It's hot. Like, really hot. Like third-day-in-a-row 100 degrees hot (the iPad has no degrees symbol. This annoys me.). Because of that I'm trying to use the siesta model from Spain- go out early, then rest in the heat of the day, then venture out again at night. Worked well yesterday- I went to the Medici palace early, then came home and chilled in the AC until evening, when I went back out and read on the steps of the Duomo. It as pretty awesome. I bought a copy of Vasari's Lives of the Artists and have been reading it chapter by chapter while looking at the art by the artist being explained. It's pretty awesome.
Last night was Ghiberti. I also learned that if you stand next to a piece of art with an art history book, people are going to ask you a lot of questions. Good think I like teaching. :)
Today I continued thought the early Renaissanr chapters with Paolo Uccello, Brunelleschi, and Luca Della Robbia. First up was Uccello, at the Santa Maria Novella church. His huge fresco cycle here was badly damaged in the flood of 1966 but one of the interesting features was that since the color was drained away you can see the original drawings underneath on the plaster. I also saw two of his works in the duomo, the unique clock and his picture of a statue of John Hawking. 
For Brunelleschi, I have already climbed the dome so I mostly just sat under it and read his chapter. I did visit his grave in the basement though. The poor man, buried in the gift shop.
Luca Della Robbia is a little harder to track down since most of his work is in museums but I know there are some tondos in the Piazza del'Annunziata so I got some gelato and wandered that way. It was hot sitting there. Even in the shade the stones were like frying pans. I didn't stay long, since thankfully his chapter was short. 
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