In 1817, during his journey through Italy, Stendhal discovered the riches of Florence. Leaving Santa Croce, he was seized by dizziness. In his journal, he wrote: “I had reached that point of emotion where the celestial sensations given by the Fine Arts meet.”

Every year, students enrolled in the Bachelor in Art Expertise and Art Trade travel to Tuscany. Under the direction of Luis Belhaouari, doctor of the Sorbonne and lead professor at IESA, they engage with Florence, Pisa and Siena. The choice of Tuscany is fully justified. The cities of Pisa and Siena bear witness to the economic success of the great merchant cities in the Middle Ages.

  • In Pisa, the cathedral complex – including the famous Leaning Tower – allows us to evoke the history of the first Christian churches in the West, when the former pagan basilicas had to be converted into churches to accommodate the many followers of the new religion.
  • In Siena, the Palazzo Pubblico recalls the pride of its magistrates: in the Hall of Peace, the Lorenzetti brothers depicted “The Effects of Good and Bad Government”, a fresco impressive for its monumentality. The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and the cathedral, one of the most sumptuous in Italy, add further to the city’s attractions.

In short, we were in Florence

In the beginning was the master and the master was Luis. The students are there, in the airport. They chirp, grow impatient, shuffle, get irritated, get excited, a bouillabaisse of feelings at the thought of leaving their dear country. (For your information, dear reader, it is France).

The class is on time, what is the teacher doing? He waits… he waits, suddenly joyful, he cries out “Luis!” It was Virginie. But all things come to those who wait, and here comes the sage, departure is near. We set out 24 and with a good strong wind, we found ourselves 24 on arriving at the airport. Pisa, last stop, everyone off, Luis takes charge, the visits begin and follow one another, no more joking around. Putting on his latest Chri(st) glasses (could he be astigmatic?), he strides toward the cathedral. The students listen to the explanations of the biblical stories in religious silence.

In 15 minutes, mass is said and the building is visited. We still have time to look at the tower, the city’s landmark monument, before returning to the bus. The outings in Florence once night fell were extremely varied geographically, each of us going off on our own, but the dark circles and pale complexions the next morning clearly showed that the activities were the same. Except Luis, who of course kept impeccable skin, a sign of a healthy (holy) sleep. The next day was essentially devoted to Florence.

Back to the churches, but if inside the Florence cathedral nothing is amiss, we are stunned by the magnificence of the place. Even the students who had been clowning around are calmed. Eight hours of visits where the mind is moved and the body moves. A few hours at the Medici’s, an opulent Italian family, and at noon six we are free. Let us close the chapter on visits to sit down at the mouthwatering subject of gastronomy. For Luis is not only a spiritual guide in churches, he is a spirited guide in restaurants. From penne all’arrabbiata to 6-cheese pizzas, including tiramisu, we were living the high life. With such arguments, Italy had us at its feet. The return was heartbreaking. The other half of the class is getting ready to go. In any case, a big thank you to our chaperones who truly gave us a magnificent trip.

In short, we were in Florence

Charles Souleau-Joffre, 1st year Bachelor in Art Expertise and Art Trade