while van Eyck’s painting has the people clothed. They are not alike because Titian’s is outdoors and Eyck’s is indoors.\n\nThe most significant of things about this work is its symbolism and its attention to detail.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFiero, First. <em>The Humanistic Tradition</em>. 13. 2. McGraw-Hill, eBook\n\n&nbsp;\n\nStephanie, <em>The Medici Family</em>. n. d. Web. 5 Sep. 2011. <a href=\"http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html\">http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"devotio moderna.\" <em>Encyclopedia Britannica</em>. Web. <a href=\"http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna\">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPanofsky, Erwin. <em>Jan van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait</em>. 64. The Burlington Magazine Publications, 1934. eBook. &lt;http://www.scribd.com/doc/32667033/Erwin-Panofsky-1934-Jan-Van-Eyck-s-Arnolfini-Portrait-The-Burlington-Magazine-for-ConnoisseursT-LXIV-372-pp-117-119-122-127&gt;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSandler, Lucy Freeman. <em>The Handclasp in the Arnolfini Wedding: A Manuscript Precedent</em>. 1984. eBook. <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nJeffery, Joshua. \"The Arnolfini Wedding Portrait: Interpretations.\" <em>The Blog of Joshua Jeffery</em>. WordPress, 17 Mar 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. &lt;http://www.jwjeffery.com/?p=57&gt;','van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait','','inherit','open','open','','1576-revision','','','2011-09-19 17:27:57','2011-09-19 23:27:57','',1576,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1578',0,'revision','',0),(1579,43,'2011-09-19 17:29:37','2011-09-19 23:29:37','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe <em>Arnolfini Portrait</em> or <em>Arnolfini Marriage </em>was painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434. This oil on canvas painting depicts a man and a woman, perhaps a pre–wedding portrait, holding hands in an upper–class looking room. Some major points of the picture are a dog standing on the floor between the two people, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a mirror on the back wall behind them, a window to the left, and a bed to the right. The man is wearing a hat, and the woman is also wearing some form of hat on her head. They are both wearing long drape–like clothing. This work, <em>Arnolfini Portrait </em>by van Eyck should be preserved because of  its symbolism and attention to detail.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIn the 1400’s the Medici family (Cosimo in 1434) took control of the government in Florence, Italy. It affected the arts because Cosimo was a supporter of sculptors and artists (Stephanie). The religious movement, devotio moderna, spread throughout Northern Europe in the late 14<sup>th</sup> to 16<sup>th</sup> centuries, it stressed meditation and the “inner life (devotio).”\r\n\r\nThis work is typical of its era because it was usual to find oil painting portraitures, seeing as Jan van Eyck did perfect oil paintings in Early Renaissance (Fiero), which is when this painting was made. Another thing that makes this painting typical of its era is the dog on the bottom of the picture. It was usual for paintings to involve a dog, representing faith and fidelity (Panofsky). During this time period the subjects of most paintings were people (Fiero). Middle class patrons approved of paintings that “recorded their physical appearance and brought attention to their earthly achievements (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nWhat makes this work stand out from its peers is its attention to detail and how each detail stands for or represents something greater. Most Northern paintings had this characteristic, while most Italian Renaissance pieces did not (Fiero). This work was considered innovative because it “achieved the impression of dense, atmospheric space, and simulated the naturalistic effects of light reflecting off the surfaces of objects (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nThis work was received as innovative and revolutionary during its time because it was one of the first to achieve many aspects that it has become famous for such as the level of realism, extreme detail, and reference to religion and marriage (Fiero). Since in this painting, the man’s left hand was bound to the woman’s right hand, it was considered a “left hand marriage” which meant the woman had no rights of inheritance (Sandler), so this sparked some upset by its viewers.\r\n\r\nToday, people think this classic work is important and one of the most famous works of art of the Early Renaissance. There is much speculation today about this painting. There are a few different interpretations of this work; one of which is allegorical. In this interpretation this portrait is viewed as a work that has symbolic references in its details, which is what makes this painting so famous (Jeffery). I do not see any differences in reception then and today.\r\n\r\nWhen I first saw this painting I did not think much of it. It was not until I started researching it that I became more interested in it. What I came to admire about this painting is how at first glance you don’t notice a lot of the detail, until you zoom in and find the writing above the mirror, reflection in the mirror, the single burning candle in the chandelier; to speculate that each of these stands for something is fascinating. Something I find meaningful about this portrait is the dog standing between the couple, which represents fidelity (Panofsky).\r\n\r\nIn Titian’s <em>Pastoral Concert</em>, also oil on canvas painting, similarities between that painting and the Arnolfini Portrait is that they both have humans as their subject matter. They are different thought because in Titian’s work, the ladies in the painting are nude, while van Eyck’s painting has the people clothed. They are not alike because Titian’s is outdoors and Eyck’s is indoors.\r\n\r\nThe most significant of things about this work is its symbolism and its attention to detail.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFiero, First. <em>The Humanistic Tradition</em>. 13. 2. McGraw-Hill, eBook\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStephanie, <em>The Medici Family</em>. n. d. Web. 5 Sep. 2011. <a href=\"http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html\">http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"devotio moderna.\" <em>Encyclopedia Britannica</em>. Web. <a href=\"http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna\">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPanofsky, Erwin. <em>Jan van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait</em>. 64. The Burlington Magazine Publications, 1934. eBook. &lt;http://www.scribd.com/doc/32667033/Erwin-Panofsky-1934-Jan-Van-Eyck-s-Arnolfini-Portrait-The-Burlington-Magazine-for-ConnoisseursT-LXIV-372-pp-117-119-122-127&gt;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSandler, Lucy Freeman. <em>The Handclasp in the Arnolfini Wedding: A Manuscript Precedent</em>. 1984. eBook. <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nJeffery, Joshua. \"The Arnolfini Wedding Portrait: Interpretations.\" <em>The Blog of Joshua Jeffery</em>. WordPress, 17 Mar 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. &lt;http://www.jwjeffery.com/?p=57&gt;','van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait','','inherit','open','open','','1576-revision-2','','','2011-09-19 17:29:37','2011-09-19 23:29:37','',1576,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1579',0,'revision','',0),(1580,43,'2011-09-19 17:35:33','2011-09-19 23:35:33','','van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait','','inherit','open','open','','van-eycks-arnolfini-portrait-2','','','2011-09-19 17:35:33','2011-09-19 23:35:33','',1576,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/van-Eycks-Arnolfini-Portrait1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1581,43,'2011-09-19 17:33:37','2011-09-19 23:33:37','&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://narlinswords.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/van-eyck-arnolfini-portrait-page-1.jpg?w=310&amp;h=400\">http://narlinswords.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/van-eyck-arnolfini-portrait-page-1.jpg?w=310&amp;h=400</a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe <em>Arnolfini Portrait</em> or <em>Arnolfini Marriage </em>was painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434. This oil on canvas painting depicts a man and a woman, perhaps a pre–wedding portrait, holding hands in an upper–class looking room. Some major points of the picture are a dog standing on the floor between the two people, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a mirror on the back wall behind them, a window to the left, and a bed to the right. The man is wearing a hat, and the woman is also wearing some form of hat on her head. They are both wearing long drape–like clothing. This work, <em>Arnolfini Portrait </em>by van Eyck should be preserved because of  its symbolism and attention to detail.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIn the 1400’s the Medici family (Cosimo in 1434) took control of the government in Florence, Italy. It affected the arts because Cosimo was a supporter of sculptors and artists (Stephanie). The religious movement, devotio moderna, spread throughout Northern Europe in the late 14<sup>th</sup> to 16<sup>th</sup> centuries, it stressed meditation and the “inner life (devotio).”\r\n\r\nThis work is typical of its era because it was usual to find oil painting portraitures, seeing as Jan van Eyck did perfect oil paintings in Early Renaissance (Fiero), which is when this painting was made. Another thing that makes this painting typical of its era is the dog on the bottom of the picture. It was usual for paintings to involve a dog, representing faith and fidelity (Panofsky). During this time period the subjects of most paintings were people (Fiero). Middle class patrons approved of paintings that “recorded their physical appearance and brought attention to their earthly achievements (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nWhat makes this work stand out from its peers is its attention to detail and how each detail stands for or represents something greater. Most Northern paintings had this characteristic, while most Italian Renaissance pieces did not (Fiero). This work was considered innovative because it “achieved the impression of dense, atmospheric space, and simulated the naturalistic effects of light reflecting off the surfaces of objects (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nThis work was received as innovative and revolutionary during its time because it was one of the first to achieve many aspects that it has become famous for such as the level of realism, extreme detail, and reference to religion and marriage (Fiero). Since in this painting, the man’s left hand was bound to the woman’s right hand, it was considered a “left hand marriage” which meant the woman had no rights of inheritance (Sandler), so this sparked some upset by its viewers.\r\n\r\nToday, people think this classic work is important and one of the most famous works of art of the Early Renaissance. There is much speculation today about this painting. There are a few different interpretations of this work; one of which is allegorical. In this interpretation this portrait is viewed as a work that has symbolic references in its details, which is what makes this painting so famous (Jeffery). I do not see any differences in reception then and today.\r\n\r\nWhen I first saw this painting I did not think much of it. It was not until I started researching it that I became more interested in it. What I came to admire about this painting is how at first glance you don’t notice a lot of the detail, until you zoom in and find the writing above the mirror, reflection in the mirror, the single burning candle in the chandelier; to speculate that each of these stands for something is fascinating. Something I find meaningful about this portrait is the dog standing between the couple, which represents fidelity (Panofsky).\r\n\r\nIn Titian’s <em>Pastoral Concert</em>, also oil on canvas painting, similarities between that painting and the Arnolfini Portrait is that they both have humans as their subject matter. They are different thought because in Titian’s work, the ladies in the painting are nude, while van Eyck’s painting has the people clothed. They are not alike because Titian’s is outdoors and Eyck’s is indoors.\r\n\r\nThe most significant of things about this work is its symbolism and its attention to detail.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFiero, First. <em>The Humanistic Tradition</em>. 13. 2. McGraw-Hill, eBook\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStephanie, <em>The Medici Family</em>. n. d. Web. 5 Sep. 2011. <a href=\"http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html\">http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"devotio moderna.\" <em>Encyclopedia Britannica</em>. Web. <a href=\"http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna\">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPanofsky, Erwin. <em>Jan van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait</em>. 64. The Burlington Magazine Publications, 1934. eBook. &lt;http://www.scribd.com/doc/32667033/Erwin-Panofsky-1934-Jan-Van-Eyck-s-Arnolfini-Portrait-The-Burlington-Magazine-for-ConnoisseursT-LXIV-372-pp-117-119-122-127&gt;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSandler, Lucy Freeman. <em>The Handclasp in the Arnolfini Wedding: A Manuscript Precedent</em>. 1984. eBook. <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nJeffery, Joshua. \"The Arnolfini Wedding Portrait: Interpretations.\" <em>The Blog of Joshua Jeffery</em>. WordPress, 17 Mar 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. &lt;http://www.jwjeffery.com/?p=57&gt;','van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait','','inherit','open','open','','1576-revision-3','','','2011-09-19 17:33:37','2011-09-19 23:33:37','',1576,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1581',0,'revision','',0),(1582,43,'2011-09-19 17:36:13','2011-09-19 23:36:13','<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/van-Eycks-Arnolfini-Portrait1.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1580\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/van-Eycks-Arnolfini-Portrait1-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://narlinswords.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/van-eyck-arnolfini-portrait-page-1.jpg?w=310&amp;h=400\">http://narlinswords.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/van-eyck-arnolfini-portrait-page-1.jpg?w=310&amp;h=400</a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe <em>Arnolfini Portrait</em> or <em>Arnolfini Marriage </em>was painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434. This oil on canvas painting depicts a man and a woman, perhaps a pre–wedding portrait, holding hands in an upper–class looking room. Some major points of the picture are a dog standing on the floor between the two people, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a mirror on the back wall behind them, a window to the left, and a bed to the right. The man is wearing a hat, and the woman is also wearing some form of hat on her head. They are both wearing long drape–like clothing. This work, <em>Arnolfini Portrait </em>by van Eyck should be preserved because of  its symbolism and attention to detail.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIn the 1400’s the Medici family (Cosimo in 1434) took control of the government in Florence, Italy. It affected the arts because Cosimo was a supporter of sculptors and artists (Stephanie). The religious movement, devotio moderna, spread throughout Northern Europe in the late 14<sup>th</sup> to 16<sup>th</sup> centuries, it stressed meditation and the “inner life (devotio).”\r\n\r\nThis work is typical of its era because it was usual to find oil painting portraitures, seeing as Jan van Eyck did perfect oil paintings in Early Renaissance (Fiero), which is when this painting was made. Another thing that makes this painting typical of its era is the dog on the bottom of the picture. It was usual for paintings to involve a dog, representing faith and fidelity (Panofsky). During this time period the subjects of most paintings were people (Fiero). Middle class patrons approved of paintings that “recorded their physical appearance and brought attention to their earthly achievements (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nWhat makes this work stand out from its peers is its attention to detail and how each detail stands for or represents something greater. Most Northern paintings had this characteristic, while most Italian Renaissance pieces did not (Fiero). This work was considered innovative because it “achieved the impression of dense, atmospheric space, and simulated the naturalistic effects of light reflecting off the surfaces of objects (Fiero).”\r\n\r\nThis work was received as innovative and revolutionary during its time because it was one of the first to achieve many aspects that it has become famous for such as the level of realism, extreme detail, and reference to religion and marriage (Fiero). Since in this painting, the man’s left hand was bound to the woman’s right hand, it was considered a “left hand marriage” which meant the woman had no rights of inheritance (Sandler), so this sparked some upset by its viewers.\r\n\r\nToday, people think this classic work is important and one of the most famous works of art of the Early Renaissance. There is much speculation today about this painting. There are a few different interpretations of this work; one of which is allegorical. In this interpretation this portrait is viewed as a work that has symbolic references in its details, which is what makes this painting so famous (Jeffery). I do not see any differences in reception then and today.\r\n\r\nWhen I first saw this painting I did not think much of it. It was not until I started researching it that I became more interested in it. What I came to admire about this painting is how at first glance you don’t notice a lot of the detail, until you zoom in and find the writing above the mirror, reflection in the mirror, the single burning candle in the chandelier; to speculate that each of these stands for something is fascinating. Something I find meaningful about this portrait is the dog standing between the couple, which represents fidelity (Panofsky).\r\n\r\nIn Titian’s <em>Pastoral Concert</em>, also oil on canvas painting, similarities between that painting and the Arnolfini Portrait is that they both have humans as their subject matter. They are different thought because in Titian’s work, the ladies in the painting are nude, while van Eyck’s painting has the people clothed. They are not alike because Titian’s is outdoors and Eyck’s is indoors.\r\n\r\nThe most significant of things about this work is its symbolism and its attention to detail.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFiero, First. <em>The Humanistic Tradition</em>. 13. 2. McGraw-Hill, eBook\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStephanie, <em>The Medici Family</em>. n. d. Web. 5 Sep. 2011. <a href=\"http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html\">http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"devotio moderna.\" <em>Encyclopedia Britannica</em>. Web. <a href=\"http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna\">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160366/devotio-moderna</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPanofsky, Erwin. <em>Jan van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait</em>. 64. The Burlington Magazine Publications, 1934. eBook. &lt;http://www.scribd.com/doc/32667033/Erwin-Panofsky-1934-Jan-Van-Eyck-s-Arnolfini-Portrait-The-Burlington-Magazine-for-ConnoisseursT-LXIV-372-pp-117-119-122-127&gt;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSandler, Lucy Freeman. <em>The Handclasp in the Arnolfini Wedding: A Manuscript Precedent</em>. 1984. eBook. <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dc31cbdf-7c74-4e67-8deb-5ca8a513624b%40sessionmgr112&amp;vid=1&amp;hid=121</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nJeffery, Joshua. \"The Arnolfini Wedding Portrait: Interpretations.\" <em>The Blog of Joshua Jeffery</em>. WordPress, 17 Mar 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2011. &lt;http://www.jwjeffery.com/?p=57&gt;','van Eyck\'s Arnolfini Portrait','','inherit','open','open','','1576-revision-4','','','2011-09-19 17:36:13','2011-09-19 23:36:13','',1576,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1582',0,'revision','',0),(1583,42,'2011-09-20 08:31:38','2011-09-20 14:31:38','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\n\n</div>\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné.\" (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">New International Version of The Holy Bible. Colorado Springs. International Bible Society. 1984. Print.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Reichard, Gladys A.<em> Navajo Religion: A Study of Symbolism </em>Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990. Print.</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\n\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-autosave','','','2011-09-20 08:31:38','2011-09-20 14:31:38','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1583',0,'revision','',0),(1586,1,'2011-09-19 16:55:53','2011-09-19 22:55:53','<div class=\"mceTemp\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><dl><dt><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1569\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a></dt><dd>http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/223</dd></dl></div>\r\n“Don Quijote de la Mancha” written by Miguel de Cervantes in two parts published in 1605 and 1615; it is the first of its style and one of the first to mark the beginning of renaissance literature in Western Europe. “Don Quixote is a book for all seasons”( Stavans, Ilan) with its comical anti-romantic theme that influenced many writers and has become one of the most translated books after the bible(Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\").  Cervantes manage to write this entertaining novel that veer away from the usual medieval romantic literature and used Don Quixote as a figure that mock the romantic medieval knight. “Don Quixote” is an entertaining novel that should be preserved in order to influence all future generations to be original and not usual.\r\n\r\nCervantes manage to write his best novel at the end of his failed writing career. In 1605 Miguel de Cervantes, after a disappointing literary career, convinces a printer to publish his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). “Don Quixote” is the story of a gentleman called Quejana that owns a bookstore filled with chivalric romances. After becoming more and more submerged in the stories of knights and quests, Signor Quejana makes an illusive world in which he becomes Don Quixote, a knight, who has come to fight evil, and restore the world to the Golden Age (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). Don Quixote with his trusted side kick, Sancho Panza, set out to fight giants which are actually windmills and armies that actually are flocks of sheep (Fiero). “Don Quixote is the first novel of the western prose tradition to reflect in fiction the psychological growth and change that persons experienced in real life.”( Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe war for Spain was inevitable with the Turks occupying Cyprus in 1570, and a young Cervantes would join this battle. Even though there were many counts of Cervantes courage during battle, there were also many tragic events which shaped his novel “Don Quixote”. Cervantes fought heroically in the battle of Lepanto in 1571 but was injured and lost full use of his left hand, on his return to Spain, his voyage was attacked and captured by pirates (Encyclopædia Britannica). Cervantes was released after his ransom had been paid, but he had spent 5 years in slavery. Finding little success working as a writer in Spain and working as a tax collector, Cervantes was imprisoned for shortcomings in his accounts. The illusion of a romantic heroism shattered by war, slavery, and incarceration showed the disappointing reality that Cervantes reflected in his novel (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\").\r\n\r\nThe insightful novel of the human mind created by Cervantes is an innovation of its era, as More’s Utopia which reflected individualism and Shakespeare searching for what makes us human. Although, Spain remained in a society which reflected medieval values, wealth was changing its social classes, and Spain was on the verge of a modern world. For Cervantes this was the perfect setting to use his modern novel to criticize the romantic medieval values instilled on Spain (Fiero). Don Quixote was not typical of its era; it was an innovation of its era to change the values of a country.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, Cervantes had created his masterpiece, after years of failure as a writer; Don Quixote was “an immediate success.”( Encyclopædia Britannica) Even though, Cervantes had sold the publishing right, and made little profit on the first part of Don Quixote that was published in January of 1605, and by August of the same year there were editions in Madrid, Lisbon, and Valencia. By 1612 the novel had been translated by Thomas Shelton and Cervantes had become as popular in England, France, and Italy, as he was in Spain. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Cervantes had become so popular that a fraudulent second part to his novel had appeared by 1614 with stolen material from Cervantes unpublished second part. In 1615 Cervantes published his second part exposing the fake in his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). When published, “Don Quixote” suffered minor changes due to the Spanish inquisition which confiscated any work with heretical ideas and condemned any artist to death. Cervantes once said “I would have made the book more amusing had it not been for the holy office.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\") In 1640 the book had again been changed for a single sentence that reflected Lutheran beliefs, but it wasn’t till 1981 that the book had completely been censured in Chile by General Pinochet “because it supported individual freedom and attacks authority.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nShakespeare and Cervantes were two innovative writers of their time, who shift the literary world of their time. As they both searched for the realistic human emotions and found ways to entertain their audience using an exaggerated reality of the human life. They both change the literary world, although, Shakespeare surpasses Cervantes as a writer (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\"). “Hamlet” (1602) had already been published by the time Cervantes was working on “Don Quixote.” The similarities in Hamlet and Don Quixote are vast even thought they both served different themes, as “Don Quixote” in a comical novel, and “Hamlet” is a tragic drama. Both of these characters serve as an insight into the defects of human and the realistic world we live, they are the two parts of what every human being are (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").). Hamlet motivated by revenge, with his egoistic attitude that only lives for himself, and by his own doing hurts himself. Then there is the comical Don Quixote who has fallen far into a web of stories created by society that has played with his mind, and motivated by courage, but deceived by his illusions. “It awakened a series of thoughts in us. In these two types there are embodied two opposite fundamental characteristics of a human being, - the axis around which the nature of man moves. All men belong, to some extent, to one of these two types; almost every one of us possesses the character of either Hamlet or Don Quixote. It is true that in our times there are far more Hamlets than Don Quixotes; but even Don Quixotes are not waiting.” (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").)\r\n\r\nIn the history of a novel, there has not been one with so many translations in so many different versions; Don Quixote is the second best selling book in history after the Bible. (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Today, the story of Don Quixote has only grown in popularity, as Miguel de Unamuno once said, “there scarcely exist a person of even average education who does not have an idea of Don Quixote and Sancho.”( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Don Quixote has served as an influence for many writers, has showed up in the works of Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, and even in the tongue of Shakespeare in 1612 as the “witty knight.”( Stavans, Ilan) Don Quixote and Sancho Panza will continue to influence those stories to come and bring laughter to future generation. Don Quixote is “the Bible of humanity,” as once said by the 19th century historian Sainte-Beuve.( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe story of “Don Quixote” has captivated my attention trough my education as the noble yet illusive character that was manipulated by the fictional stories he possessed. It is a novel filled with laughter as an old man rite a dying horse into battle against his own dilutions. Don Quixote is a character that should be remembered and preserved for the entertainment of future generation; this book will inspire next generations to remember the past and to change for the future.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n--Fiero, Gloria K. “The Humanistic Tradition” Sixth Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011.\r\n\r\n--Miguel de Cervantes.\" Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 19 Sep. 2011. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes\">http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes</a>&gt;.\r\n\r\n--Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\" Encyclopedia of Renaissance Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= ERL213&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Stavans, Ilan.”One master, many Cervantes Don Quixote” copyright of humanities 2001\r\n\r\n--Bald, Margaret. \"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\" Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on Religious Grounds, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= BBR0056&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\" The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Novels of All Time, Revised Edition. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= NOVLR001&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n-- Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\" Trans. Josef Firi Král and Pavel Durdík. Poet-Lore 4.4 (15 Apr. 1892): 169-184. Rpt. in Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800. Ed. James E. Person, Jr. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Literature Resource Center. <a href=\"http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w\">http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Don Quixote de la Mancha','','inherit','open','open','','1568-revision-6','','','2011-09-19 16:55:53','2011-09-19 22:55:53','',1568,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1586',0,'revision','',0),(1584,42,'2011-09-18 13:30:14','2011-09-18 19:30:14','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\"><em><strong></strong></em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné. (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Reichard, Gladys A.<em> Navajo Religion: A Study of Symbolism </em>Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-3','','','2011-09-18 13:30:14','2011-09-18 19:30:14','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1584',0,'revision','',0),(1585,42,'2011-09-19 18:40:31','2011-09-20 00:40:31','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné. (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-4','','','2011-09-19 18:40:31','2011-09-20 00:40:31','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1585',0,'revision','',0),(1654,1,'2011-09-21 07:29:59','2011-09-21 13:29:59','<div class=\"mceTemp\"><dl><dt><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1569\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a></dt><dd>http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/223</dd></dl></div>\r\n“Don Quijote de la Mancha” written by Miguel de Cervantes in two parts published in 1605 and 1615; it is the first of its style and one of the first to mark the beginning of renaissance literature in Western Europe. “Don Quixote is a book for all seasons”( Stavans, Ilan) with its comical anti-romantic theme that influenced many writers and has become one of the most translated books after the bible(Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\").  Cervantes manage to write this entertaining novel that veer away from the usual medieval romantic literature and used Don Quixote as a figure that mock the romantic medieval knight. “Don Quixote” is an entertaining novel that should be preserved in order to influence all future generations to be original and not usual.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCervantes manage to write his best novel at the end of his failed writing career. In 1605 Miguel de Cervantes, after a disappointing literary career, convinces a printer to publish his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). “Don Quixote” is the story of a gentleman called Quejana that owns a bookstore filled with chivalric romances. After becoming more and more submerged in the stories of knights and quests, Signor Quejana makes an illusive world in which he becomes Don Quixote, a knight, who has come to fight evil, and restore the world to the Golden Age (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). Don Quixote with his trusted side kick, Sancho Panza, set out to fight giants which are actually windmills and armies that actually are flocks of sheep (Fiero). “Don Quixote is the first novel of the western prose tradition to reflect in fiction the psychological growth and change that persons experienced in real life.”( Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe war for Spain was inevitable with the Turks occupying Cyprus in 1570, and a young Cervantes would join this battle. Even though there were many counts of Cervantes courage during battle, there were also many tragic events which shaped his novel “Don Quixote”. Cervantes fought heroically in the battle of Lepanto in 1571 but was injured and lost full use of his left hand, on his return to Spain, his voyage was attacked and captured by pirates (Encyclopædia Britannica). Cervantes was released after his ransom had been paid, but he had spent 5 years in slavery. Finding little success working as a writer in Spain and working as a tax collector, Cervantes was imprisoned for shortcomings in his accounts. The illusion of a romantic heroism shattered by war, slavery, and incarceration showed the disappointing reality that Cervantes reflected in his novel (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\").\r\n\r\nThe insightful novel of the human mind created by Cervantes is an innovation of its era, as More’s Utopia which reflected individualism and Shakespeare searching for what makes us human. Although, Spain remained in a society which reflected medieval values, wealth was changing its social classes, and Spain was on the verge of a modern world. For Cervantes this was the perfect setting to use his modern novel to criticize the romantic medieval values instilled on Spain (Fiero). Don Quixote was not typical of its era; it was an innovation of its era to change the values of a country.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, Cervantes had created his masterpiece, after years of failure as a writer; Don Quixote was “an immediate success.”( Encyclopædia Britannica) Even though, Cervantes had sold the publishing right, and made little profit on the first part of Don Quixote that was published in January of 1605, and by August of the same year there were editions in Madrid, Lisbon, and Valencia. By 1612 the novel had been translated by Thomas Shelton and Cervantes had become as popular in England, France, and Italy, as he was in Spain. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Cervantes had become so popular that a fraudulent second part to his novel had appeared by 1614 with stolen material from Cervantes unpublished second part. In 1615 Cervantes published his second part exposing the fake in his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). When published, “Don Quixote” suffered minor changes due to the Spanish inquisition which confiscated any work with heretical ideas and condemned any artist to death. Cervantes once said “I would have made the book more amusing had it not been for the holy office.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\") In 1640 the book had again been changed for a single sentence that reflected Lutheran beliefs, but it wasn’t till 1981 that the book had completely been censured in Chile by General Pinochet “because it supported individual freedom and attacks authority.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nShakespeare and Cervantes were two innovative writers of their time, who shift the literary world of their time. As they both searched for the realistic human emotions and found ways to entertain their audience using an exaggerated reality of the human life. They both change the literary world, although, Shakespeare surpasses Cervantes as a writer (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\"). “Hamlet” (1602) had already been published by the time Cervantes was working on “Don Quixote.” The similarities in Hamlet and Don Quixote are vast even thought they both served different themes, as “Don Quixote” in a comical novel, and “Hamlet” is a tragic drama. Both of these characters serve as an insight into the defects of human and the realistic world we live, they are the two parts of what every human being are (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").). Hamlet motivated by revenge, with his egoistic attitude that only lives for himself, and by his own doing hurts himself. Then there is the comical Don Quixote who has fallen far into a web of stories created by society that has played with his mind, and motivated by courage, but deceived by his illusions. “It awakened a series of thoughts in us. In these two types there are embodied two opposite fundamental characteristics of a human being, - the axis around which the nature of man moves. All men belong, to some extent, to one of these two types; almost every one of us possesses the character of either Hamlet or Don Quixote. It is true that in our times there are far more Hamlets than Don Quixotes; but even Don Quixotes are not waiting.” (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").)\r\n\r\nIn the history of a novel, there has not been one with so many translations in so many different versions; Don Quixote is the second best selling book in history after the Bible. (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Today, the story of Don Quixote has only grown in popularity, as Miguel de Unamuno once said, “there scarcely exist a person of even average education who does not have an idea of Don Quixote and Sancho.”( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Don Quixote has served as an influence for many writers, has showed up in the works of Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, and even in the tongue of Shakespeare in 1612 as the “witty knight.”( Stavans, Ilan) Don Quixote and Sancho Panza will continue to influence those stories to come and bring laughter to future generation. Don Quixote is “the Bible of humanity,” as once said by the 19th century historian Sainte-Beuve.( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe story of “Don Quixote” has captivated my attention trough my education as the noble yet illusive character that was manipulated by the fictional stories he possessed. It is a novel filled with laughter as an old man rite a dying horse into battle against his own dilutions. Don Quixote is a character that should be remembered and preserved for the entertainment of future generation; this book will inspire next generations to remember the past and to change for the future.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n--Fiero, Gloria K. “The Humanistic Tradition” Sixth Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011.\r\n\r\n--Miguel de Cervantes.\" Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 19 Sep. 2011. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes\">http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes</a>&gt;.\r\n\r\n--Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\" Encyclopedia of Renaissance Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= ERL213&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Stavans, Ilan.”One master, many Cervantes Don Quixote” copyright of humanities 2001\r\n\r\n--Bald, Margaret. \"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\" Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on Religious Grounds, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= BBR0056&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\" The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Novels of All Time, Revised Edition. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= NOVLR001&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n-- Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\" Trans. Josef Firi Král and Pavel Durdík. Poet-Lore 4.4 (15 Apr. 1892): 169-184. Rpt. in Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800. Ed. James E. Person, Jr. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Literature Resource Center. <a href=\"http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w\">http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Don Quixote de la Mancha','','inherit','open','open','','1568-revision-9','','','2011-09-21 07:29:59','2011-09-21 13:29:59','',1568,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1654',0,'revision','',0),(1587,1,'2011-09-19 18:51:31','2011-09-20 00:51:31','<div class=\"mceTemp\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><dl><dt><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1569\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/don-quixote-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a></dt><dd>http://brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/223</dd></dl></div>\r\n“Don Quijote de la Mancha” written by Miguel de Cervantes in two parts published in 1605 and 1615; it is the first of its style and one of the first to mark the beginning of renaissance literature in Western Europe. “Don Quixote is a book for all seasons”( Stavans, Ilan) with its comical anti-romantic theme that influenced many writers and has become one of the most translated books after the bible(Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\").  Cervantes manage to write this entertaining novel that veer away from the usual medieval romantic literature and used Don Quixote as a figure that mock the romantic medieval knight. “Don Quixote” is an entertaining novel that should be preserved in order to influence all future generations to be original and not usual.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCervantes manage to write his best novel at the end of his failed writing career. In 1605 Miguel de Cervantes, after a disappointing literary career, convinces a printer to publish his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). “Don Quixote” is the story of a gentleman called Quejana that owns a bookstore filled with chivalric romances. After becoming more and more submerged in the stories of knights and quests, Signor Quejana makes an illusive world in which he becomes Don Quixote, a knight, who has come to fight evil, and restore the world to the Golden Age (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). Don Quixote with his trusted side kick, Sancho Panza, set out to fight giants which are actually windmills and armies that actually are flocks of sheep (Fiero). “Don Quixote is the first novel of the western prose tradition to reflect in fiction the psychological growth and change that persons experienced in real life.”( Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe war for Spain was inevitable with the Turks occupying Cyprus in 1570, and a young Cervantes would join this battle. Even though there were many counts of Cervantes courage during battle, there were also many tragic events which shaped his novel “Don Quixote”. Cervantes fought heroically in the battle of Lepanto in 1571 but was injured and lost full use of his left hand, on his return to Spain, his voyage was attacked and captured by pirates (Encyclopædia Britannica). Cervantes was released after his ransom had been paid, but he had spent 5 years in slavery. Finding little success working as a writer in Spain and working as a tax collector, Cervantes was imprisoned for shortcomings in his accounts. The illusion of a romantic heroism shattered by war, slavery, and incarceration showed the disappointing reality that Cervantes reflected in his novel (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\").\r\n\r\nThe insightful novel of the human mind created by Cervantes is an innovation of its era, as More’s Utopia which reflected individualism and Shakespeare searching for what makes us human. Although, Spain remained in a society which reflected medieval values, wealth was changing its social classes, and Spain was on the verge of a modern world. For Cervantes this was the perfect setting to use his modern novel to criticize the romantic medieval values instilled on Spain (Fiero). Don Quixote was not typical of its era; it was an innovation of its era to change the values of a country.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, Cervantes had created his masterpiece, after years of failure as a writer; Don Quixote was “an immediate success.”( Encyclopædia Britannica) Even though, Cervantes had sold the publishing right, and made little profit on the first part of Don Quixote that was published in January of 1605, and by August of the same year there were editions in Madrid, Lisbon, and Valencia. By 1612 the novel had been translated by Thomas Shelton and Cervantes had become as popular in England, France, and Italy, as he was in Spain. (Encyclopædia Britannica) Cervantes had become so popular that a fraudulent second part to his novel had appeared by 1614 with stolen material from Cervantes unpublished second part. In 1615 Cervantes published his second part exposing the fake in his novel (Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\"). When published, “Don Quixote” suffered minor changes due to the Spanish inquisition which confiscated any work with heretical ideas and condemned any artist to death. Cervantes once said “I would have made the book more amusing had it not been for the holy office.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\") In 1640 the book had again been changed for a single sentence that reflected Lutheran beliefs, but it wasn’t till 1981 that the book had completely been censured in Chile by General Pinochet “because it supported individual freedom and attacks authority.”(\"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nShakespeare and Cervantes were two innovative writers of their time, who shift the literary world of their time. As they both searched for the realistic human emotions and found ways to entertain their audience using an exaggerated reality of the human life. They both change the literary world, although, Shakespeare surpasses Cervantes as a writer (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\"). “Hamlet” (1602) had already been published by the time Cervantes was working on “Don Quixote.” The similarities in Hamlet and Don Quixote are vast even thought they both served different themes, as “Don Quixote” in a comical novel, and “Hamlet” is a tragic drama. Both of these characters serve as an insight into the defects of human and the realistic world we live, they are the two parts of what every human being are (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").). Hamlet motivated by revenge, with his egoistic attitude that only lives for himself, and by his own doing hurts himself. Then there is the comical Don Quixote who has fallen far into a web of stories created by society that has played with his mind, and motivated by courage, but deceived by his illusions. “It awakened a series of thoughts in us. In these two types there are embodied two opposite fundamental characteristics of a human being, - the axis around which the nature of man moves. All men belong, to some extent, to one of these two types; almost every one of us possesses the character of either Hamlet or Don Quixote. It is true that in our times there are far more Hamlets than Don Quixotes; but even Don Quixotes are not waiting.” (Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\").)\r\n\r\nIn the history of a novel, there has not been one with so many translations in so many different versions; Don Quixote is the second best selling book in history after the Bible. (Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Today, the story of Don Quixote has only grown in popularity, as Miguel de Unamuno once said, “there scarcely exist a person of even average education who does not have an idea of Don Quixote and Sancho.”( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\") Don Quixote has served as an influence for many writers, has showed up in the works of Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, and even in the tongue of Shakespeare in 1612 as the “witty knight.”( Stavans, Ilan) Don Quixote and Sancho Panza will continue to influence those stories to come and bring laughter to future generation. Don Quixote is “the Bible of humanity,” as once said by the 19th century historian Sainte-Beuve.( Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\")\r\n\r\nThe story of “Don Quixote” has captivated my attention trough my education as the noble yet illusive character that was manipulated by the fictional stories he possessed. It is a novel filled with laughter as an old man rite a dying horse into battle against his own dilutions. Don Quixote is a character that should be remembered and preserved for the entertainment of future generation; this book will inspire next generations to remember the past and to change for the future.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n--Fiero, Gloria K. “The Humanistic Tradition” Sixth Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011.\r\n\r\n--Miguel de Cervantes.\" Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 19 Sep. 2011. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes\">http://www.britannica.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/EBchecked/topic/103673/Miguel-de-Cervantes</a>&gt;.\r\n\r\n--Cook, James Wyatt. \"Don Quixote.\" Encyclopedia of Renaissance Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= ERL213&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Stavans, Ilan.”One master, many Cervantes Don Quixote” copyright of humanities 2001\r\n\r\n--Bald, Margaret. \"Censorship History of Don Quixote.\" Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on Religious Grounds, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= BBR0056&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n--Burt, Daniel S. \"Don Quixote.\" The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Novels of All Time, Revised Edition. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom\'s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. <a href=\"http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin\">http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&amp;SID=5&amp;iPin</a>= NOVLR001&amp;SingleRecord=True\r\n\r\n-- Turgeniev, Ivan. \"Hamlet and Don Quixote.\" Trans. Josef Firi Král and Pavel Durdík. Poet-Lore 4.4 (15 Apr. 1892): 169-184. Rpt. in Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800. Ed. James E. Person, Jr. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Literature Resource Center. <a href=\"http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w\">http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&amp;id=GALE%7CH1420011991&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Don Quixote de la Mancha','','inherit','open','open','','1568-revision-7','','','2011-09-19 18:51:31','2011-09-20 00:51:31','',1568,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1587',0,'revision','',0),(1588,42,'2011-09-19 18:43:53','2011-09-20 00:43:53','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné. (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-5','','','2011-09-19 18:43:53','2011-09-20 00:43:53','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1588',0,'revision','',0),(1589,42,'2011-09-19 19:49:52','2011-09-20 01:49:52','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné.\" (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-6','','','2011-09-19 19:49:52','2011-09-20 01:49:52','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1589',0,'revision','',0),(1591,42,'2011-09-20 08:30:34','2011-09-20 14:30:34','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné.\" (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">New International Version of The Holy Bible. Colorado Springs. International Bible Society. 1984. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Reichard, Gladys A.<em> Navajo Religion: A Study of Symbolism </em>Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"></p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-8','','','2011-09-20 08:30:34','2011-09-20 14:30:34','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1591',0,'revision','',0),(1590,42,'2011-09-19 19:50:13','2011-09-20 01:50:13','<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Navajo3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\" dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><a href=\"http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm\">http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/navajo44.htm</a></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\" style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><strong><em></em></strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">My treatise is written in the hopes that you will be as convinced as I am that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is a necessary addition to the 2100 time capsule. It is imperative that humanity include a design for living that works in harmony and beauty with any new environment that we may find. I believe that we will need what the <em>Diné bahané</em> teaches. I\'m hoping that when you\'ve read this, you will too.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Before I begin, there are two words used for \"The People\". First is Navajo, from the Spanish. Second is Diné. \"Because of its colonial origin, the designation Navajo is in the process of being replaced by the term Diné.\" (Lampshere) You will see both terms used for \"The People\" in the following.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"The Diné were latecomers to the American Southwest, arriving between 1000 and 1525 C.E.\"(Lampshere) Researchers believe that \"the Navajo are an Athapaskan-language people, closely related to those living in northern Canada in the region of the Great Slave Lake.\"(Winson) No one knows when the Diné bahané first was told. The only surviving history is the creation myth itself. The Diné believe that the events in the <em>Diné bahané </em>took place just as they are told. Sometime, in the dawn of consciousness and the midst of migration, the Diné generated their own creation myth. The <em>Diné bahané</em> is an epic tale created by  and for the Diné. The Diné were looking for a home. They found that home in the four corners area of the American southwest. I believe the story was created by the Diné because it was important to them to commit to memory their unique history and reality in the sacred way that made sense to them. As a people, they agreed that this story was the story of their beginnings. It became \"the soul of a distinct Navajo identity that found shape under a particular set of social (and) or ceremonial conditions.\"(Zolbrod, 19) It was transmitted, as the truth, by oral tradition for centuries. In a time when the entirety of humanity seems to have woken up to a self-conscious awareness of itself and its place in the universe, this narrative belongs to the Diné.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>\"could never be written down in it’s entirety, just as we could never…encapsulate the whole Arthurian tradition in one unified definitive volume.\"(Zolbrod, 19) In recent history, there have been many translations, interpretations and summaries of the myth, but one of the most accurate and beautiful was done by Paul G. Zolbrod in his book appropriately named <em>Diné bahané</em>. His translation takes up 305 pages of a book typed in small print. The story ends with, \"these are the things that happened a long time ago.\"(Zolbrod, 339) Because of its length, I have chosen a small portion of the creation myth to summarize and use in comparison to other creation stories. This portion concerns the arrival of the Diné people to this world and the creation of First Man and First Woman.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Diné spirit people have always existed, just not on this world. This is their fifth world. The first world was very dark and no one remembers much about it except, that the Diné caused a disagreement with the other folk who lived there and \"The People\" were forced out. In the second world, the Diné again made mistakes with the tribe who already lived there and were forced to leave again.  In the third and fourth world, (which progressively appeared more like this world), the Diné still caused problems and they barely escaped those worlds, to reach this world, where we all live now. When they got here, they were still only insect-like spirits. But now they had found themselves a home; the same home they inhabit now. Powerful beings came and taught them how to make First Man and First Woman out of abalone, precious stones, rainbows, fog and an ear of corn. Songs were taught to the Diné and Wind came and blew through these precious bundles and gave them life. The proof that this really happened is in each human’s fingerprints. The whorls are the marks left by the wind. First Man and First Woman were taught how to create the sun, moon, and stars. They populated the earth by creating all manner of creatures and plants. The first argument between First Man and First Woman and its consequences are immortalized. Places, like mountains and lakes, are named and inhabited by strong spirit beings. It is up to the Diné to remember where they came from, the songs they were taught, and to carry on those traditions and rituals that are good and healthy for everyone.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The <em>Diné bahané </em>is like many of the Native American stories. \"Common to all American Indian sacred narratives…these \"sacred histories serve to orient their communities in time and space in ways that operate within the universe they inhabit, and in turn provide outsiders with insight into the ethos and world view of their home cultures.\" (Kelly) \"For American Indian communities, the world is populated not only by humans, but by other beings as well. These beings include the natural world and all that is in it.\"(Kelly) All American Indian creation myths were transmitted orally, just as in all preliterate cultures. \"Elders served as repositories of the knowledge and wisdom that makes the people, transferring moral precepts and appropriate community parameters to the next generation.\"(Kelly)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">However, the <em>Diné bahané</em> stands out from the rest of the creation stories of the world. It has survived. It is a living religion, still practiced by its people. It is one of the few myths that survived the colonization of North America and still lives where it was born. In it are named the landmarks that form the boundaries of the Diné Nation’s country. It is lengthy and comprehensive. It covers the balance of male and female roles and how monsters like Death and Poverty came to be and how they were dealt with. It classifies, codifies and includes diverse beings including insects and hermaphrodites. Zolbrod writes,\"Representing narrative poetry at its richest, the cycle displays an awareness of human complexity different from anything in our own (Western) literature. The emotions it identifies are as intense as those found in Oedipus Rex or Othello.\"(Zolbrod, 19) The Dine bahané \"occurs in a setting that combines the real and the earthy with the mystical and cosmic, where spirits and humans interact in a way not duplicated in any one of our own familiar literary works save perhaps those like Homeric epics or Ovid’s ‘Metamorphosis.’\"(Zolbrod, 6) \"To this day, the Diné creation story gives individual Navajos (including illiterate ones) an important ethnic identity. It defines meaningful relationships among members of the community and between the community and the entire cosmos.\" \"Native American Creation Myths\"</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In Western culture, I would compare the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é to the <em>Holy Bible</em>. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é is as important to the Diné as the <em>Holy Bible</em> is to Christians. In particular, the story which holds the most parallels to the portion of the <em>Diné bahané </em>that I summarized, is the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The following is a short summary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">God, the ultimate power, created everything. He created Adam and set him to live in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given dominion over all the plants and creatures except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was never to touch this one tree. Adam got lonely and so God created Eve from Adam. Everything was perfect until a snake, who is Satan in disguise, convinced Eve to take a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When God came to visit, He knew what had happened because, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, whereas before, they felt no need to. They were cursed by God and exiled from the Garden of Eden forever. They were doomed by God to go through childbirth, illness and death. So were all of their children and children’s children, forever.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Commonalities between the two stories are briefly told. Both stories begin in places that no one can find today. Both include the creation of the first two human beings. And both include powerful beings that influence the lives and fates of the first man and woman. After that, these stories take off in completely different directions. In the <em>Diné bahané </em>it is stated, \"Twenty-three days came and went and twenty-three nights passed and all was well. And on the twenty-fourth night the exiles held a council meeting. They talked quietly among themselves, and they resolved to mend their ways and to do nothing unintelligent that would create disorder. This was a good world, and the wandering…people meant to stay here, it is said.\"(Zolbrod, 47) This quote illustrates the main difference, I see, between the <em>Diné bahané</em> and the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>. The Diné recognize the consequences for their actions, they learn from their mistakes and resolve to live intelligently and peacefully in this world. Secondly, First Man and First Woman are co-creators of their world and by inheritance so are their children, the Diné. In <em>Adam and Eve</em>, God gives them only one thing they cannot do and they do it anyway. They are thrown out of the Garden of Eden and doomed by a completely unsympathetic God who curses them with a life of sin and suffering. They are cast out into a cold and cruel world not of their own choice or making.  The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>allows for growth, change, and evolution. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> puts us in a struggle with nature and ourselves for all time. The <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é illustrates a way of living that has gone on for centuries in the past and can go on for centuries in the future. It is a continuing saga. The story of <em>Adam and Eve</em> in the Garden of Eden ends when they are exiled from the garden. The Diné still live in their garden.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">So, how are the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é and <em>Adam and Eve</em> compared by the Diné? Like other conquered people they strive to become \"modern\". But, they still practice their own way, even today. There is good reason to do so. \"Modernity, in many ways is anti-traditional, favoring the new, the innovative, and the topical. Sacred histories allow traditional cultures to exist in the modern world and yet maintain their link to the past. Wisdom comes with age and American Indian stories have the power to bring ancient wisdom to current topics. Contemporary indigenous communities the world over remain faithful to their won stories and legacy, rather than the sometimes more popular myths of modernity.\"(Kelly) Christian missionaries have made all sorts of incursions on the Diné Nation, but Kluckhohn and Leighton say about the Diné, that \"It is difficult indeed to evaluate the influences of these (non-Diné) religious groups in the past and at present. The number of nominal Christians among the Navajos is fairly large in some localities, but most of them continue their adherence to native beliefs and practices.\" \"Christianity speaks of far off lands. The Bible speaks only of a male God of a society where authority and responsibility centers chiefly in men…Navajos miss Changing Woman (daughter of First Woman and First Man)…and the whole feeling for the position of women embodied alike in their social organization and religious lore.\"(Kluckhohn, 133) Another reason they stick to their own beliefs is that \"The picture of a god who is entirely good is hard for The People to understand, for their whole outlook insists that all beings have an evil as well as a good side.\"(Kluckhohn, 133)  Christianity has little in it to appeal to the Diné. Their way of life works for them and still helps them understand the world about them. Their <em>Diné bahané</em> is still a valid and living belief system.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">I find the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é<em> </em>a superior work to any other of its kind that now exists. I find it down to earth, practical, and accessible. \"The Diné creation myth indicates that there is no dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural.\"(Lampshere) That idea resonates with my experience of the universe. Also, attractive to me, as an integral part of the myth, is the idea of hózhó. Hózhó is what the Diné believe is the ideal way for humans to live. It combines beauty, balance and harmony. \"In Diné belief, the term hózhó refers to a positive or ideal environment. As Witherspoon puts it, ‘The goal of Diné life, in this world, is to live to maturity in the condition described as hózhó and to die of old age, the result of which incorporates one into the universal beauty, harmony, and happiness. \"(Lampshere) I can’t imagine what higher purpose a person could hope for while living here on Earth. All of living is a reason for prayer, meditation and song for the Diné. Then there is the fact that a Diné person doesn’t have to go to a special place to worship. \"The primary function of the hogan (the Dine round house) is a place for ceremonies and prayers.\"(Lampshere) Where all is sacred, especially in the home, there is less chance for the other. Although certain men and women know more songs, chants, and the rituals that go with them, than others, all Diné are practitioners in the Diné way of life. In Diné culture, all songs, come directly and indirectly from the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. According to Gladys Reichard, a leading authority on the Diné, \"songs are a form of wealth.\"(Reichard, 289) So, if I have a song, I am rich. This is not a materially based culture. If only we had collected songs instead of gold, our world might still be inhabitable.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For all these reasons and more, I would urge everyone to vote the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é be included in the time capsule. This story carries values and beliefs that should be learned and passed on. The Western tradition, of dominance rather that partnership with nature and others, has led directly to the destruction of Earth as a viable place to live. Christianity has aided this downfall. In the story of <em>Adam and Eve</em>, when God cedes dominance over all plants and creatures to Adam, He neglects to mention that good husbandry and community should be part of the equation. Hopefully, unlike Adam and Eve, we are not exiled forever, but can find a new world, and do as the Diné ancestors did. We should hold a council, discuss quietly among ourselves and come to a consensus of opinion that this is a good world and that we don’t want to do anything unintelligent.(Zolbrod, 47)  Without a completely new set of principles, I believe we are doomed to a life of sin and suffering and will get the same results we have experienced here on this Earth. I for one do not wish this devastation on the children of earth. I would love to see them begin anew in the old way of the <em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é. Let our children all become practitioners, and singers in a way of life that allows them to evolve in beauty and harmony with their fellow creations. I believe that the \"<em>Din</em>é<em> bahan</em>é\", as written by Paul G. Zolbrod, is one of the necessary precious works that get put into the time capsule when it leaves earth. I hope you will too and vote for it and our survival in the next world.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"CENTER\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kelly, Dennis F. <em>North American Indian Religions: Mythic Themes</em>  Encyclopaedia of Religion, 2nd Ed. 2005 Web. 4 Sept. 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Kluckhohn, Clyde and Dorothea Leighton, <em>The Navaho </em>Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1962. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Lampshere, Louise and Marilyn Notah Verney <em>Navajo Religious Traditions Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Ed., 2005:Blooms Literary Reference Online. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.</em></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">\"Native American Creation Myths\"<em> Encyclopaedia of World Writers, Beginnings Through the 13th Century. </em>Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.1990. Print.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Winson, Terrie<em> The Navajo </em>2002 W<sup>3W</sup>eb Design, May 2002. Web. 4 Sept. 2011</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Zolbrod, Paul G. <em>Dinē bahanē</em> <em>The Navajo Creation Story </em>Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1985. Print.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Diné bahané (The Diné Creation Story)','','inherit','open','open','','1552-revision-7','','','2011-09-19 19:50:13','2011-09-20 01:50:13','',1552,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1590',0,'revision','',0),(1592,41,'2011-09-20 14:14:52','2011-09-20 20:14:52','','Medici Palace, Florence, Italy','Image location: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_exterior','','','2011-09-20 14:14:52','2011-09-20 20:14:52','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1593,41,'2011-09-20 16:02:40','2011-09-20 22:02:40','<h3><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></h3>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of rare art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. <!--more--></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">The City Council is attempting to exert their power of eminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                         Example of biforal (left) and Gothic triforal (right) windows                                 Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and that it reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambiance of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hired their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library Foyer     Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico dellaRes istenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. Upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the multi-layered historical importance and keep the building in order to give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','publish','open','open','','protest-at-the-palazzo','','','2011-09-27 19:37:55','2011-09-28 01:37:55','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1593',0,'post','',8),(1594,41,'2011-09-20 14:19:03','2011-09-20 20:19:03','','Comparison of biforal and triforal windows in Renaissance Civil Architecture','Left image found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/ and right image found: http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia/','inherit','open','open','','comparecontrast-windows','','','2011-09-20 14:19:03','2011-09-20 20:19:03','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1595,41,'2011-09-20 14:21:37','2011-09-20 20:21:37','','Medici Palazzo, Florence, Italy','http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_exterior-2','','','2011-09-20 14:21:37','2011-09-20 20:21:37','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1596,41,'2011-09-20 14:31:07','2011-09-20 20:31:07','','Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo','Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm','inherit','open','open','','medici_painting','','','2011-09-20 14:31:07','2011-09-20 20:31:07','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1597,41,'2011-09-20 14:35:04','2011-09-20 20:35:04','','Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo','Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm','inherit','open','open','','medici_painting-2','','','2011-09-20 14:35:04','2011-09-20 20:35:04','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1599,41,'2011-09-20 14:39:26','2011-09-20 20:39:26','','Statue of Cosimo de Medici ','Statue of Cosimo de Medici  - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/','inherit','open','open','','medici-statue','','','2011-09-20 14:39:26','2011-09-20 20:39:26','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1598,41,'2011-09-20 14:37:19','2011-09-20 20:37:19','','Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo','Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm','inherit','open','open','','medici_painting-3','','','2011-09-20 14:37:19','2011-09-20 20:37:19','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1600,41,'2011-09-20 14:46:21','2011-09-20 20:46:21','Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of\nRenaissance Civil Architecture\nBy Jill Brockmann, ONN Contributor\nItaly, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)\nSeptember 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1595\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1595\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo, Florence, Italy\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMichelozzo\'s Medici Palazzo  ~  Florence, Italy\n\nRiots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.2 The City Council<!--more--> is attempting to exert their power of imminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor.\n\nThe building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, <a title=\"Cosimo de\' Medici\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosimo_de%27_Medici\">Cosimo de\' Medici</a>, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after <strong>Gabbriello Riccardi</strong> purchased it and expanded its footprint <strong>in 1659.<sup>1</sup></strong>\n\nFlorentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, \"Nicomachean Ethics.\" Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup>\n<p align=\"left\">At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian <a title=\"Gothic architecture\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture\">Gothic</a> and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1594\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Left image found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/ Right image found: http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1594\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows-300x93.jpg\" alt=\"Comparison of biforal and triforal windows in Renaissance Civil Architecture\" width=\"300\" height=\"93\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"left\"><strong></strong>An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to refined, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1598\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"215\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1598\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2-215x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo\" width=\"215\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author of \"On the Art of Building in Ten Books\") stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly wished that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Cosimo Medici purposefully chose the rare design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great upheaval, political unrest, and the social manipulation that ran rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building had been flattened years earlier.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefore, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici palace was the first residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community elements to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or landscaping. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial buildings today. Is it possible that the Medici were the starting point for this trend? If so, this alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n<p align=\"left\"></p>\n<p align=\"left\"></p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision','','','2011-09-20 14:46:21','2011-09-20 20:46:21','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1600',0,'revision','',0),(1606,41,'2011-09-20 15:03:11','2011-09-20 21:03:11','','Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples ','Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Image found:http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/ and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia/','inherit','open','open','','comparecontrast-windows-2','','','2011-09-20 15:03:11','2011-09-20 21:03:11','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1601,41,'2011-09-20 14:47:12','2011-09-20 20:47:12','Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of\r\nRenaissance Civil Architecture\r\nBy Jill Brockmann, ONN Contributor\r\nItaly, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)\r\nSeptember 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1595\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1595\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo, Florence, Italy\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMichelozzo\'s Medici Palazzo  ~  Florence, Italy\r\n\r\nRiots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.2 The City Council<!--more--> is attempting to exert their power of imminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor.\r\n\r\nThe building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, <a title=\"Cosimo de\' Medici\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosimo_de%27_Medici\">Cosimo de\' Medici</a>, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after <strong>Gabbriello Riccardi</strong> purchased it and expanded its footprint <strong>in 1659.<sup>1</sup></strong>\r\n\r\nFlorentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, \"Nicomachean Ethics.\" Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup>\r\n<p align=\"left\">At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian <a title=\"Gothic architecture\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture\">Gothic</a> and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1594\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Left image found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/ Right image found: http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1594\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows-300x93.jpg\" alt=\"Comparison of biforal and triforal windows in Renaissance Civil Architecture\" width=\"300\" height=\"93\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"left\"><strong></strong>An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to refined, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1598\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"215\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1598\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2-215x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo\" width=\"215\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author of \"On the Art of Building in Ten Books\") stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly wished that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Cosimo Medici purposefully chose the rare design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great upheaval, political unrest, and the social manipulation that ran rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building had been flattened years earlier.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefore, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici palace was the first residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community elements to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or landscaping. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial buildings today. Is it possible that the Medici were the starting point for this trend? If so, this alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building facades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What does having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici would simply walk into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the the<strong> Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. It appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving because of its long history of provoking passionate political discourse and because its owners\' lives promoted the preservation of priceless art and they out-stretched their hands to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. At least, that is this writer’s humble opinion.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\"></p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-2','','','2011-09-20 14:47:12','2011-09-20 20:47:12','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1601',0,'revision','',0),(1602,41,'2011-09-20 14:53:50','2011-09-20 20:53:50','','The Medici Palazzo','The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_exterior-3','','','2011-09-20 14:53:50','2011-09-20 20:53:50','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1603,41,'2011-09-20 14:55:08','2011-09-20 20:55:08','','The Medici Palazzo, Florence, Italy','The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_exterior-4','','','2011-09-20 14:55:08','2011-09-20 20:55:08','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1604,41,'2011-09-20 14:56:31','2011-09-20 20:56:31','','The Medici Palazzo','The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_exterior-5','','','2011-09-20 14:56:31','2011-09-20 20:56:31','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1605,41,'2011-09-20 14:47:17','2011-09-20 20:47:17','Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of\r\nRenaissance Civil Architecture\r\nBy Jill Brockmann, ONN Contributor\r\nItaly, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)\r\nSeptember 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1595\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1595\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo, Florence, Italy\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMichelozzo\'s Medici Palazzo  ~  Florence, Italy\r\n\r\nRiots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.2 The City Council<!--more--> is attempting to exert their power of imminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor.\r\n\r\nThe building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, <a title=\"Cosimo de\' Medici\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosimo_de%27_Medici\">Cosimo de\' Medici</a>, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after <strong>Gabbriello Riccardi</strong> purchased it and expanded its footprint <strong>in 1659.<sup>1</sup></strong>\r\n\r\nFlorentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, \"Nicomachean Ethics.\" Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup>\r\n<p align=\"left\">At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian <a title=\"Gothic architecture\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture\">Gothic</a> and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1594\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Left image found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/ Right image found: http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1594\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows-300x93.jpg\" alt=\"Comparison of biforal and triforal windows in Renaissance Civil Architecture\" width=\"300\" height=\"93\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"left\"><strong></strong>An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to refined, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1598\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"215\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1598\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting2-215x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of Medici Palazzo\" width=\"215\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author of \"On the Art of Building in Ten Books\") stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly wished that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Cosimo Medici purposefully chose the rare design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great upheaval, political unrest, and the social manipulation that ran rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building had been flattened years earlier.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefore, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici palace was the first residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community elements to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or landscaping. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial buildings today. Is it possible that the Medici were the starting point for this trend? If so, this alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building facades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What does having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici would simply walk into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the the<strong> Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. It appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving because of its long history of provoking passionate political discourse and because its owners\' lives promoted the preservation of priceless art and they out-stretched their hands to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. At least, that is this writer’s humble opinion.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\"></p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-3','','','2011-09-20 14:47:17','2011-09-20 20:47:17','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1605',0,'revision','',0),(1608,41,'2011-09-20 15:10:13','2011-09-20 21:10:13','<h2><em>Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"557\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"557\" height=\"174\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author Leon Battista Alberti penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the <strong>Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-5','','','2011-09-20 15:10:13','2011-09-20 21:10:13','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1608',0,'revision','',0),(1607,41,'2011-09-20 15:08:40','2011-09-20 21:08:40','<p align=\"left\"><em>Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</em></p>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"557\" caption=\"Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                    http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and                                                 http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"557\" height=\"174\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author Leon Battista Alberti penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the <strong>Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n<p align=\"left\"></p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-4','','','2011-09-20 15:08:40','2011-09-20 21:08:40','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1607',0,'revision','',0),(1609,41,'2011-09-20 15:14:24','2011-09-20 21:14:24','','Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo','Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/','inherit','open','open','','med_courtyard','','','2011-09-20 15:14:24','2011-09-20 21:14:24','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1610,41,'2011-09-20 15:15:28','2011-09-20 21:15:28','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"557\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"557\" height=\"174\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"left\">When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup> Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&amp;tbm=bks&amp;q=inauthor:%22Leon+Battista+Alberti%22\">Leona Battista Alberti</a>, (descendent of the author Leon Battista Alberti penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the <strong>Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-6','','','2011-09-20 15:15:28','2011-09-20 21:15:28','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1610',0,'revision','',0),(1611,41,'2011-09-20 15:18:25','2011-09-20 21:18:25','','Statue of Cosimo de Medici','Statue of Cosimo de Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/','inherit','open','open','','medici-statue-2','','','2011-09-20 15:18:25','2011-09-20 21:18:25','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1612,41,'2011-09-20 15:19:58','2011-09-20 21:19:58','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the <strong>Provincial Governor</strong>, the <strong>Florentine Provincial Authority</strong><strong>,</strong> the <strong>Istituto Storico della Resistenza</strong> and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-7','','','2011-09-20 15:19:58','2011-09-20 21:19:58','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1612',0,'revision','',0),(1613,41,'2011-09-20 15:21:27','2011-09-20 21:21:27','','Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo','Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm','inherit','open','open','','medici_painting-4','','','2011-09-20 15:21:27','2011-09-20 21:21:27','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1614,41,'2011-09-20 15:23:19','2011-09-20 21:23:19','','Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo','Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm','inherit','open','open','','medici_painting-5','','','2011-09-20 15:23:19','2011-09-20 21:23:19','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1615,41,'2011-09-20 15:24:49','2011-09-20 21:24:49','','Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall','Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html','inherit','open','open','','med_pal_interior','','','2011-09-20 15:24:49','2011-09-20 21:24:49','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1616,41,'2011-09-20 15:26:36','2011-09-20 21:26:36','','Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo','Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html','inherit','open','open','','med_lib','','','2011-09-20 15:26:36','2011-09-20 21:26:36','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1628,41,'2011-09-20 15:59:13','2011-09-20 21:59:13','<h3><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></h3>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of rare art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                         Example of biforal (left) and Gothic triforal (right) windows                                 Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hired their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library Foyer     Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. Upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the multi-layered historical importance and, keep the building in order to and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-19','','','2011-09-20 15:59:13','2011-09-20 21:59:13','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1628',0,'revision','',0),(1623,41,'2011-09-20 15:43:33','2011-09-20 21:43:33','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                                 Example of biforal and triforal windows                                               Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-14','','','2011-09-20 15:43:33','2011-09-20 21:43:33','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1623',0,'revision','',0),(1618,41,'2011-09-20 15:36:56','2011-09-20 21:36:56','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro.<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-9','','','2011-09-20 15:36:56','2011-09-20 21:36:56','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1618',0,'revision','',0),(1617,41,'2011-09-20 15:29:12','2011-09-20 21:29:12','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong>Works-cited List:</strong></p>\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">2. <a href=\"http://alicat.austincc.edu/search%7ES1?/aPartridge%2C+Loren+W./apartridge+loren+w/-3,-1,0,B/browse\">Partridge, Loren W.</a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">3. <a href=\"http://alicat.austincc.edu/search%7ES1?/aMartines%2C+Lauro./amartines+lauro/-3,-1,0,B/browse\">Martines, Lauro.</a> <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the <strong>Medici</strong><strong> </strong>and the Renaissance <strong>Palace</strong>.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\n\n<h1></h1>\n<h1>9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.</h1>\n<h1>Website: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</h1>\n<h1>10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</h1>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-8','','','2011-09-20 15:29:12','2011-09-20 21:29:12','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1617',0,'revision','',0),(1619,41,'2011-09-20 15:37:25','2011-09-20 21:37:25','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro.<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-10','','','2011-09-20 15:37:25','2011-09-20 21:37:25','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1619',0,'revision','',0),(1620,41,'2011-09-20 15:37:40','2011-09-20 21:37:40','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro.<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-11','','','2011-09-20 15:37:40','2011-09-20 21:37:40','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1620',0,'revision','',0),(1621,41,'2011-09-20 15:40:21','2011-09-20 21:40:21','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro.<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-12','','','2011-09-20 15:40:21','2011-09-20 21:40:21','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1621',0,'revision','',0),(1622,41,'2011-09-20 15:40:24','2011-09-20 21:40:24','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                         Example of biforal and triforal windows ~ Images found:                                                http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici ~ Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall ~ Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> <strong>Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600</strong><strong> </strong></span><strong>.</strong> Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro.<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span></strong> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.</a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-13','','','2011-09-20 15:40:24','2011-09-20 21:40:24','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1622',0,'revision','',0),(1625,41,'2011-09-20 15:44:33','2011-09-20 21:44:33','<h3><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h3>\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                                 Example of biforal and triforal windows                                               Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\n\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-16','','','2011-09-20 15:44:33','2011-09-20 21:44:33','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1625',0,'revision','',0),(1624,41,'2011-09-20 15:43:52','2011-09-20 21:43:52','<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                                 Example of biforal and triforal windows                                               Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-15','','','2011-09-20 15:43:52','2011-09-20 21:43:52','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1624',0,'revision','',0),(1626,41,'2011-09-20 15:45:07','2011-09-20 21:45:07','<h3><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Citizens revolt against plans to demolish the embodiment of Renaissance Civil Architecture.</span></h3>\r\n<p align=\"left\">By Jill Brockmann<strong>,</strong> ONN Contributor, Italy, Florence -- (ONN Bureau)</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">September 19, 2011 12:05 p.m. EDT</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1604\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"290\" caption=\"The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/rosicrucianism\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1604\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_pal_exterior4.jpg\" alt=\"The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"290\" height=\"117\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Riots broke out in Tuscany\'s capital today, as the polizia tried to hold back protesters in front of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the epitome and gold standard of Renaissance Civil Architecture. Hundreds of protesters congregated in front of the strong, yet grim, exterior of the cube-shaped building that was once the most persuasive symbol of the political and cultural authority of the Medici banking family in Florence.<sup>2 </sup> Protesters believe that the building should be preserved because of its long history of provoking ardent political discourse, its owners promoted the preservation of priceless art and they shared their priceless pieces in an effort to enhance the community\'s love of the arts. The City Council is attempting to exert their power <!--more-->of emminent domain and destroy the building, replacing it with a high-rise apartment complex that would include tax-generating commercial space on the first floor. The building was built by the Italian architect and sculptor, Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396–1472) and was commissioned by the head of the Medici banking family, Cosimo de\' Medici, between the years of 1445-1460. Today, the building is known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, after Gabbriello Riccardi purchased it and expanded its footprint in 1659.<sup>1</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1609\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"198\" caption=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo  Image found: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1609\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_courtyard.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard at the Medici Palazzo\" width=\"198\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Florentine citizens are protesting the demolition of the building, which they consider the foremost example of the classic theory of magnificence, touted by Aristotle in his famed literary work, <em>Nicomachean Ethics</em>. Aristotle\'s theory held that \"men of means had a moral duty to live in magnificent palaces for the benefit of themselves, their family and society.\"<sup>2 </sup>Florentinians of today agree with this theory and see the building as an ideal model of political order, civic harmony, and pride.<sup>1</sup> At one time, the Medici Palazzo (palace) was said to be \"one of the noblest specimens of Italian fifteenth-century architecture, in which the great taste and skill of the architect has combined with the delicate lightness of earlier Italian Gothic style and with the massive stateliness of the classical style.\" <sup>2</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1606\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"482\" caption=\"                                                 Example of biforal and triforal windows                                               Images found: http://www.florence-gallery.com/monuments/  and http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/the-magnificent-palace-of-priors-in-perugia\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1606 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CompareContrast-windows1.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo (left) and Prior\'s Palace (right) window examples \" width=\"482\" height=\"151\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\"> When compared to the Prior\'s Palace, in Perugia, the Medici Palace offers many considerations of similarity and contrast.<sup> 2</sup> The Prior\'s Palace was constructed during the same time period and held fast to the custom of resting double-arch (biforal) windows on classic cornices, which echoed ecclesiastical architecture.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Medici Palazzo is designed with double-arch windows on the second and third floors. However, the rounded-arches of the windows in the Medici Palazzo deviate from the Prior\'s Palace windows in that they do not have the classic Gothic point at the top.<sup>2</sup> This rounded-style arch was first seen in a residence when Michelozzo designed the Medici Palazzo to look more secular.<sup>2</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">An additional architectural differentiation from buildings of its time, including the Prior\'s Palace, was the optical illusion created when the building is viewed from street level.<sup>2</sup> The stone surfaces from bottom-to-top change in texture from rough to smooth, and the stories are scaled from taller on the bottom level to shorter on the upper levels.<sup>2</sup> This transition of surfaces and story height creates the illusion that the structure looms even taller than it actually is. The cornice along the top of the building, projecting out six feet past the façade, serves as a type of crown for the building and its ornate moldings, coffers, rosettes and flutes further speak to the Medici\'s preoccupation with social and political status.<sup>2,4</sup></p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Spokesperson for the uprising, Leona Battista Alberti, (descendent of author Leon Battista Alberti, who penned <em>On the Art of Building in Ten Books</em>) stated that the Medici family monopolized Florentine politics and all things cultural from 1434 to 1494.<sup>5</sup>  Alberti claims that Cosimo Medici was a humanist, had amassed a large fortune, and had successfully managed to outwit his political enemies to become the <em>de facto</em> ruler of Florence.<sup>3</sup> Under his rule, Medici took advantage of the open trade routes, throughout much of the world, to bring precious objects to Florence and this enhanced honor and pride within the community. She further stated that the objects he imported  included priceless paintings, rare books, elaborate sculptures, fine tapestries, unusual plants, splendid inlaid marble floor tiles and much more.<sup>3</sup> Alberti clearly prayed that the Medici Palace remain standing as a respectful tribute to the illustrious Medici family and all of the rare treasures they brought to the Florentine citizens.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1611\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"245\" caption=\"Statue of Cosimo de&#039; Medici - Image found: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1611 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici-statue1.jpg\" alt=\"Statue of Cosimo de Medici\" width=\"245\" height=\"194\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">Opponent of the protest, Frank Pazzi, (descendant of Francesco de\' Pazzi) spoke of the political unrest that swirled around the Medici family during the time immediately before and after the construction of the Medici Palazzo. The rising wealth among the merchant class was infringing upon the authority of the Papacy and creating tension within the Church. He spoke of the fact that Medici purposefully chose the unusual design and appearance of the building\'s façade because he had just returned from exile and was conscientious about upsetting the delicate political climate of the time and arousing envy among the citizens of Florence. Pazzi\'s family had been political rivals of the Medici family in the 1400s and he noted that one of his ancestors had been hanged at the Palace.<sup>3</sup> Pazzi viewed the Palace as a place of great heartache, political unrest, and the reminded him of the social manipulation running rampant at the time. He stated that he wished the building \"had been flattened years ago.\"</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Since the Medici vs. Pazzi family rivalry ended with the Medici\'s prevailing, the construction of the Medici Palace represented a celebration or re-birth of sorts, and therefor, the building was in a brand-new style.<sup>3</sup>  According to the Curator of the present-day Medici Museum, the Medici Palace was the first private residence in Florence to have an all-stone exterior, elements such as moldings, round-headed arches, elegant wedge-shaped stones in the arches, (called \"voussoirs\") and the prominent display of the family coat-of-arms.<sup>2  </sup>The Curator further explained that although there were some characteristics of this building that were classically Roman in nature, the predominant reason to preserve this structure was that it was the first time a residence included a gracious nod to civic harmony and lower-class inclusiveness among the wealthy. For example, he stated that Medici placed stone benches, wrought-iron hitching rings for horses, and torch holders on the exterior as a means of welcoming visitors.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Perhaps the welcoming ambience of the Palace was the seed of change and now, present day architects use it in their designs. The Medici were the first to incorporate these community-related elements in to their design and nowadays nearly every building in existence has some sort of bench, railing, fountain, garden, or welcoming landscape. Saying that a building is \"inviting\" is considered a great accomplishment among commercial architects today. Is it possible that the Medici were the first example of this community-minded trend? If so, this fact alone may be reason enough to preserve the building.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1614\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"230\" caption=\"Alterpiece in the Chapel of the Medici Palazzo ~ Image found: http://hoocher.com/Agnolo_Bronzino/Agnolo_Bronzino.htm\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medici_painting4.jpg\" alt=\"Alterpiece in the chapel of The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"230\" height=\"320\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">When interviewed, present-day Florentine Architect, Phillip Brunelleschi, (descendant of architect, Filippo Brunelleschi) noted that at the time Medici Palazzo was constructed, building façades had a distinct asymmetry to the placement of the center courtyard and the doors. This created a lack of alignment between the doors and the upper windows.<sup>2</sup> He went on to speak of the misalignment of the doors and upper-story windows of the Medici Palazzo. Despite this similarity to buildings of the day, it was Brunelleschi\'s opinion that the center courtyard of Medici Palazzo is designed to \"evoke a cloister-like sacred space\"<sup>2</sup> and this tranquil element was non-existent in other palaces of that time. The Medici incorporated their own chapel within the walls of the Palace. What did having their own church say about their connection to God? Most people in Florence had to walk to church. The Medici could have simply walked into their chapel and hire their own priest. Their social and religious stature must have irritated the Church and that would have further inflamed their political standing in town.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Protest organizer, Loren Vecchio, (descendant of Cosimo Medici) advocates the preservation of the building due to the historic accomplishments of the Medici family in relation to education. Vecchio stressed that under the patronage of the Medici family, the Platonic Academy in Florence was founded in 1462. In 1480, The Medici opened the Garden of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Vecchio noted that the library of St. Lorenzo (Bibliotheca Laurenziana) made</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1616\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"190\" caption=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo - Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1616\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/med_lib.jpg\" alt=\"Laurentian Library inside The Medici Palazzo\" width=\"190\" height=\"187\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">available to the public the immense Medici collection of books and manuscripts, and that this one act proved that the Medici\'s had devoted their lives to the colossal undertaking of educating and promoting the appreciation of the arts for generations to come.<sup>4</sup></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1615\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"194\" caption=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall  Image found: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/medici_riccardi_palace.html\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1615\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Med_pal_interior.jpg\" alt=\"Medici Palazzo Ceremonial Hall\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p align=\"left\">One of the protesters, Marisa Ficino, (descendent of Marsilio Ficino), mentioned that one of her ancestors had been hired by Cosimo to translate the works of Plato into Latin and that Medici was a huge patron of the arts and literature. She commented that, according to family stories, the Medici were the first family to use their personal residences to display vast art and cultural collections.<sup>4</sup> Ficino indicated that the practice of inviting guests to visit the Palace was politically innovative at the time because guests were only shown rooms that equaled their favor with the family. Viewing the enormous collection of rare and priceless artifacts became an inducement that led guests to do the bidding of the family. Certain precious pieces were only shown to those members of society that, according to the Medici family, were worthy.<sup>4</sup> At the time, this custom created envy among some circles while delighting others. Could it be that the same practice still exists, in some form, in our society today?</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">Today, the Palace holds the offices of the Provincial Governor, the Florentine Provincial Authority, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza and the Biblioteca Moreniana. In addition, upon researching this article, the author found almost three million listings for the Medici Palazzo that were academic in nature or bespoke of its architectural prestige and dominance in the civil architecture movement of the Renaissance. In the humble opinion of this author, it appears that this extraordinary work of architecture is worth preserving and hopefully the Florence City Council will realize the historical importance and, keep the building and give the protestors what they want.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #605f00\">Works Cited List:</span></em></h2>\r\n<p align=\"left\">1. The Medici Palazzo - The Chronology. http://www.palazzo-medici.it/eng/sez_storia/medici.htm Website accessed August 26, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">2. Partridge, Loren W.<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> Art of Renaissance Florence, 1400-1600 </span>. Imprint Berkeley : University of California Press, c2009.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">3. Martinez, Lauro. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">April blood : Florence and the plot against the Medici.</span> Imprint Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">4. Neher, Gabriele. <a title=\"Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace.\" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUK2prkewpq9JnqeuUrGsuEy1lr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbCmsEyxq7BJsKqkhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPfUeac8nnls79mpNfsVbCvsVCxrrBIpNztiuvX8lXk6%2bqE8tv2jAAA&amp;hid=5\">Living it Up in Fifteenth-Century Florence: Magnificence, the Medici and the Renaissance Palace. </a><em>Art Book</em>, Feb2008, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p9-10, 2p;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">5. Matthews, T., DeWitt Platt, F., Noble, Thomas F.X., <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">The Western Humanities</span>, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2011, Seventh Edition, Volume II, p307-308; p312;</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">6.Equestrian statue of Cosimo Medici. Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/19178753@N04/5093773149/. Accessed September 8, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">7. Medici-Riccardi Palace courtyard, Florence. Italy. Website: http://www.goingthroughitaly.com/500/medici-riccardi-palace/. Accessed September 5, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">8. Laurentian Library. The Museums of Florence. Website: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Laurentian_Library.html. Accessed September 7, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">9.  Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. <a href=\"http://www.provincia.fi.it/\">Provincia di Firenze</a>. Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Today.\r\nWebsite: http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/cronologia.php#3. Accessed September 6, 2011.</p>\r\n<p align=\"left\">10. Comune di Perugia. Palazzo dei Priori. Website: http://www.comune.perugia.it. Accessed: September 16, 2011.</p>','Protest at the Palazzo','','inherit','open','open','','1593-revision-17','','','2011-09-20 15:45:07','2011-09-20 21:45:07','',1593,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=1626',0,'revision','',0);
