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Research, Research Travel, Students, Undergraduate Student

Architecture in the Big Apple

Parker Schlueter is a junior Mechanical Engineering major at the University of St. Thomas with an interest in architecture. Parker was awarded a Department of Art History Travel Grant to research architecture in New York City.

Everyone always says that visiting New York City at least once in your life is a must. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the city through a grant I received from the Department of Art History at St. Thomas. As one of the most influential cities in the world in the realms of culture, business, and media, New York has almost an endless number of different things to experience. Although I only had two days, my mom and I left no time wasted in our efforts to take in as much of New York as we could – we logged 17 miles of walking!

A picturesque view of Manhattan captured on my visit to the Empire State Building

In the fall of 2017, I took a course titled the History of American Architecture, taught by Dr. Victoria Young. Through a strong friendship between Dr. Young and successful American architect Bartholomew Voorsanger, I was able to listen to Mr. Voorsanger talk to our class during a question and answer session. With my current pursuit of an Engineering degree, I found Mr. Voorsanger’s explanations and descriptions of his projects and design processes very interesting. One of our assignments in this class was to write a book review on the biography of Mr. Voorsanger, UNFOLDED: How Architecture Saved my Life, and after receiving very kind feedback from Dr. Young on my review, she asked me if she could share it with Bart. I gladly said yes, and within a couple of days I received a message from Mr. Voorsanger saying that he too had enjoyed my book review, and felt that I had a bright future ahead of me. From this, I knew that I wanted to learn more about his profession, and with the help of Dr. Young I was able to set up a trip to New York to meet with Mr. Voorsanger and learn more about not only his architecture, but the architecture of the city as well.

Myself (left), Mr. Voorsanger (middle), and Mr. Dobday (right) conversing at lunch at the Garden Court Café in the Asia Society

To begin my New York adventure, flying into LaGuardia Airport was a great first experience. With this being the first time I had ever been to New York, seeing the sheer size of the metropolitan area from the airplane was breathtaking; it was nothing like I had ever seen before! Immediately following our landing, I went to the Asia Society in Midtown Manhattan for lunch with Mr. Voorsanger, Dr. Young, and a couple of Bart’s associates: Martin Stigsgaard and Louis Dobday. It was fun listening to how all of them got into architecture growing up and also which particular aspects of their profession they are most passionate about. We then got to talk about how the construction of the Bollinger Canopy of Peace at the National WWII Museum is coming along, and what the inspirations were for the design. I especially enjoyed this conversation, for it connected the fields of architecture and engineering together. After lunch was finished, Bart took us on a tour of the Asia Society building, for he was the architect of the complete redesign and renovation that took place from 1997 to 2001. Initially, I thought it would be him explaining large-scale design factors, such as “why these stairs curve like this” or “how I chose to arrange the walls in the museum.” These were topics that he covered, but I was surprised by how much more he could explain within his design of the building; the one that took me by awe was why he had chosen a deep blue glass for the material of the main stairway. He explained how the blue color was supposed to reflect the same color found in the museums most prized piece, a 15th-century porcelain flask from the Ming Period with a blue dragon painted across the main body.

The main stairway found within the Asia Society building

The rest of the evening on my first day in New York was spent with my mom walking about the city. We got to see some of the city’s most iconic places, such as Central Park, Times Square, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Rockefeller Center. The built landscape varies in so many ways in New York, which can easily be seen through the places I have just listed: Central Park really takes you out of the feeling of a big city with its serene nature and greenery, whereas Times Square does just the opposite with all of the tall buildings, bright lights, and thousands of people. You can also be brought back in time by walking into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, for its gothic styling is absolutely stunning on the inside with its high vaulted ceilings and artisanal glasswork.

The North Pool of the 9/11 Memorial

On day two of my visit, my mom and I started the day by going to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Although this was not part of the trip spent with Mr. Voorsanger and learning about the architecture of the city, I can say with certainty that it was my favorite part of New York. The 9/11 museum was the most powerful and awestriking exhibit I have ever been in. For someone who isn’t old enough to clearly remember the events that took place on that day, this museum still induced many emotions within me. After viewing this, going back outside to the two pools of where the towers used to stand was very moving. Following this, I linked back up with Dr. Young, and we met Martin, Bart, and Masayuki Sono (another one of Mr. Voorsanger’s associates) at the Rammellzee Exhibition at the Red Bull arts gallery, designed by Martin Stigsgaard. Rammellzee was a popular street artist within New York in the late 20^th century, and had very eccentric and colorful art which were influenced by his original graffiti works. The most interesting of all of his works were the “Garbage Gods” – these were massive costumes that he constructed out of various items he found in the streets of New York, which he then performed his music in. Martin gave us a full walkthrough of the exhibit, and explained completely his design process of every aspect of the space, which was a great learning experience.

One of Rammellzee’s Garbage Gods, next to the pyramidal urn that contains Rammelzee’s ashes – one of Rammelzee’s own pieces of art

To end our final day, my mom and I checked some more items off of our list of places to visit in New York. We walked the entirety of the High Line, visited the Empire State Building, and walked to look at Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building. All of these were fantastic experiences, and cool to view in a new-born architectural understanding. Altogether, this trip not only opened my eyes to one of the greatest cities in the world, but it also heightened my interest for architecture. I am excited to see where my future leads me!

Pictured from left to right: Mr. Sono and his wife, Mr. Stigsgaard, myself, Dr. Young, and Mr. Voorsanger outside of the Rammelzee Red Bull Arts Exhibit

August 16, 2018 by Parker Schlueter

Research, Research Travel, Students, Undergraduate Student

Experiencing Florence’s Architectural Identity

Benjamin Schroeder is an undergraduate Art History major and recently went on a research trip to Florence, Italy. He is a Young Scholar this summer and received additional support from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and an Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant to help make travel for his architectural-focused project possible.

July 6^th-7^th: Viaggiare a Firenze

After researching all summer, the time to come to Florence has arrived! But getting here was no simple task. My plane left MSP at 4:25 pm, and I arrived in Paris CDG airport for my connecting flight to Florence at around 7:00 am. From Paris to Florence was a much easier flight, at less than two hours, I got here right about noon. Prior to this trip, I had spoken no Italian (as I took Japanese as my language requirement), So I had to equip myself with some Italian survival phrases, which got me to my hotel. My hotel just so happens to be in the same piazza as one of my buildings I am studying, the Santa Maria Novella. Being dropped off at the Santa Maria Novella Façade, done by Leone Battista Alberti (my favorite architect), was so surreal. Pictures that I have been studying have not done it justice. Seeing it in person is just such a different experience, the grand scale of it really sets in. The proportions seem so different, when you can actually walk around the building and see it from many different angles. I couldn’t check in until 2:00 pm, so I just took the longest time admiring Santa Maria Novella, and studying all of the details that can only be offered in real life. After I settled into my room, I set out to explore the city a bit and made it to the only building of this trip that is free to go in, the Palazzo Vecchio. The Palazzo Vecchio is the most famous secular building in town, a place where the royalty would speak to the people in the piazza below from a balcony. I didn’t use a map while getting there because I felt like I knew the city well after studying it all day everyday this summer. I knew the general direction I had to go, and I ended up getting there and back to my hotel very easily. Although, up until I actually got to my destination, I felt lost (even though I wasn’t), because the way the city is set up. Florence’s medieval city layout persists today, with buildings so close and roads so narrow, it can be hard to tell where you are. But anyway, I successfully got there and was able to see the grand gothic building and the replicas of Michelangelo’s David and Donatello’s Judith Beheading Holofernes. I felt just like a Renaissance Florentine standing in the piazza. I could just imagine looking up at the balcony and seeing the town rulers speaking to the people. After heading back to the hotel, I feel like I have a real grasp for the city, and I that I am amply prepared to set out again tomorrow! Somehow, I have been up for more than 30 hours, so I can go to bed at a normal time, no jet lag! I am excited for going to the Uffizi Gallery and San Miniato al Monte tomorrow!

Palazzo Vecchio, exterior.

July 8^th: Uffizi e San Miniato al Monte

I started the day around 4:00 am today, took my time getting ready and then went up to the rooftop terrace at my hotel, which has a spectacular view of the Santa Maria Novella, and I relaxed and took some nice photos. The terrace has a great panoramic view of the city too, offering a good view of the Duomo and its campanile (bell tower), as well as San Lorenzo. Breakfast at my hotel starts at 7:00 am, so after brushing up on some Italian phrases and know-hows, I headed to eat. My Uffizi reservation was at 8:30 am, so after breakfast I left to my destination. I figured out the trick to getting to most places in Florence is to just go along the Arno river and then dive into town when appropriate. The Arno is practically the only place where you can go in a straight line, everywhere else has seemingly arbitrary turns everywhere and you can get disoriented very easily. I am studying architecture, so why go to an art gallery? The occupation as we know today as a professional architect did not exist in the 15^th century (not until the 18^th century did being an architect become a professional craft). The people who ended up making these beautiful buildings that we are familiar with today were artists and sculptors. Take the architect of the cupola (dome) at the Duomo, Brunelleschi, for example; he was a goldsmith by trade, yet being the Renaissance man he was, he had the math/engineering knowledge to be an architect. So, when yesterday I mentioned that Alberti is my favorite architect, he was actually much more than that (Alberti was actually the first Renaissance man, being an expert in a great number of things). The halls between the galleries are filled to the brim with large sculptures around the perimeter. It’s crazy to see how on some of the labels it will say that the piece was acquired by the museum many hundreds of years ago; it really makes you realize how old the establishment is. My favorite paintings were The Birth of Venus by Botticelli and Raphael’s The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist. After the Uffizi, I made my only trek south of the Arno, going to the high point of the city at the Romanesque church San Miniato al Monte. I wasn’t sure if I could go inside the church, but sure enough, the door was wide open. I was walking through the big church where there were no lights and just windows, it seemed derelict. But then I heard an organ playing, and realized a church service was just ending, I had forgot it was Sunday! After it ended, I explored the area where the service was held. Before I knew it, another service was starting, so I figured I would take advantage of my opportunity to attend a church service in Italy in a centuries old building! I don’t speak Italian, but somehow I made some Italian friends during the service. By now it was late afternoon, and I headed back to the hotel, ate and it was time for bed again already! Tomorrow I have Bargello in the morning and Santa Maria Novella in the afternoon!

Uffizi, interior.

San Miniato al Monte, exterior.

San Miniato al Monte, interior.

July 9^th: Bargello e Santa Maria Novella

4:30 am is the best time to get up when abroad, I am convinced. After breakfast, I headed out to my 8:30 am reservation at the Bargello Museum. The Bargello is known for having some of the most famous sculptures in the world, namely ones by Donatello. Unlike the Uffizi, which was very crowded at opening, the Bargello was almost empty, save for this Londoner and his family. My goal was to find Donatello’s 1440 bronze David, yet when I walked into a room and saw it I was completely taken aback. Seeing all of these great works that I have been studying for so long is like a dream. The greatest part was that I was completely alone in the room, and could go right up to the sculpture. No railing or any other obstruction, just me and the 578-year-old masterpiece. I had access to unlimited angles, giving an unparalleled experience (I see Michelangelo’s David tomorrow at the Academia and I doubt I will have this freedom of viewership). Not too far away from this bronze nude (the first nude of David since antiquity), was Donatello’s first David, which is a stark contrast with his more well-known one. This David is clothed and resembles a classical style. Hidden in the corner of the room, are two gold panels. These panels are from the 1401 competition for the commission of the panels on the east door of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the competition was to create a panel of the Sacrifice of Isaac. One was by Filippo Brunelleschi (who just so happens to be the architect of the dome at the Duomo) and the other was Lorenzo Ghiberti. This legendary competition yielded two masterpieces depicting the same thing. The story goes that the competition either ended in a tie, and that Brunelleschi withdrew because he didn’t like ties (or something), or that Ghiberti out right won. I was not expecting to see these, as David was my focus, and I was absolutely blown away and had to stare at them for a great length of time. I am not ashamed to say that I spent hours in that room, in sheer awe of what I was in the presence of. As it got closer to noon, I supposed it was time to leave. Santa Maria Novella was my next building, and I am living right next to it this week, making it the easiest place to go yet. But before I went there I had lunch and figured out where Santa Croce is (my building for Wednesday). In case I haven’t mentioned this, Santa Maria Novella’s façade is hands down architecture at its finest. I’ve already been analyzing it from the outside my entire trip, but today I got to go inside—which did not disappoint. My first objective was to find Masaccio’s Trinity, as it is one of the first (maybe the first?) to implement Brunelleschi’s one point perspective technique in painting. When I found it, I realized I totally forgot it was a fresco, it was painted straight onto the wall! This makes its architectural elements even better, tricking the observer to thinking that he/she is viewing architecture. Sta. Maria Novella has such grand Gothic pillars and arches inside, making for a massively open environment. I felt very close to God here. After sitting in the pews and enjoying the presence of God, I wandered about and realized you could explore the cloisters. The same style of the nave was translated to the cloisters, just on a smaller scale, which was great because it gave a closer look at the vaulted arches of the ceiling. One thing you’ll notice in my pictures is that the medieval tower of the church is being refurbished, and that it is comically covered with a picture of the tower itself. Nonetheless, I walked away from Sta. Maria Novella a very happy young man. I will of course continue analyzing its façade for the rest of my stay. Up tomorrow is what many visitors here would consider the two main events: 1) The Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo) and the Academia art gallery (which houses Michelangelo’s David). Can’t wait!

Me with Donatello’s David inside the Bargello.

Me at the rooftop of my hotel overlooking the Santa Maria Novella.

July 10^th: Santa Maria del Fiore—Il Duomo, e Academia

I begin my day again at 4:30 am, mornings here are wonderful. The rooftop terrace offers a great place to watch the sunrise. After seeing it everywhere I have gone this trip, it was finally time to visit the Duomo. There was an endless line, but luckily, I had reserved a tour and got to skip the queue (people gave me some nasty looks of jealousy). My tour took us inside the cathedral, and we got to go to some off-limit areas. After that, we made the ascent up the cathedral and got to go out onto the terrace just under the dome. The lady that gave the tour was awesome, she taught me so much. The tour ended on the terrace, but we had the option to go all the way up the dome onto the lantern to get the best view of the city, which of course I did. It was a great experience, I could see everywhere I had visited on the trip thus far. After spending some time up there I went back to the bottom. My ticket allowed me to go into the Baptistery of San Giovanni and the campanile (bell tower), but at this point the lines were long and I still had to get lunch before going to Academia. Fortunately, the ticket lasts for 72 hours, so on Thursday, my last day, where I do not have any reservations for anywhere, I will head up there early. Next up was the Academia Gallery, which is home to Michelangelo’s David. There’s some other really cool stuff there too, such as Michelangelo’s Pieta (not the famous one), and a lot of other sculptures, but David is definitely the center of attention. That rang true for me too, I spent I do not know how long looking at David and getting pictures of as many angles as I could along with close ups of the details. After I was done with David, I left and explored the rest of the museum, and when I finished with that I planned on getting one last glance of David and then leave. But, some time had gone by, which meant the time of day had changed, which meant the earth had rotated in a manner that changes Florence’s reception of the sun, which meant there was new lighting on David! So, I had to get all the same angles as I took before, but with this new, warmer light. Everyone is so used to seeing David front on, where he is looking to the side, but never at an angle to get a real good look at his face. Getting a photo of David’s face straight on looks so different. I’ll include a photo so you can see. After all of this, nighttime has come again, my trip is going by so fast! Tomorrow is my last reservation for somewhere, and it is the church of Santa Croce! I had already walked by it when I visited the Bargello, so I know exactly where to go!

Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), exterior.

Duomo, dome, interior.

Michelangelo’s David at the Academia.

Close up of David.

July 11^th: Santa Croce e San Lorenzo

I got up late today—5:28 am. I didn’t have time to lounge much before going to 7:00 am breakfast. Santa Croce is interesting, because like Santa Maria Novella, it is a medieval Gothic church with an eye-popping façade. The difference here is that this façade is neo-Gothic, where Sta. Maria Novella’s is Renaissance. But Santa Croce has one very important Renaissance factor—the Pazzi chapel! The Pazzi chapel is considered by some to be the greatest example of Renaissance architecture. Researching the Pazzi chapel has been slightly annoying though, because everyone has always thought it was made by Filippo Brunelleschi, the same guy that did the cupola on the Duomo. So, most scholarship that I have been reading reflects this. But one of my favorite architectural historians (second only to my advisor), Marvin Trachtenberg, has recently made the case (and it’s a compelling one) that the Pazzi chapel is not by Brunelleschi. He notes how different the Old Sacristy in San Lorenzo (which is more or less confirmed to be by Brunelleschi) is with the Pazzi chapel. This is why I am going to San Lorenzo today, so I can do some comparisons myself. I just got back to my hotel from Santa Croce this morning, and have not visited San Lorenzo yet. The battery in my camera has died, so I am hanging out while that charges. I haven’t decided yet if Brunelleschi made Pazzi chapel or not, hopefully I will have a better idea when I go to San Lorenzo. I have no reservations at San Lorenzo because they wanted my passport number online for some reason, so hopefully I can wander in there today. Anyway, I got off track a bit, back to Santa Croce. Like the other churches I have gone to, it has massive gothic pillars and arches inside. What makes this interior stand out is the people who are buried there. The main people were Dante Alighieri (The Divine Comedy), Michelangelo Buonarroti (David), and Galileo Galilei (Heliocentric model of our solar system), and Leone Battista Alberti (Santa Maria Novella façade!). They all had marvelous tombs and sculptures above their burial sites. It was weird to think that these famous figures’ bodies were so close to me. After hanging out with the dead guys, I went over to Pazzi chapel to examine it for myself. It definitely is spectacular, I’ll have to go to San Lorenzo’s Old Sacristy to see if I have an opinion on if it is by Brunelleschi.

Just got back from San Lorenzo, and I understand why these two places are compared. They are basically exactly the same! Both have rectangular plans with a dome in the center with an adjacent apse. I read an article that enumerated how these two places are different, so I will have to go back to that and see what exactly it says, as they seem so similar. So, at the moment I cannot give an opinion on if it is by Brunelleschi or not. On one hand you could argue that since they are so similar it had to have the same mind behind both of them. But on the other hand the plan could simply have been copied and have nothing to do with Brunelleschi. Either way though, Brunelleschi is involved, be it directly or indirectly. Now I am officially done with all of my reserved visits and tours, feels kind of sad I am nearing the end of my trip. But I still have one more day and I think I’ll spend the morning near the Duomo looking at the Baptistery and the campanile. Not sure what I’ll do for the afternoon yet. I intentionally left one afternoon open in case I came across anything that I felt like I needed to visit when I got here, and I have some ideas but I won’t mention any yet until I have formulated a plan. Off to dinner, see you tomorrow!

Santa Croce, exterior.

Pazzi Chapel (at Santa Croce), exterior.

Pazzi Chapel, ceiling.

San Lorenzo, Old Sacristy, ceiling.

Old Sacristy at San Lorenzo, exterior.

San Lorenzo, exterior.

San Lorenzo, façade.

July 12^th: Campanile e Baptistery di San Giovanni Battista, e Palazzo Rucellai

My last full day here, I am sad but also overjoyed that the trip has gone so well. I am heading back to Duomo’s piazza to head up the campanile to get a great view of the Duomo and the city, and also to the baptistery. In Florence you eat a lot of carbs, but you also walk a ton, so it balances out. This especially applies when going up the campanile, where there were as many steps as there are people in all of Florence. The campanile gives a perfect view of the Duomo for some great pictures. The only problem was that there was a cage around the top of the tower so it made a bad place to take pictures. Luckily there were some windows on the way up so I got some good pictures from there. It was so weird to think I was heading up in these areas that hundreds of years ago were off limits to most people. The top of the tower gives the best panoramic view of the city, and what I loved most about it was that I was there at the end of my trip, so I could point out every single place I had been! By now, I know Florence like the back of my hand, so seeing it from this view was pleasing. After staying up there for far too long, I headed down to the baptistery. The Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista lies adjacent to the Duomo, and is one of the oldest structures in the city. It is a Romanesque church (long thought to actually be a Roman church, although it is not) made between 3^rd-5^th c. CE with the present marble revetment done between 11^th-13^th c. CE. It was special being in this small, octagonal, long revered church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Most of the artwork was on the ceiling, so I spent forever looking up there and taking pictures. I forgot it was Thursday and that mas was starting, so I sat in on it! I am so lucky to have had two church services now in Italy! My favorite part about this service was that it was thirty minutes, churches back home need to take notes. By now it was noon and I went back to my room to cool off. My final building I examined was the Palazzo Rucellai, specifically its façade, done by Leone Battista Alberti (if you remember, he’s the best architect ever and did the Sta. Maria Novella façade). What made this building different than any of the others I have looked at, is that it has become completely integrated with present day society. What do I mean by that? Well while all of the other buildings I have visited have been preserved as they have been, Palazzo Rucellai had stores inside! I thought it was neat that a living area for one of the most powerful families in Florence is now a place for stores. People looked at me like I was crazy taking pictures of it, to them it was just like any of the other buildings around town. But nonetheless I took a couple million photos to log for my research. After saying goodbye to Palazzo Rucellai, I realized I was going to have to say goodbye to Florence in just a few hours. My sadness didn’t overcome me though, because I knew I had a very successful and safe trip and feel grateful for the grants that the Art History department had given me in order to come here in the first place. Now it is off to bed so I can get up early! Writing this blog has been delightful, I am so happy the department has asked me to do so.

Campanile, exterior.

Baptistery of San Giovanni, exterior.

Baptistery of San Giovanni, interior.

Baptistery of San Giovanni, interior view of dome.

Palazzo Rucellai, exterior.

July 13^th: A Casa!

My flight to Paris left at 6:35 am, which meant I had to leave at about 3:30 am and get up around 2:30 am! Fortunately, after a long day of walking in the heat I was able to force myself to sleep at around 6:00 pm the previous night, so it wasn’t so bad. The concierge man behind the counter ordered me a taxi, gave me some breakfast, and also handed me a cappuccino (my last Florentine cappuccino, a delicacy I had come to love and look forward to each morning at breakfast)! Before I knew it, taxi had arrived and it was time to go. One fifteen minute taxi ride, one two hour flight, one eight hour flight, one ten minute shuttle ride, and one four hour car ride later, I was back home! I was up for over 24 hours and was ready to sleep at a good bedtime, better luck next time jet-lag! Now that I am back home I have accumulated a wealth of information, and I am excited to start writing a final form of my paper! I am so excited to present on what I have learned, but it will have to wait until October. In the meantime, I will be writing my final paper and preparing, I cannot wait! Although I have physically left Florence, I am lucky enough to be able to mentally stay there for the rest of the summer with my research! Thanks for reading about my research trip!

July 20, 2018 by Benjamin Schroeder

Research, Research Travel, Senior Paper, Students, Undergraduate Student

Three American Cities Through Their Abandoned Railroads

Madie Ley is a senior art history major, with a minor in history, who received an Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant to help make this project possible. Madie will present her senior research paper on Friday, May 4, 2018.

The purpose of this research trip was to gain a site-specific perspective on three case studies that are part of my senior paper. My focus is on urban parks built on repurposed railroads—so-called “linear parks”—so I planned to visit the High Line in New York City, the Reading Viaduct in Philadelphia, and the 606 Trail in Chicago. As my paper also looks comparatively at the philosophy and practice of the first park designers in America, specifically that of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, it was also necessary to see two of his most popular parks: Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

I set out at each park with a series of questions to answer. How did the design of the park affect my experience on the land? How did other people respond to—or ignore—different design aspects of the park? At Central Park and Prospect Park, I kept in mind the original intentions and design of the park and compared them to how the parks were conserved today, and how Olmsted and his partners Calvert Vaux and H.W.S. Cleveland would react to the current condition of the parks, and the evolution of the surrounding urban landscape.

One of the most important findings of my research trip had to do with the intentionality of moving through each park and how physical movement affected the thoughts that arose while taking in the surrounding landscape.

Olmsted favored creating paths that meandered, turned corners and invited curiosity within a park visitor. What would be on the other side of this bend? His biggest desire with park design was to facilitate a momentary escape into wilderness that was accessible to a working-class urban resident. At Central Park, the sanctuary effect was evident. As a first-time visitor, and someone who was unfamiliar with the area, I abandoned any attempt at trying to keep track of my location within the park, which direction I wanted to go, or where I wanted to end up when I reached urban surroundings again. The curvilinear nature of each path, the diverging walkways and bridges, and the sheer size of Central Park was enough to distract me from any prior expectations of how this visit would go. This phenomenon only compounded when I reached the Ramble, a densely-forested section of the park where small, unpaved footpaths tangled further in on themselves. At times, I was taken by complete surprise with an unexpected rocky outcropping culminating in a point on a pond, or a small valley with twenty-odd birdhouses full of seed and feathered visitors.

Central Park: View of West border of the park with lake and Bow Bridge in foreground, seen from Ramble overlook.

Later that day on the High Line, I had a similar experience, though it was facilitated by vastly different design elements. The High Line is a park built on an old elevated freight line that was used to deliver goods to warehouses in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. Since the twenty-first century it has been developed into an elevated park, officially completed in 2014. It is incredibly popular to tourists and residents with a love for postindustrial, urban, and green spaces.

High Line, facing south

High Line, facing north with the Standard Hotel in background

In terms of the original purpose of urban parks—to create a sanctuary from the density of the built environment—I was certainly enveloped in a mental ‘escape’ from navigating crowded streets and subway stations, suspended ten feet above the street, but Olmsted’s manufactured ‘wilderness’ was far from view. A few plantings of trees, prairie grasses, and shrubbery honored the original wildflowers that had been photographed along the abandoned railroad bed in the 1980s and 90s before this land was developed into the park it is today. A far cry from Central Park’s great boulders and ancient oaks, I was very much still in the city, with apartments, office buildings, and construction projects surrounding me on all sides, at times as close as an arm’s length away.

However, the act of walking a single path, given the only direction is forward, effectively took care of wayfinding for me so that all my mental energy was left to taking in the environment around me. Just like Olmsted’s winding and meandering paths at Central Park eliminated any choice to determine where I would go, the minimalism of a single linear path at the High Line also removed navigation from my mental experience, leaving more space for contemplation and observation of the vertical landscapes around me. I felt similar emotions of wonder and curiosity, but the subjects of my attention were apartment balconies with an assortment of plastic furniture and bicycles, or luxury hotel rooms where one might catch a glimpse of the people who could afford such amenities.

A Railroad Artifact, 30th Street, May 2000 (Joel Sternfeld)

In Philadelphia, I visited the first phase of development along the former Reading Railroad line that goes through the northern part of Center City. The Rail Park takes advantage of a postindustrial environment similar to the High Line, with massive steel structures rising above the railroad, and a variety of elevation within the cityscape: portions of the proposed three-mile park and pedestrian transportation corridor are elevated, at street level, and underground. Much like Joel Sternfeld’s photographs that drew developers’ attention to the High Line, the urban explorer population of Philadelphia have given the Reading tunnel its five minutes of fame on Instagram and photography blogs. The Rail Park is part of a larger High Line Network of parks that echo similar design concepts, ranging from finished projects to proposals in early planning stages, located in urban spaces across North America. “Phase 1” is expected to open in July 2018.

Reading Viaduct Tunnel below Pennsylvania Avenue

My third and final destination was the 606 Trail in Chicago, opened in 2015. Built on the old Bloomingdale railroad line in the Logan Park neighborhood of Northwest Chicago, the 2.7-mile, elevated trail is mostly dedicated to bike transportation, catering to the commuter population that lives outside the city. As opposed to the High Line’s stylized, design-focused path that weaves through trees and exposed rails, the 606 trail is a paved bike path with lane markings, featuring a softer path material on each side for walkers and joggers.

Chicago’s 606 trail near North Kedzie Avenue

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When it became clear that the Industrial Revolution would quickly take hold in America and land would not be spared, early proponents of the necessity of the natural world feared the fate of urban landscapes, and scrambled to set aside space for parks. In the 1800s, growth moved horizontally across the East Coast and with the development of the railroad industry, further West until the country had been mapped and Native claims to territory had been exploited or ignored. In our current postindustrial state, urban American landscapes have grown vertically to account for the lack of greenspace on the ground. Forward-thinking landscape architects are transforming former industrial transportation corridors into veins of suspended forestry, where pedestrians escape cityscapes via elevation.

April 12, 2018 by Madie Ley

Research, Research Travel, Senior Paper, Undergraduate Student

Researching Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, Italy

Annie Vitale in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. Annie will present her senior research paper on Friday, May 4, 2018.

Annie Vitale is an undergraduate Art History major and is currently working on her senior paper. She was awarded the Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant to help make travel for this project possible.

This March I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Venice, Italy after receiving grants from both the University of St. Thomas Department of Art History and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. The purpose of my trip was to research and experience first hand the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, information which will sustain my senior research paper and will also be used to supplement the research used for my Summa Exam, which will allow me to graduate summa cum laude.

The exterior of Santa Maria della Salute

The focus of my senior thesis is the investigation of Santa Maria della Salute, a Baroque-style plague church designed by Baldassare Longhena, as not only a church but as a memorial to the Virgin Mary. Consecrated in 1632 in response to a plague epidemic that attacked Venice in 1630, the Venetians dedicated Salute to the Virgin Mary who they believed delivered their city from the plague. In my research I consider the church, its site, plan, interior and exterior elements, and function both contemporarily and historically, within the framework of memorial to the Virgin.

I had extensively researched Salute prior to my travel, however I believe a site cannot be completely understood without experiencing it in real life. The grants I received allowed me fully immerse myself in the architecture and ambiance of Salute.

The facade of Il Redentore

While in Venice I spent a great deal of time on site at Salute, taking extensive notes and countless photos (luckily Salute allows photography!) as well as sketching architectural elements of the space and its surroundings. Although I had visited Salute once before in 2012, I was able to experience it in a whole new light after researching it for the past several months. As I approached Salute I stood in awe of the theatrical facade covered in marble statues of Mary and the saints. Once I entered I continued to be amazed by the six chapels surrounding the rotunda, each housing a stunning altar decorated with a painting of scenes from the life of the Virgin. But what captivated me the most was the dramatic altarpiece, a sculpture of Mary dispelling the plague, which holds the Panagia Messopanditissa, a Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child. I was overwhelmed by all of the Marian symbolism, Longhena even designed Salute in the form of a rotunda to symbolize Mary’s womb. Observing all of these elements first hand allowed me to better comprehend how they connect both visually and symbolically to strengthen the presence of the Virgin Mary in the space.

The facade of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute

I was able to attend a Sunday morning mass at Salute, as well as an evening organ concert. It was helpful to attend these events as they provided me with the opportunity to observe the how Longhena’s design fits the function of the space. I also visited the church’s Sacristy Museum which is home to gorgeous paintings and frescoes, some by Venetian painters Titian and Tintoretto (unfortunately the museum prohibits photography).

Visiting Venice allowed me to position Salute within the broader context of the city as I analyzed several other churches and important architectural works while I was there. I visited Il Redentore, a plague church dedicated to Christ the Redeemer, situated across the canal from Salute. I also visited Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari which houses some of the most impressive paintings sculptural works I have ever seen. It was helpful for me to visit these churches, among many others, as I compared them to Salute in an effort to determine exactly what aspects of Salute allow the church to function as a memorial.

The interior rotunda of Salute

I was able to take a boat ride up the Grand Canal where I saw the impressive facades of Ca’ Pesaro and Ca’ Rezzonico, two Venetian palaces designed by Longhena. It was really neat to see these facades in person and compare them to Longhena’s facade design of Salute.

The sanctuary of Salute with the high altar of Mary dispelling the Plague

I was also able to spend a few days in Florence, experiencing the art, architecture, and culture there as well (not to mention some of the best pasta and pizza I have ever had). There I visited several churches including Santa Maria del Fiore, Orsanmichele, San Minito al Monte and Santa Maria Novella. It was interesting to observe how churches other than Salute portray the Virgin Mary and encourage devotion to her. I was particularly fascinated by Orsanmichele, which was originally built as a grain market and later converted into a church. Orsanmichele houses Bernardo Daddi’s Madonna and Child which is said to have miraculous powers, healing many during the outbreaks of the plague.

The tomb of Canova inside of Santa Maria Gloriosa

My trip to Italy was nothing less than remarkable and, in a way, makes me feel like I have come full circle, back to the place the peaked my interest in art history nearly seven years ago. In 2012 as a sophomore in high school I traveled to Venice on a school trip and Salute was the first church I visited. I distinctly remember being captivated by the theatrical facade and stunning interior. It was after this trip to Italy that I became passionately interested in pursuing art history. Returning to Salute now, as I am writing my senior paper, not only provided me with incredible material to incorporate into my research, but also reminded me why I pursued a major in art history in the first place. I am confident that my time spent in Venice will contribute greatly to the success of my projects and I am beyond grateful for the generosity from the University of St. Thomas Department of Art History and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program for making it a reality.

April 4, 2018 by Annie Vitale

Classroom, Students, Undergraduate Student

Teaching the History and Practice of Font Design

This summer I led a two-credit seminar on type design as part of St. Thomas’s Aquinas Scholars Honors Program. The underlying premise of this course was to understand type by working with it intensively. The major project was to complete an original font design, corresponding to an established historical style and suited for a particular usage related to the student’s major. Each student spent many hours with digital font-editing software, drawing and refining the whole alphabet and then some.

None of the students had previous experience with lettering nor vector-based drawing. Additionally, I know from experience that every designer’s first go at type design usually produces little to be excited about. So I was amazed that, within six weeks, these three students generated handsome, thoughtfully conceived, and well-crafted typefaces. Here they are:

“Merlin is a modern typeface great for professional documents such as data sheets and product user manuals. This typeface uses simple geometric properties
making it easy to read at small sizes.” — Heather Krech (Electrical Engineering major)

“Kamdin is a rational typeface originally conceived for legal documents and text-heavy environments. Staying within the rational style, Kamdin’s symmetrical, bracketed serifs and high contrast conveys its stringently formal tone. The construction is rational in its moderate contrast and regularity without extreme characteristics. The large counters, ball terminals, and various details—such as the leg of the “k” or tail of the “a”—give a historical touch, lending a sense of authority.” — Vic Morrison (Operations Management major)

“Named after my sister’s first name, Leilen Serif was created with the purpose of being used in formal documents in the engineering fields such as product reports, instruction manuals, and evaluation forms. However, it could be applied on any text involving small type. The design was fully inspired by the typefaces that constitute the Transitional Serif category of type. These include: Adobe Caslon, Baskerville Original, Mrs Eaves, Plantin, Arnhem, Times New Roman, and Le Monde Journal. The design of Leilen Serif includes serifs with smooth edges, proportionality between individual letters, bracketed transition from the stem to the serif, and moderate contrast between thick and thin parts in order to achieve better legibility.” — Victoria Farias (Electrical Engineering major)

August 27, 2017 by Dr. Craig Eliason

Students, Study Abroad, Undergraduate Student

A Month in London: ARTH110, January 2017

Every J-term, we offer a study abroad ARTH 110 Intro to Art History Course in London. This past January, Margaret Conley and Ben Kraemer were two of the undergraduate students who took part in the course.

The London Skyline as seen from St. Paul’s Cathedral, featuring skyscrapers called the Gherkin, the Shard, and 20 Fenchurch. All photos by the authors.

This past January we were given the amazing opportunity to study art history in one of the most historic cities in the world – London, England. Personally, this was, and still is, the most incredible and life-changing learning experience we have ever had. Our days were spent traveling around to historic sites, museums, and learning what living in the city of London feels like. Our class focused on five topics: architecture, museums and collecting, British painting, Amerindian Art, and World War II in London. London was an amazing city to study art history because modern skyscrapers stand next to buildings that have stood since the time of William the Conqueror. The city has a thriving culture where people from all over the world convene and collaborate. London has one of the best modes of transportation – The Tube. This underground metro system makes traveling across the city extremely convenient and there is no better feeling than getting off the Tube and seeing one of the amazing landmarks London has to offer, like Big Ben, when you walk up the stairs and onto the street.

Hampton Court Palace, favorite palace of King Henry VII I who split from the Roman Catholic Church and changed the face of England forever.

The first week of our time in London led us to explore the history of England and delve deeper into the architecture of the historic city. The first day began exploring the Tower of London, the earliest Norman structure built in England. The structure was like a small town because it was so expansive. You could feel the history in the buildings walls as you walked through the buildings. Impressive armor, tapestries, and carvings decorated the buildings. One of the biggest highlights was seeing the Crown Jewels. The crowns that adorned the heads of the kings and queens of England were just a few feet in front of us. Diamonds and jewels the size of your fist helped decorate the priceless objects. We toured Hampton Court Palace, the favored palace of King Henry VIII and saw the impressive architecture that dominated the Tudor era. The bricks of the building formed intricate designs on the exterior of the building and even the chimneys had extremely ornate decorations. This edifice left no doubt about the power that the royalty contained. Westminster Abbey displayed the importance of wealth in the sacred realm through its magnificent Gothic architecture and decorative arts. This incredible building contained some amazing stained glass windows and contained the tombs of England’s royalty, including Elizabeth I and her sister, Mary I.

The Virgin and Child with the Infant St. John is the only Michelangelo sculpture in Great Britain and can be found at the Royal Academy. Unfinished with chisel marks visible, it is one of the many breathtaking pieces of art we saw in London.

The numerous museums of London were also explored during our month abroad, including the British Museum, Sir John Soane Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, and National Gallery. Beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other artwork filled our days. Medieval artwork with amazing tapestries, Renaissance art, including the only Michelangelo sculpture in Great Britain, and modern artists were displayed. Seeing the brushstrokes on the works of art was incomparable to seeing images projected in a classroom.

Oxford is the world’s second oldest university.

The group took a day trip to Oxford as well. We got to see one of the oldest libraries in Europe along with the oldest building at the college. Not to mention, we got to see the library from Harry Potter along with the setting for the Yule Ball! Oxford was an amazing city and filled with rich historical figures. At every street corner, we could see something that inspired Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat, J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, or C. S. Lewis’s many theological writings. Oxford is a truly inspirational city.

2017 J-Term ARTH 110 Intro to Art History students pictured in front of the Tower of London.

The trip was not only about memorizing facts and dates. It was also about experiencing a new, vibrant culture across the Atlantic. We lived in the city of London and made connections that will last a lifetime, while learning from two great Art History professors, Dr. William Barnes and Dr. Victoria Young.

May 18, 2017 by Marria Thompson

Research Travel, Senior Paper, Students, Undergraduate Student

Cultural Heritage Protection at the Aga Khan Museum

Justine Lloyd is an undergraduate Art History major and is currently working on her senior paper. She was awarded the Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant to help make travel for this project possible.

This January, I had the opportunity to travel to Toronto with the Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant. The focus of my trip was to gather information for my senior research paper—a testament to all that I have learned as an Art History student here at the University of St. Thomas. The focus of my project is on the widespread, systematic destruction and looting of the ancient Syrian city, Dura-Europos. Because the protection of the artifacts within the city is important for both the art history field and the millions of people that have called Syria a home, I am also investigating possible solutions to the existing damage and ways to prevent further destruction. Certain information about Dura-Europos has been difficult to find, as the site is located in a conflict-stricken area and the destruction and looting has been a fairly recent occurrence. As so, the Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant allowed me to gather material in a way that was otherwise inaccessible to me.

I spent two nights in Toronto, giving me a full day to explore the Aga Khan Museum, which is dedicated to Islamic art and Muslim culture. Its current exhibit, Syria: A Living History, contains several works of art and cultural artifacts that are similar to those being destroyed in Dura-Europos, including floor mosaics, temple reliefs, eye idol figurines, and stele. For the first time, I was able to see Syrian art outside of a textbook or journal article. I took part in a guided tour of the exhibit and spent some time browsing on my own, and can say without a doubt that it was one of the most striking exhibition layouts I have ever seen. The high ceilings, dim lighting and dark-colored walls were both dramatic and intriguing. This exhibit has been so popular that the Aga Khan decided to extend its showing from February to March.

Stele with Depiction of a Prayer
Tell Halaf, Syria, 10th–9th centuries BCE
Basalt, carved
© Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Vorderasiatisches Museum,
Photo: Olaf M. Teßmer.

The most valuable part of my time in Toronto was meeting with a curator of the Aga Khan, ‪Dr. Filiz Cakir Phillip. As someone who was involved closely with the exhibition, Dr. Phillip was able to further my knowledge in Syrian art and aid in forming my case study of Dura-Europos. We discussed the transitional process of artifacts from archaeological sites to museums, which is relevant in discourse related to cultural preservation of at-risk sites. Dr. Phillip was also well versed in Syrian Antiquity Law, which was information I was having difficulty finding in English.

I am confidant that the information and resources I gained in Toronto will contribute to my development of a strong senior paper. I am so grateful to have received the Art History Department Undergraduate Research Grant which made this entire experience possible.

April 4, 2017 by Marria Thompson

Classroom, Faculty, Students, Undergraduate Student

Exquisite Corpses in the Classroom

Dr. Craig Eliason, Associate Professor of Art History, is teaching a course on Modernism in European Art this fall semester.

Participants in the Surrealist movement, which thrived in Western Europe between the World Wars, saw the creative potential in unexpected juxtapositions and the laws of chance. A favorite activity of the Surrealists was the playful activity of building a “cadavre exquis.”* In this game, paper is folded in sections and artists take turns drawing parts of a body (or whatever their creative impulses dictate) on the resulting sections of the paper without looking at what others have drawn in the adjoining sections. Only after all have added to the drawing is it unfolded to reveal the “exquisite corpse” they’ve collectively made.

Recently in my ARTH356 Modernism in European Art course, we made our own exquisite corpses, examples of which you see here.

One thing that struck us was how motifs appeared on multiple sections of the same drawing purely by chance.

By participating in creating these monstrous creatures, the class gained new insight into the theories of creativity put forward by Surrealists almost a century ago.

* https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/max-ernst-levade-the-fugitive

December 6, 2016 by Marria Thompson

Students, Undergraduate Student

Interning at Mia

Annie Vitale is an undergraduate Art History major who had the opportunity to intern at the Minneapolis Institute of Art this past summer.

This past summer I had the wonderful opportunity to intern at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in the Learning Innovation department. I worked specifically with the Art Adventure program, a program that encourages children in grades K-6 to think critically and express creativity through the in depth exploration of artworks in Mia’s impressive collection.

Some of the highlights of my internship included meeting Kaywin Feldman the director and president of Mia, planning Art Adventure events such as the Coordinators coffee, making and designing props for the Art Adventure program, touring the Purcell-Cuts house, and just being in the museum environment in general.

During my internship the special exhibition “Seeing Nature” was on display at Mia. These 39 stunning landscapes proved to be my favorite museum exhibition of all time. I thoroughly enjoyed meandering through the galleries on my lunch breaks and admiring the captivating depictions of nature.

My experience interning at Mia was nothing less than amazing. The people I had the privilege of working with were wonderful: always willing to lend a helping hand, a listening ear, or sit down and talk about their careers over a great cup of coffee at Agriculture, the museum’s café. The environment was professional and productive yet fun and exciting. Each and every employee’s passion for their job was evident in their work and overall demeanor, which inspired me to always complete my work to the best of my abilities.

Working at a museum has made me fall in love with art even more and has solidified my decision to major in Art History. I would highly recommend a museum internship to anyone considering an art major, appreciates art, or has an interest in learning more about art and the inner workings of museums. Trust me, this is an experience you don’t want to miss.

October 19, 2016 by Marria Thompson

Students, Undergraduate Student

Archaeological Field School 2016

Justine Lloyd is an undergraduate Art History major who had the opportunity to take part in an Archaeological Field School this past summer in Spain.

At the base of the Pyrenees in Santa Linya, Spain, a rock shelter known as Cova Gran has been the focus of researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona since its discovery in 2002. The fascination with the site is due to the extensive evidence of both Neanderthal and human occupation as early as 50,000 years ago and into the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Each summer, a team of researchers, accompanied by undergraduate students from the United States, travel to rural Catalonia to excavate the site. As a visiting student from the University of St. Thomas, I had the opportunity to contribute to the 2016 excavation season.

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The foremost goal at Cova Gran was to learn about the behavior of Neanderthals and humans. Past years of the excavation have focused on mapping the transition between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens by identifying the differing sedimentary levels of the Mesolithic and Neolithic ages. Our job was to attempt to understand the histories of populations on the site in the last 150,000 years, and the trends in cultural change by uncovering and analyzing the materials found. The majority of our findings were either animal bone fragments or small tools knapped from flint or quartzite. Each action we took in the excavation was aimed at being as careful and efficient as possible. Fortunately, we had the help of some pretty cool instruments, like the Total Station, which uses a virtual grid for spatial reconstruction, and the Personal Digital Assistants, which interpret contextual information about the artifacts on site. Fancy names aside, the work mostly consisted of digging, brushing, and picking through layer after layer of dirt.

Each morning was spent working in a lab cleaning, analyzing, and recording the artifacts on a database. We used a computer program that combined the information we gathered from the Total Station and Personal Digital Assistants on site with information about the specific artifacts offsite to illustrate trends and patterns within the sedimentary layers. Essentially, we were finding out what different areas of the cave were used for and the years in which they were or were not inhabited. It was so rewarding to be able to combine physical labor and research to yield such fascinating results in the insight we gained into the differences in evolutionary behavior among the cave’s past residents.

As the only art history major among nine anthropology students, I was very suddenly and completely immersed in a field I had little experience in. However, any feelings of stress were overpowered by my fascination with our findings. I learned so much in such a short period of time—being able to work hands-on at the cave and take part in lab work gave me an understanding of the material that I could never have attained elsewhere. I benefited so much from my peers and their knowledge in the subject, and by the second week I had the confidence that they learned from me as well. The concept of understanding the past to improve the future is important regardless of scholastic discipline, especially with the current state of the environment. Working at Cova Gran has given me a larger landscape of understanding the world at large—both past, present, and future. I am also grateful to have had the opportunity to be so immersed in the culture of Catalonia. The academic and personal skills I have learned on this trip are invaluable.

October 14, 2016 by Marria Thompson

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