News From Donatello to David: History of Art students explore the heart of the Renaissance 24.04.2025

Over the Easter break, Lower and Upper Sixth History of Art students embarked on a five-day trip to Florence to enrich their study of the Italian Renaissance. The group immersed themselves in the cultural and artistic landscape of fifteenth-century Florence, retracing the footsteps of Donatello and Leonardo through the city’s historic streets and churches.

Highlights included a visit to the private chapel of the Medici family, and a climb inside the dome of Florence Cathedral, where students marvelled at Brunelleschi’s ingenious engineering — 600-year-old herringbone brickwork and iron chains that still support the largest masonry dome in the world.

Students encountered some of the most iconic masterpieces of European art history: Ghiberti’s ‘Gates of Paradise’ on the Baptistery, Botticelli’s ‘Primavera’ and ‘The Birth of Venus’ in the Uffizi Gallery, and Michelangelo’s towering sculpture of ‘David’. A private tour of a sculptor’s workshop added a hands-on element to the experience, as artist Jason Arkles demonstrated traditional carving techniques and gave students the chance to try their hand at chiselling marble.

The trip concluded with a walk to the hilltop church of San Miniato, where students listened to evening Gregorian chant while overlooking breathtaking views of the city. With superb local food enjoyed daily and full engagement with Florence’s art and atmosphere, students made the very most of this unforgettable journey.