(22) Dostoevsky's days in Florence - places associated with him and his favorite art!

(22) Dostoevsky's days in Florence: places associated with him and his favorite Raphael work, "Madonna in a Small Chair"!

Finally, this trip enters Italy and the second half of the trip is underway. After a short stay in Milan, Dostoevsky will head to Florence. This is the city where he and his wife stayed the longest in Italy. Dostoevsky had visited this city once before and was deeply attracted by its art. Now, as usual, let's listen to what Mrs. Anna has to say.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky from Milan to Florence

In the fall of 1868, Milan was rainy and cold, and my husband could not go for walks (even though he loved walking so much). There were no Russian-language newspapers or books in the reading room, and my husband was terribly sad that he could not get news from his home country in the newspaper. So, after two months in Milan, they decided to move to Florence for the winter. My husband had been there before and had unforgettable memories, especially of the works of art.

Thus, at the end of November 1868, they moved to Florence, then the capital of Italy, and settled near the Pitti Palace. The change of location also had a positive effect on her husband, who took her to see temples, museums, and palaces. I remember my husband marveling at the cathedral church of Santa Maria del Fiore and its small chapel where he usually came to have his children baptized. He was fascinated by the bronze doors (especially the one in Paradise) of the famous work by Ghiberti, and would often stop to admire them as he passed by the small chapel. He said that if he ever became rich, he would buy a full-size photograph of this door, if possible, and display it in his study for his enjoyment.

We often visited the Palazzo Pitti, where my husband admired Raphael's Madonna in a Little Chair. Another Raphael painting, "John the Baptist in the Wilderness" in the Wifizi Gallery, fascinated him and he always stood in front of it for a long time. Whenever I visited this gallery, I always went to see the famous Greek sculptor Cleomenes' "Venus de' Medici" in the same building.

Misuzu Shobo, Anna Dostoevskaya, translated by Hiroshi MatsushitaDostoevsky in Recollection."p201

Florence is also known for its cathedral, the Duomo. Dostoevsky and his wife enjoyed the beauty of this city of art. We will take a closer look at this city later.

Dostoevsky reading Voltaire in Florence - connection to his later "The Brothers Karamazov".

What was most delightful was that Florence had a wonderful library and reading room with two Russian newspapers, which my husband went to read every day after dinner. My husband, who spoke French freely, borrowed books from there and spent the whole winter at home reading the works of Voltaire and Diderot.

Misuzu Shobo, Anna Dostoevskaya, translated by Hiroshi MatsushitaDostoevsky in Recollection."p202

Although this passage is written in a simple manner, it is actually very significant in Dostoevsky's life as a writer.

In Motylski's "Critical Biography of Dostoevsky," this is described as follows.

Voltaire's "Candide," with its wry mockery of the optimism of Pangloss (Dr. Chuan Chuan, the teacher of Candide, the protagonist of Voltaire's "Candide"), supported Dostoevsky in his struggle against utopianism. His "Rebels" are up in arms against the reason and justice of world history, but in their criticism we hear echoes of Voltaire's satire. A year before he wrote "The Brothers Karamazov," Dostoevsky wrote in his creative notebook. Memento. To write a Russian "Candide" in my lifetime" (December 24, 1877). In Ivan Karamazov's philosophy, the Russian Voltairean philosophy is perfected.

Chikuma Shobo, Konstantin Motulisky, translated by Hiroshi Matsushita and Kyoko MatsushitaA Critical Biography of Dostoevsky.P418

Voltaire's told here.Candide."is Dostoevsky'sThe Brothers Karamazov.had a tremendous impact on the

I will not discuss the content of their ideas here, but if you read both of these works, you will clearly sense the connection between them. Writing a Russian "Candide" means writing "a journey in search of what is goodness and salvation. If you are interested, please refer to the article on "Candide" above.

In any case, Dostoevsky's experience here in Florence is closely related to the base of his ideas in his last great work, The Brothers Karamazov. I would like to emphasize this very much.

Mrs. Anna's second child pregnancy

The next year, 1869, brought happiness. We knew that God had blessed our marriage and that we would be blessed with another child. Our joy was so great that my husband treated me with the same care as he had treated me during my first pregnancy. Our joy was so great that my husband, who had just recently left the country, was able to take the Count TolstoyWar and PeaceWhen I read the book, I even hid the volume containing the scene in which the Duchess Andrei Bolkonsky gives birth and dies from my view. I was afraid that the death scene would be too stimulating for me to bear. I even searched for the missing volume and accused my husband of losing an interesting book. He made various excuses and said that the book would turn up, but as soon as the baby was born, he returned it to me. In a letter to Strahov (August 26, 1869, the 14th day of the Russian calendar), in anticipation of the birth, my husband wrote: "I am excited, afraid, hopeful, and anxious. We are waiting with excitement, fear, hope, and anxiety. We were hoping for a girl again. And since we were already in love with her in our imaginations, we had already decided on the name Lubovy (meaning "love"), even though neither of our families had such a name.

The doctor had told me to take more walks, so we walked together every day in the Boboli Gardens (the gardens surrounding the Pitti Palace), where the roses were in bloom even though it was January. We would sit in the sun and talk about our future happiness.

Misuzu Shobo, Anna Dostoevskaya, translated by Hiroshi MatsushitaDostoevsky in Recollection."p202-203

The grief of Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky over the loss of their beloved daughter in Geneva was too great.

But at long last, the two were given some heart-warming news.

Immediately after the death of his beloved daughter, Dostoevsky was so exhausted that he even said, "I will never see her again. Even if we have another child, I don't know if I will be able to love her." The news of the birth of his second child seemed to have made him happy from the bottom of his heart.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky have had a very difficult time so far. But here in Florence, they are finally beginning to show signs of recovery.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky laughing at themselves as "Mr. and Mrs. Micawber

In 1869, the economy was still in a very bad state and they had to continue living in poverty. Her husband had promised to write "Moron" and received 150 rubles for each sheet of printed paper, which amounted to about 7,000 rubles. Of this amount, 3,000 rubles were received as wedding money before leaving for a foreign country. The remaining 4,000 rubles had to be used to pay interest on things we had pawned in Petersburg and often to take care of my son-in-law's and brother-in-law's families. But despite this poverty, we did not complain, and sometimes we did not care. My husband called himself Mr. Micawber and I Mrs. Micawber (like the poor optimists in Dickens' "David Copperfield"). We were getting along so well, and with our newfound happiness about to arrive, it seemed as if everything was going to be all right. However, another worry loomed. During the two years that had passed, he had become more and more clueless about Russian affairs, and this began to trouble him greatly. In a letter dated March 8, 1869, he wrote to his niece, Sofia Humilova, informing her of his novel "Atheism," which he was thinking of writing. 'I cannot write that here. For that, it is absolutely necessary to be in Russia, to see, hear, and be directly involved in Russian life. ...... Since I do not have the necessary material here, that is, the Russian reality and the Russian people [to give me ideas], I have lost even the possibility of writing. But what was missing was the Russian people. But it was not only the Russian people that were missing, but the people themselves. In Florence, he did not have a single acquaintance with whom he could talk, discuss, joke, or express his thoughts. I was surrounded by strangers, sometimes even antagonists, and sometimes it was almost unbearable to be so far away from people. I remember thinking at the time that people living so completely isolated and solitary would end up either hating each other or, conversely, living out the rest of their lives in a tightly knit relationship. Fortunately, in our case, it was the latter. The solitary life we were forced to lead brought us closer together and made us more compatible.

Misuzu Shobo, Anna Dostoevskaya, translated by Hiroshi MatsushitaDostoevsky in Recollection."p203-204

Dostoevsky compared themselves to Mr. and Mrs. Micawber and lived optimistically. This is very interesting.

David Copperfield."is also an autobiographical novel by Dickens, and the character of Mr. Micawber, to whom Dostoevsky compared himself, actually has a model.

It was, to my surprise, Dickens' own father.

Since we're at it, let's take a look at the commentary at the end of "David Copperfield.

I mentioned above that my father John was a junior clerk in the Navy's accounting department. My father, however, was a good man, but he was very easy-going, especially when it came to money, and he was strangely proud of his position. Therefore, although he was not necessarily poorly paid, he always lived in poverty and struggled with debts. In the end, at the age of 12, Dickens was unable to make ends meet and was sent to a debtor's prison in London. The most colorful character in the film is undoubtedly Mista Micawber, the model for the other Mista Micawber.

Shincho Bunko, translated by Yoshio Nakano, David Copperfield㈠, p475-476.

Thus, Dickens created Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, modeled on his father, who was a slow, easygoing, and down-to-earth good-natured man with no money.

Let me now list a few memorable scenes of Mr. and Mrs. Micawber. You will see here what made Dostoevsky laugh at them as Mr. and Mrs. Micawber.

Mr. Micawber's poverty had finally come to a standstill, and one day he was caught early in the morning and taken to the debtors' detention center in Bala Ward. When he left home, he murmured to me that the Way of Heaven was not my fault, and I was saddened, as he must have been. However, I later heard that he was already playing the nine-pillar game in the afternoon.

Shincho Bunko, translated by Yoshio Nakano, David Copperfield㈠, p. 349.

Here we see an optimist who was lamenting his imprisonment for debt in the morning, and then in the afternoon he indulges in a carefree game.

Also, the following is a quote from an exchange when a lawsuit to repay a debt was successfully settled and it was almost decided that she would be released from incarceration. This is the scene where Mrs. Micawber becomes mentally unstable because she is so worried about her husband. It is a bit long, but it is a part that shows the atmosphere of the two women well, so we will take a closer look at it.

"Well...(one's) masterhuman (Homo sapiens)I can't throw away a house. I heard that my husband hid the fact that he was in trouble from me in the beginning. Anyway, he was an easygoing optimist, so I guess he thought he could get over it somehow. She gave away her mother's pearl necklace and bracelet at half their market value, and even sold off a set of coral pearls given to her by her father on her wedding day for the same price. Even so, how could I abandon my husband? Yes, I would. Yes, I would," she exclaimed, getting more and more excited. I would never do such a thing, no matter how much he asked me to do it! No matter how much you ask me, I can't do such a thing!

　I was more than a little miffed at this - he said it as if I had asked him to do such a thing - and I looked on, mortified.

I don't deny that my husband is at fault, too. I don't deny that he is a man who has no idea what is going on in his life, and that he never informed me about his property or his debts. But even so, I can't abandon my husband!

　By then, I was all but screeching. Startled, I darted toward the club room. Mr. Micawber sat at the long table hosting the meeting,

　　Yes, how about you, pony?

　　Yes, how about you, pony?

　　Yes, how about you, pony?

　　Yes, how, shh, shh!

　He was just about to start a cheerful chorus, but I restrained him for the moment and told him about his wife's unusual condition. Immediately, he burst into tears and came running out with me with the heads and tails of small shrimps he had been eating stuck to his vest.

Emma, my angel! What is wrong with you? he yelled as he rushed into the room.

Hey, Micawber, I would never abandon you."

Oh, precious Emma, I know exactly what you mean," he says, taking his wife in both arms.

He is the father of these children! He is the parent of these twins. My dear, dear husband," Mrs. Micawber exclaimed, writhing in agony.

How could I ever - ever - abandon this master?"

　Mr. Micawber, who was completely moved by this confession of deep affection (come to think of it, I was also in tears), hugged her from above and told her to look up and calm down, as if pleading with her to do so. But the more I told her to look up, the more she stared into the void, and the more I told her to calm down, the more excited she became. Finally, Mr. Micawber became so overwhelmed that he joined us and began to cry.

Shincho Bunko, translated by Yoshio Nakano, David Copperfield㈠, p360-363.

This scene clearly shows how much Mrs. Micawber loves her husband despite the poverty, and how optimistic and good Mr. Micawber is. The scene also shows how much Mrs. Micawber loves her husband despite their poverty, and how optimistic and good Mr. Micawber is.

Indeed, those of you who have seen Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky in the past cannot help but think, "Indeed, this is just like Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky.

A devoted wife, and a husband who is worthless and stumpy. But at heart, he is a good man and loves his wife. And here in Florence, he is beginning to recover from his heartache and his innate sense of humor has returned.

The Dostoevskys were poor, but they may have borrowed from Dickens' humor to get through this difficult situation.

Even in the midst of poverty, Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, as portrayed by Dickens, never lose their cheerfulness and humor. In particular, Mr. Micawber's optimism and humor are outstanding.

Although she may not have had the ability to make a living, Mrs. Micawber continued to love her husband nonetheless.

Dostoevsky may have been trying to be pleasant without being gloomy by comparing himself to such a Mr. Micawber. And he may have called her Mrs. Micawber to express his gratitude to Mrs. Anna, who continued to love Dostoevsky without giving up on him.

Finally, this trip is starting to make me smile. We are now ready to see the city of Florence.

Florence, the City of Flowers and the Duomo

We arrived at Florence station. From the platform of the station, we can already see the roof of the Duomo. Expectations are high.

This is the famous Duomo of Florence, but it doesn't fit in the picture! But what a beautiful church! It looks different from all the churches I have seen so far. The colors, the patterns, the shapes, they are all unique. This is Florence!

The Duomo as seen from Piazzale Michelangelo, which commands a panoramic view of the city of Florence. Whether seen from close up or from afar, its presence is overwhelming.

Walking along the Arno River on the way back from Piazzale Michelangelo on top of the hill. Everywhere I walk in this city is so beautiful that it gives me goose bumps. This is a little more than I imagined. The light reflected in the rippling waves of the river was like Monet's "Sunrise. This is wonderful!

And I think. I still like rivers. I also like cities with good rivers. My favorite cities, Prague and Kyoto, also have rivers. Florence will be one of them.

Ponte Vecchio is one of the most famous spots in Florence. Although it looks like a bridge from the river, it does not look like a bridge when you actually walk along it. As Florence is famous for its metalwork, there were many stores selling precious metals.

This is the baptistery in front of the Duomo. Ghiberti's Gates of Heaven are installed here. The one outside is a copy, and the original is on display in the Duomo museum. The rightmost photo is the original.

We do not know if Dostoevsky liked this work so much that he said, "When I become rich, I want to hang a full-size picture of it in my house," as if it were a Micawber-esque joke. But it must be significant that Dostoevsky was fascinated by this goldwork engraving of a biblical story.

Duomo at night. The moon had just appeared among the clouds, and I quickly took a shot of it.

Nevertheless, this architectural style of Florence is astonishing. Perhaps because the stones used in Florence are different from those used in Rome, the colors are completely different from those of Roman architecture. And the unique pattern is even more striking. Rome has a strong religious flavor, while Florence pursues pure beauty. Rome is a religious city and Florence is an economic city. The difference between the two may be larger than one might think.

When you think about it, there is something rational about this Duomo. It does not boast of flamboyant decorations or opulence. It is not an institution that tells of the splendor of kings or the greatness of divine miracles. The Duomo was built by a council of merchants. I realized that there is a big difference between the two.

It gives the impression that the artist sought good taste and good taste rather than opulence and splendor.

This is the spirit of a merchant.

Well, there are many reasonable and tasteful churches in Rome as well, so it is difficult to generalize, but I felt that there was clearly something different about the symbolism of Florence. The word "Italy" in one word means the unification of Italy as a "nation" in the latter half of the 19th century. Until then, each of them was an independent nation. Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice are all different countries. Their cultures, thoughts, and tastes are naturally different. It is interesting that each city in Italy has a completely different atmosphere.

Visit the Uffizi Gallery, the face of Florence

The center of Florence is so beautiful that you will be astonished wherever you walk. There is something on a different scale. Walking around Florence for the first time gave me goosebumps. I can hardly remember the last time I had such goosebumps. I just kept sighing and saying, "Wow....

When I first visited here, I was surprised that this building was a museum. If it were not for the sign, I might have walked past it. Now it is time to enter the Uffizi Gallery.

I entered and came up the stairs. Then, I was suddenly confronted with a startling sight.

This corridor itself is just like a painting.

By the way, I reserved a table for the first time in the morning so that I could enjoy the Uffizi Gallery without so many people. I strongly recommend making a reservation first thing in the morning, as the crowds will be huge within 30 minutes from here.

The area immediately after entering this museum is dominated by medieval works.

From there, it leads to a room with works by Piero de Francesca, a representative of the early Renaissance.

The museum is fortunate in that, if you follow the route, you will be able to see the flow from medieval paintings to the early Renaissance to the High Renaissance. It is easy to see at a glance how the style of painting changed as it progressed through the ages. I was impressed by this exhibition style.

And finally, Botticelli makes his appearance. This is the man you think of when you think of the Renaissance!

These works, known to everyone, are on display at the Uffizi Gallery.

However, I was not attracted to Botticelli's masterpieces, but to the following paintings displayed in the same room.

In particular, it is Maria who is depicted here. I could not take my eyes off of her...!

There is something different about Botticelli's paintings. In fact, I had seen Botticelli's paintings at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt before coming to Italy.

I had a dim feeling even then, but it became clear when I saw that painting by Uffizi. Yes, if you say so.power of the facepower of observationBotticelli's work is a perfect example of what I mean when I say that "the music of the world" is a "good music".

Simply put, his face is strong. I feel something so solid in his paintings that I cannot imagine any other expression.

I don't know much more about it than this. But I was intensely attracted to this Maria. You could call it fascination. Even though I left the room with the image firmly burned into my eyes, saying, "Okay, this is the last one," I kept coming back to the room to admire the painting. And so it goes again and again. I visited the Uffizi for two days in a row, and I repeated this cycle almost ten times. I couldn't help but laugh to myself at how much I loved this painting.

And here is the room where Cleomenes' work, "Venus de Medici," which was often visited by Dostoevsky and his wife, is exhibited. Since we are not allowed to enter the room, we can only view it from outside.

What a sophisticated arrangement...Florence's aesthetic sense!

Until the "Venus de Milo," now in the Louvre, was unearthed, this was the more famous Venus. This statue was regarded as the ultimate in feminine beauty. Hmmm.......but my personal best sculptural beauty is still "Nike of Samothrace".

Well, it is natural that people's sense of aesthetics at that time and I, who live in modern Japan, have different senses of beauty, and moreover, each of us has different tastes. This is just "my taste. It is absurd to argue which one is better than the other. However, I am curious to know what Dostoevsky would have thought when he saw this Venus.

And Raphael's "John the Baptist in the Wilderness," which Dostoevsky said he liked, was between Michelangelo's painting and Raphael's "The Virgin of Hiwa.

Frankly, when I first saw this painting, I wondered why Dostoevsky liked it and not the others. There is also Raphael's famous "Madonna of the Hiwa" next to it. Nevertheless, Dostoevsky liked this painting very much. Hmmm, I wonder why...

As I watched it carefully, I suddenly realized that I could not take my eyes off this picture. I found myself unable to take my eyes off this picture...

Some things do not convey their charms just by looking at them quickly. Others are of the type that only when you look at them slowly and intently do you begin to get a sense of their appeal. This picture is probably the latter.

As I watched the entire exhibition carefully, I suddenly wondered about something.

In this painting, the light source appears to be the cross in the upper left corner, but it appears to be behind the body. However, compositionally, the line from the cross to John runs in a straight line, which is very pleasing. I don't understand this light source problem whether I see it or not. Is it an optical illusion of my eyes? Am I thinking too much? Is the cross simply before John? However, as I watched the picture carefully while thinking about such things, I gradually began to understand why Dostoevsky was attracted to this picture.

Staring at this painting, John seems to emerge from the darkness. Then there is "slanting light," a favorite of Dostoevsky. In Dostoevsky's works, "slanting light" appears many times in important scenes. For Dostoevsky, the rays of light coming into the darkness are the light of salvation. The contrast between darkness and light must have a significant meaning for him. Dostoevsky's fondness for Rembrandt, "the master of light and darkness," is also a part of this story. In this light, "John the Baptist in the Wilderness" also seems to be Rembrandt-like.

The Uffizi Gallery also has a wide range of other masterpieces on display, too many to mention here.

One last thing, however, is that Leonardo da Vinci was the assistant for "The Baptism of Christ" in the upper left corner, and is credited with painting the angel and background in the lower left corner.

Indeed, when one actually sees the painting, one can only be amazed at the difference in technique. There is even a legend that the master who painted this picture broke his brush afterwards because of da Vinci's amazing skill. This legend seems to be a creation of later generations, but I felt sorry for him because it would have been natural for him to do so if he had been shown something like this. Da Vinci must have been a great man.

To be honest, I did not have such high expectations for the Uffizi Gallery until I came to Florence. I was so focused on Raphael's "Madonna in a Small Chair" in Palazzo Pitti, which Dostoevsky loved, that my mind did not even wander to the Uffizi Gallery.

But what do you think? The Uffizi Gallery was 30 times better than I had imagined. No wonder this museum is one of the top museums in the world. I would definitely like to visit this place again. And I would love to see Maria again...!

Raphael's "Madonna in a Small Chair" at the Pitti Palace, a favorite of Dostoevsky.

After visiting the Uffizi Gallery, I headed to Palazzo Pitti, where Raphael's "Madonna in a Small Chair" is housed.

Palazzo Pitti is across the Arno River from the Duomo.

This is indeed the pride of Florence. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the interior of the palace and admire the sculptures and paintings lined up in a narrow space. Compared to the Uffizi Gallery, the Uffizi Gallery is much more spacious, and it is nice to be able to view it in a relaxing atmosphere.

Now, we have come to the room with Raphael's "Madonna of the Little Chair".

When I saw the picture hanging languidly on the wall of the room, I did a double-take. What? It could be displayed so easily! I thought.

It is too careless, too unprotected. This surprised me...

This is "The Virgin of the Little Chair," which Dostoevsky also loved.

However, I did not have a strong impression of this picture at first. I just thought, "Oh, I see, this is the painting....

However, a little later, as I kept looking at it with the idea in my mind that Dostoevsky had fallen in love with this picture, I was gradually drawn into it. In fact, I was already captivated. I couldn't take my eyes off it. I realized that more than 10 minutes had passed. Then, as usual, I walked around the area to reset myself, and stood in front of the painting once again.

Then I realized many things.

First, this Virgin. The mother's gesture of compassion is strong.

Just across from this painting, also on display, is Raphael's Madonna and Child. It is easy to understand if you compare it with this one.

Mary across the way is just holding Jesus. Moreover, she looks down and is in a meditative mood. The infant Jesus also looks somewhat enlightened.

But Mary here is clearly caring for and protecting the infant Jesus. And Jesus, too, looks anxious and surrenders himself to Mary. This is a surprisingly rare composition. There are probably few paintings in which the love of the mother Mary can be felt so straightforwardly. At least, I have no memory of such a painting. Dostoevsky, who lost his mother early in life, may have projected the image of his tender mother here.

And this painting has a wonderful frame. The circular picture and the square gold frame are well balanced. The fact that the background is completely black has an extremely significant effect. If you stare at this painting for a while, you will feel as if Mary were really there. The black color gives a sense of infinite depth. And then, Maria emerges from the blackness. The round outline of the painting makes us feel as if there really is a space there. In particular, the black space under the chin of Jesus plays the role of the center point. There is infinity behind this space. I even feel that Mary is moving as if she is jumping out of the infinite darkness toward us. There is a difference between seeing an image and actually seeing the original in front of your eyes.

Ahhh... what a wonderful picture. I am now completely captivated by Maria.

I was shot through with Botticelli's Maria, but I can't resist this Maria either. What a cheater I am!

I was truly entranced by this gentle figure of Mary. I can see why Dostoevsky fell in love with this painting. It is totally different from Botticelli's strong face. The gentleness of this Mary is beyond the limit.

I was completely taken aback by this Maria.

For nearly an hour I was stunned in front of this painting. I walked away to go home, but kept coming back for "just one more time. It was the same with Botticelli. Oh, I want to see him again. I want to go back to Florence...I feel this deep in my heart even now as I write this article.

After seeing the paintings, I relaxed in a café in Palazzo Pitti and reflected on my time in Florence.

The Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace. I saw an overflowing number of masterpieces in such a short period of time. And the crowning piece was Raphael's "Madonna in a Little Chair". I couldn't help but gape when I thought of Mary's gentle face.

As I was spending such a moment, I suddenly realized that Dostoevsky, like me, had seen a large number of masterpieces here. Dostoevsky, like me, saw a great number of masterpieces here. Among them, he loved Raffaello's "Madonna in a Little Chair" the most. Not Lippi, Botticelli, da Vinci, Tizzano, or Caravaggio, but Maria, whom Dostoevsky loved.

For those who read it in a book, it ends with "Dostoevsky loved 00. Based on these words, we go to see the painting. However, Dostoevsky chose this painting out of a large number of masterpieces.Choice.The following is a list of the most common problems with the"Choose."that is to sayTo eliminate all other options."It is none other than

There is a reason why Dostoevsky did not choose Lippi, Botticelli, da Vinci, Tizzano, or Caravaggio, just as there is a reason why he preferred this Maria. They are also the greatest masters in the world. Dostoevsky's taste is evident in the fact that he did not choose these masters.Why not choose them?"This is another clue to Dostoevsky. This was a blind spot.

What we like is inextricably linked to what we don't like.

I felt such things at the Pitti Palace.

Boboli Garden where Dostoevsky and his wife strolled

When they found out that Mrs. Anna was pregnant with her second child, they took great walks for their health.

Mrs. Anna...The doctor had told me to take more walks, so we walked together every day in the Boboli Gardens (the gardens surrounding the Pitti Palace), where the roses were in bloom, even though it was January. Here we sat in the sun and talked about our future happiness."I am sure you all remember that he stated in "Reminiscences".

I decided to walk through the Boboli Gardens as soon as I could, since I had a common ticket with the museum at Palazzo Pitti.

But when I started walking, I was stunned. This garden...too big..!

After a short walk, I found a map and was shocked to see it. I've just walked this far, and this is the only progress I've made...

Yeah. I can't do this. Let's not walk all the way. I am always amazed at how well the Dostoevsky's are able to walk.

It is no longer a garden but a mountain. It would be more appropriate to say that the whole mountain has been turned into a garden.

The further we walked, the more trees we saw, and the more mountainous the atmosphere became. Florence, which could be seen between the trees, looked like a painting with a light mist hanging over it. The chirping of birds was also pleasant. This is the kind of place where Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky used to walk!

I walked as far as I could, taking breaks for an hour or less. But even so, I don't think I was able to walk more than one-third of the way.

Wide. Too wide! As I was beginning to get tired from the long trip, this was quite a physical exertion for me. Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky are really energetic.

Dostoevsky's House

Now, to conclude this article on Florence, I would like to introduce the house where Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky lived.

The building under construction in the front of the photo is the house where Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky lived.At the end of November 1868, he moved to Florence, then the capital of Italy, and settled near the Pitti Palace."But what a surprise! It was really right in front of the Pitti Palace.

On the right side of the photo is Dostoevsky's house, and the large building on the left is the Pitti Palace.

Dostoevsky's house is clearly visible from the square in front of Palazzo Pitti. I had no idea it was so close.

I came here many times during my stay in Florence. I came here many times during my stay in Florence, partly to see Dostoevsky's house and partly because I had business at Palazzo Pitti.

As my stay in Florence came to an end and I came here to say my last words, I suddenly had a thought.

Mrs. Anna was just a little girl when she embarked on this journey. But after going through the hell of Baden-Baden and then the birth and death of her own child in Geneva, she grew overwhelmingly as a human being and a mother. By this time, she was no longer the little girl who had longed to be a literary great, but she was no longer the one who had to protect Dostoevsky.

And Dostoevsky. If you think about it, he is a man of formidable mental strength to begin with. He withstood a death sentence and even endured Siberian exile. His gambling addiction may not have been a weakness, but rather a catastrophe brought on by his mental strength and extremes. An ordinary person would not have been able to gamble so much, risking everything. A person who would gamble like that in the elegant resort town of Baden-Baden would also be out of the ordinary. This is because of the enormity, excess, and extremity of his spirit.

They have seen rock bottom in Baden-Baden, Geneva, and Vvej. They have nothing to fear anymore. They have no choice but to climb up.

They have shared their sorrows and sufferings, and now they are bound together by a strong bond. Their resurrection finally begins here. Their life in Florence, where they liken themselves to Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, must have been a major turning point in this journey.

It was also here in Florence that Dostoevsky conceived "The Life of a Great Sinner," which became the prototype for "Evil Spirits," "The Minor," and "The Brothers Karamazov" in his works of fiction. (We have written about this on our blog before.Why is "The Brothers Karamazov" so difficult? What was the theme and against what background was it written - what did Dostoevsky want to convey in this novel?"(see also)

The days in Florence may be significant in the formation of Dostoevsky's thought.

Ah, beautiful Florence! If I could, I would have stayed much longer too!

And there were still more incredibly beautiful architecture and art that I could not introduce in this article.

This is indeed the city of flowers. I was left in awe of this city's art.

If only I could go back one day...! I only hope so.

I would like to believe that for Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky, their stay in this city was an irreplaceable one.

be unbroken

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Click here to read the previous article.

Click here for a list of Dostoevsky's recommended books.
List of recommended Dostoevsky biographies."
List of recommended Dostoevsky commentaries.
A list of recommended commentaries on "Dostoevsky and Christianity."

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