The Uffizi art gallery: Tuesday, 4:30 PM

'm in the Uffizi's Sala del Botticelli, surrounded by no less than 18 of Botticelli's greatest works, including, most famously, The Birth of Venus and the Primavera. The latter are both behind a clear sheet of protective plastic, which reduces their effect somewhat. (Not only do you have to deal with reflections from the skylights, but the pictures seem a little less real, as though they were being seen on TV.)

Like just about everything else in Florence, you have to deal with huge throngs to get at the most famous pictures. (And the constant "No flash!" admonishments of the attendant are distracting as well.) Still, the stunning beauty of this art is more than enough to overcome these annoyances. I found myself both fascinated and transported by the face—and particularly the eyes—of Venus in The Birth of Venus (see the picture on the left).

However, all of these paintings have such rich and sumptuous colors, that they can only be appreciated with a live viewing. I'm glad I'm here.

Florentine Notebook	Jet Lag!	Florence: City of Contradictions

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