Fourteen countries from all over the world, from Europe to Asia, from Africa to America: they are the countries with their tongues and privileged - and personal - "views" on the world as well as on the Other the observers we have involved in this project belong to, specifically: Algeria, Albania, Romania, Yemen, Gambia, Guinea, Iran, Mali, Benin, China, Peru, Egypt, Macedonia, Angola. 

Now skip through our HyperVision and watch the images in their HD-quality details. To see full-size images click on the zoom (on the bottom right corner) and enlarge them.

TRANSLATION

"The snakes…the scared face…  These features remind me of a story used to explain death to our children. A challenging topic for man anytime.

According to the Islamic eschatology, people after death enter into a transition period between mortal life and the afterworld. Life in the grave reflects one’s behavour in life. Those who had good behavior in life, will be in a large and scented grave together with a friend. Otherwise, who had a bad behavior in life will be in a dark and cold tomb, surrounded by snakes".

On a wooden battle shield is depicted Medusa, a monstrous creature of Greek mythology, beheaded by Perseus by the will of Athena. Caravaggio shows the moment that Medusa’s head has been cut, with the blood streaming out, her eyes terrified and her mouth screaming for pain. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, who had the power to petrify anyone who crossed their gaze. Perseus, indeed, to avoid being petrified, used a mirror given by Athena, to see Medusa's face reflected. Athena put Medusa's head on the shield to terrorize her enemies. This painting is the most famous self-portrait of Caravaggio, who wanted to portray himself as a monstrous being in the act of dying.

For more info on other Caravaggio's works and Caravaggesque paintings preserved at the Uffizi Galleries, click here.

TRANSLATION

"So many colors, so many looks, bows, veils, crowd and parades of people... adults and children, women and men in different paintings touch me, because they evokes memories, bring you back your childhood, family and a memory of spirituality, celebrations, markets. There are some paintings where you dive in, absorbed in another world: they raise a wandering nostalgia of your whole life, of your homeland. You wish get into the painting to see and relive a part of your history and your childhood".

In the foreground there are the Madonna and the Child and behind them a green cloth that covers part of the hilly landscape. Mary has a red dress and is wrapped in a draped blue cloak. She is seated with the Baby Jesus on her lap. He is playing with her mother's finger, a note of sweetness in a widespread meditative mood. The faces have concentrated looks, in contemplation, with very strong shadows. In this suspended atmosphere, there is a sense of sacredness.

Learn more on other similar artworks preserved at the Uffizi Galleries. Click here! Scopri altre opere di soggetto simile tra quelle conservate alle Gallerie degli Uffizi. Click here!

TRANSLATION

"I have watched these paintings from my point of view, for what they say to me as an Arab ... I've been living in Italy for 35 years. It is strange that in many paintings Jesus is represented as if in the Western world, in Europe. Instead, we know that he is not. The images of Jesus and the people around him are a bit different from others. The clothes they wear ... the way they are depicted ... in my opinion this painting is closer to the truth. For me, this is the true representation of a sacred figure, for its very simple clothing... with no bright ornaments as we see in many other pictures. Religious figures should express simplicity and humility".

The painting represents the tribute to Caesar, an episode taken from the Gospel of Matthew.

In ancient times, the tribute was a compulsory tax that the citizens of the Roman Empire had to pay to the State.

The episode tells that a group of Pharisees’ disciples asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay the tribute to Caesar, while showing him a coin of the tribute with the image of Caesar. Jesus responded with a memorable phrase: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God".

Manfredi depicts the group of Pharisees on the left with the man who shows the money in the foreground, while on the right the group with Jesus and his disciples.

The background of the painting is very dark and the figueres stand out.

Konjskata kola vo dviženje vo ovoj ram me potseti na storijata od mojite predci. Zboruvale mnogu za ova konjska kola, neophodna so koja se prenesuvaše potrebnite nešta za nivnoto preseluvanje od India nakaj severot (ocidentot), nasproti novite svetovi, teritorii, gradovi. O Vurdon e eden antički zbor što doagja od sanskritot pa e poznat megju site romski etnički grupi, Prestavuvana ova konjska kola, vo po starite antički vreminja so dve trkala a vo poslednite vreminja so četiri trkala vlečena od magarinja, bikovi i konji. Mnogu Romi vo svoite kukji, koga se stabilizirat, go zakačuvat trkalceto od kolata kako spomen od nivnoto mnoguvekovno patuvanje. I prestavuva eden mnogu važen simbol koj se pojavuva i vo našata zastava: crvenoto trkalce prestavuva dolgoto itireratnoto patuvanje, patot na romite što patuvale, a dvete boi plavoto i zelenoto označuvaat neboto i zemnjata.   

TRANSLATION

"The moving cart in this painting reminded me to the stories of our ancestors. They often talked about the chart as an essential vehicle to carry their belongings moving from India to the West, to new worlds, places, cities. Or Vurdon is a very ancient word that comes from Sanskrit and is recognized in all Romany communities. It represents the cart, made of two wheels in the past and more recently made of four wheels towed and pulled by mules, cows or horses. Many Romany place a cart wheel in their houses when they settle in them, as a reminder of their travelling ancestors. It is such an important symbol that is also in our flag: the red wheel indicates the Romany habit to move from a place to another, blue represents the sky and and green the earth".

The two small panels portray the Dukes of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro count, then duke of Urbino (1422-1482) and Battista Sforza (1446-1472) daughter of Alessandro Sforza, lord of Pesaro, and wife of Federico. The two spouses are portrayed in profile, and in the background there is a landscape with hills and waterways, perhaps the Tiberina Valley. On the back of the portraits are represented their respective triumphs, a sort of celebratory procession. The duke of Montefeltro is crowned by Fame and accompanied by the four Cardinal Virtues, while the duchess is depicted triumphant accompanied by the Theological Virtues on a chariot drawn by two unicorns, symbols of chastity.

Piero della Francesca pays attention to the representation of the two portraits without overlooking details of faces and clothing, important to describe their personalities and their social role as a condottiere on one side, and wife and mother on the other side.

If you wish to learn more about this artwork, click here!

Diante desse trabalho, tive a ideia de que, quando pensamos sobre a família, pensamos em princípios universais e valores partilhados.Em todos os lugares, diferente por fé ou cultura, a família é universal porque partilha um projeto e um espaço. Nas sociedades africanas, a família geralmente é matriarcal. Em Angola, apesar da influência do colonialismo, a mulher na família manteve sempre, uma importância particular, ainda mais quando se torna mãe. As mulheres de fato têm muito poder nas nossas sociedades e as suas decisões afetam todos os momentos da vida: batismo, casamento, funeral, escolha de escola e profissão.

TRANSLATION

"In front of this painting, I got the idea that when we think about family, we think about universal principles and shared values. Regardless of our culture and faith, family is a universal idea because it is based on shared plan and place. In African societies, family is usually matriarchal. In Angola, despite colonialism influence, woman has kept a particular position within the family. Especially when she becomes mother. In our societies, women have so much power to influence every moment of life: from baptism to marriage, funeral, the choice of school and profession".

Michelangelo realizes this painting for Agnolo Doni, a rich Florentine merchant, for his wedding with Maddalena Strozzi or for the baptism of his first daughter.

The Holy Family is disposed in an original position and without sacred connotations. In the foreground, there is Mary twisting around to take the baby Jesus from Joseph behind her. The child plays with the hair of the mother who is sited on the ground and has just stopped reading the book, set down on her mantle.

The three figures lies in a lawn and are sculptural, especially the plastic body of Mary with muscular arms. The colours are very bright and luminous, almost metallic.

In the background, separated by a wall, a series of naked bodies, shaded and leaning against the rocks, symbolize the classical and pagan world. Behind the wall there is infant Saint John, representing the link between the two worlds.

If you wish to learn more about this artwork, click here!

TRANSLATION

"This artwork strikes me. It seems an exemplification of relationships that have always been between East and West. They are opportunities to enrich both peoples. In this regard, I think about, over 2500 years ago, in the VI century A.C. , in Persia, Cyrus II the Great proclaimed a policy of tolerance towards the conquered peoples. His message was on freedom and respect for the religions and traditions of peoples. As matter of fact, he abolished slavery, allowed deported peoples to return to their countries, recognised and respected of all religions, as proved by the famous "Cyrus cylinder". It is considered the world’s oldest human rights charter".

The painting shows the episode of the Adoration of the Magi narrated in the Gospel of Matthew.

At the centre of the scene there is Maria holding Baby Jesus in her arms, surrounded by a crowd of fascinated people forming a semicircle around them. Everyone seems to be involved, feeling emotions as portrayed gestures and expressions well show.

Two different trees divide the background in two parts: the first tree is a laurel, symbol of resurrection - triumph over death -, the other one is a palm tree, representing the passion of Christ. In the background, on the left there is a ruined architecture, while on the right a clash between people on horseback.

The painting was commissioned to Leonardo by the monks of the church of San Donato in Scopeto for the high altar, in 1481. Leonardo never finished it because he left for Milan in 1482.

If you wish to learn more about this artwork, click here!

"Mary is a virgin and is engaged to Joseph. She is very young. They are Jewish and in the Bible, the Old Testament, it is prophesied that a virgin will give birth to a baby who will be God’s son - God in human flesh. An angel visits Mary to tell her she is to give birth to this baby. She meets her cousin Elizabeth to tell her that she is the one chosen to bear Jesus. Elizabeth’s baby leaps in her womb and both women are overcome with joy. The same in our culture. Generally, in Gambia when a woman is Pregnant, the first person she tells the news to is her Mum, before any other person. Some women are there when their mothers are not alive and they became sad and cry. The picture is amazing and it talks to every human being".

The painting shows the meeting between Maria and her cousin Elizabeth, narrated in the Gospel of Luke. It is the embrace between two pregnant women, Mary pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth pregnant with John: it is a moment of great intensity and wonder.

Albertinelli sets this event in a simple setting dominated by arches under a clear sky.

In the foreground, the two women are large and monumental moving slowly and naturally. Their faces and their bodies get closer holding each other’s hands. The oldest figure, Elizabeth, with her comforting and caring gesture, welcomes Mary, aware of her greatness.

The colours are bright: Mary has a red dress and is wrapped in a blue cloak that covers her from top to toe, Elisabetta has a green dress, an orange-yellow coat and a white veil.

The figures stand on a flowery lawn that recalls the gardens of paradise.

Esta obra me recuerda un tipo de arte ayacuchana. Ayacucho es una zona del Perú donde se producen los Retablos Ayacuchanos. Es una representación del arte peruano que tiene sus orígenes en el siglo XVIII, cuando los sacerdotes españoles que se encontraban en la sierra peruana trataban de difundir el cristianismo. Estos llevaban unas cajas llenas de estatuas que representaban a unos santos, de modo que las personas pudieran conocer los santos cristianos. Los Retablos Ayacuchanos son hechos de madera y representan varios momentos de la vida de Jesús.

TRANSLATION

"This painting reminds me of a particular kind of Ayacuchana art. Ayacucho is a region in Peru, where Retablos Ayacuchanos are made. This is an expression of the Peruvian art dating back to XVIII century, when Spanish priests were in the Sierra Peruviana to spread Christianity. They were carrying these boxes filled with statues of Christian saints so that people could know them. The Retablos Ayacuchanos are made of wood and represent different moments of Jesus's life".

This small wooden triptych is an example of a portable tabernacle with two closable panels. The three sections of the painting have a pointed shape. The background is golden. In the central section there is the Madonna enthroned with the Child, the angels and Saints John the Baptist and Bernard standing on a floor that looks like marble for its veins. The left panel consists of two parts: the upper side shows the episode of the stigmata of St. Francis, while the lower side shows two Saints. The right panel displays the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Like Giotto, Jacopo of Casentino depicts depth and space, as can be seen in the scene with St. Francis and the floor where various characters are standing.

If you wish to learn more about similar subjects of paintings preserved at the Uffizi, click here.

Quand je me suis retrouvé devant à cette œuvre, j’ ai été frappé par la sensation de tristesse qu’elle a provoqué en moi. Une émotion très fort est pénétré en moi…j’ai pensé à la mort… ça me terrifie, de penser que la mort est une condition définitive et que quand quelqu’un meurt, il ne revient plus dans ce monde.

TRANSLATION

"When I saw this painting, I felt a sense of sadness. I was overcome by a deep feeling… The thought of death crossed my mind… I'm afraid that death is a definitive condition and when someone dies does not come to this world again".

The painting represents the moment after Jesus' death. His lifeless body is deposed from the cross and surrounded by a group of people including his Mother, the apostles and his followers, while the people who commissioned the painting assist next to their patron saints, San Remigio and San Benedetto. The artist represents the scene on a gold background, focusing the attention on what is happening and on people's feelings. Everyone has a different feeling represented in facial expression and gestures. The cross of Christ and the inscription YNRI dominate the upper part of the painting.

If you wish to learn more about Giottino's background, click here.

Regarder cette image, ça me fait souffrir… je ressens beaucoup de tristesse. Je ne peux pas penser que les gens soient si mauvais à faire souffrir  ainsi une autre personne. Et encore plus parce que Jésus était un prophète. Je suis frappé par la méchanceté et par la malveillance. A mon avis, au contraire, la vie est faite pour vivre dans la paix et la solidarité. 

TRANSLATION

"Watching this picture makes me feel bad ... I feel very sad. I can not think that people are so bad to make another person suffering like so much. Even more so because Jesus was a prophet. I am struck by badness, wickedness, and malice because, in my opinion, life is made to stay in peace and solidarity".

The deposition of Christ by Rogier Van Der Weiden, a painter of Flemish origin, conveys great emotion. The scene takes place in a natural and rocky environment where a group of sorrowful figures surround and mourn the dead Christ. Jesus is the centre of the composition, where the light is concentrated. Mary and John hold the hands of Jesus. Behind him, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, elegantly dressed, support his body, wrapped in a white cloth. In front of him, the kneeling Magdalene opens her arms in the low foreground. The background is a quiet rural landscape described in detail with different tree species and a road leading to the towered city.

Thanks to the oil technique, the colours are so bright to emphasize the drama of the scene.

Aceasta opera imi amintește de împletirea istoriei poporului roman cu cea a poporului român. Cea dintre Daci si Romani a fost o integrare profunda. Stabilirea lui Traian in teritoriul dacic in secolul I d.C. a fost începutul unor legături de durata cu populația locală,  din rândul căreia au intrat sa facă parte din administrația si organizarea imperiului. Un mileniu de cotropiri succesive nu au reușit sa anuleze latinitatea românilor, rămasă întipărita nu doar in limba poporului român ci si in istoria si conștiința colectivă.

TRANSLATION

"This sculpture reminds me of the close relationship between the history of Romanian people and the ancient Romans. Dacian and Romans were linked by a deep integration. The settlement of Trajan in Dacian territory from the 1st century AD created long-lasting bonds with the local populations, who participated also to the administration and organization of the Roman empire. A millennium of many invasions did not erase the Romanians’ Latinity, preserved in their language and history as well as into the collective consciousness".

This is a marble portrait of the Roman Emperor Trajan, arrived in Florence in the seventeenth century and completed with a bust made of several polychrome marbles.

The emperor turns his head to the left and wears a breastplate wrapped in a military cloak buttoned with a brooch.

Trajan’s thin lips, wrinkled forehead and eyebrows describe his strong character. He was not only an emperor but also a well-known military commander, who conquered Dacia, part of the current Romania, and the kingdom of Nabatea, between Sinai Peninsula and Jordan.

Learn more about the collection of ancient statues preserved at the Uffizi Galleries. Click here!

Cette image me transmet  élégance et beauté … Elle porte des vêtements qui manifestent son identité, sa provenance. En regardant cette peinture je comprends qu’on peut s’habiller de façon différente par rapport à la mode de son temps et quand même garder son propre identité et son style. Il s’agit d’un valeur important, qu’il faut transmettre aux enfants et aux jeunes  générations , qui suivent les  modes en risquant de perdre son unicité. 

TRANSLATION

"This painting conveys to me an idea of elegance and beauty. She wears clothes conforming to her own culture and period. Watching this painting, I understand that everyone may dress differently compared to the current trend, without losing his own identity and style. In my opinion, this is an important value to be taught to our children and to younger generations, who follow the latest fashion trends at the expenses of their own uniqueness".

The portrait shows Eleanor of Toledo - wife of Cosimo I de' Medici - and her son Giovanni. This is a formal portrait because they are both dressed up in ceremonial dresses, richly decorated. The marriage between Cosimo and Eleonora was happy, enriched by a large number of offspring. In this portrait, the mother is seated with her son next to her. The colour of the background is a particular blue. Eleonora wears a dress with a pomegranate motif, typical of that time in Spain, made by Florentine artisans.

Agnolo di Cosimo, called "Bronzino", became the official portraitist of the court of the Grand Duke and this painting was exhibited in the Uffizi Galleries since 1798.

Arianna, me sjell ndermend nje legjende Shqiptare. Historine e Rosafes, e cila u vetesakrifikua per te thyer mallkimin e keshtjelles se Shkodres.

Tregohet, qe 3 vellezer po ndertonin muret e nje keshtjelle qe gjate nates zhbeheshin. Nje plak i tha atyre qe per te ruajtur muret e keshtjelles duhet te sakrifikonin nje nga grate e tyre; te paren qe te nesermen do te arrinte tek keshtjella. Po vellezerit nuk duhet ti tregonin grave te tyre kete segret. Pavaresisht kesaj, i vetmi qe respektoi paktin ishte vellai me i vogel dhe keshtu e para qe arriti tek keshtjella ishte Rozafa, e shoqja. Ajo pranoi te murohej me kusht qe ti lihej jashte nje gji per te ushqyer te birin, nje krah dhe nje kembe per ta ledhatuar.

TRANSLATION

"Arianna… this picture reminds me of an Albanian legend .The story of Rozafa, who sacrificed herself to break the curse of Scutari Castle. It is said that three brothers were building the castle, but every night the walls crumbled. A wise old man said to them that one of their wives had to be sacrificed: the one that would come first to the castle. But they should not told their wives of this. However, only the youngest brother kept this secret, so the first to come to the castle was just his wife, Rozafa. She agreed to be buried in the foundation of the castle as long as her breast was left exposed to feed her newborn son, her hand to caress him and her foot to rock his cradle".

The statue represents Arianna, daughter of Minos, king of Crete. She is sleeping, wearing a peplum, a dress typical of ancient Greece, and sandals. She has a breast uncovered, hair loose, and is deeply resting. She is tired and falls asleep lying on a rock on the island of Naxos. According to the myth, the young woman comes from Crete to Naxos, where she has been abandoned by her lover Theseus, the man who defeated the Minotaur, a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. Arianna left the island of Crete for the beloved Theseus, allowing him to find his way back out of the labyrinth thanks to a ball of thread. After this challenge, Theseus comes back to Athens as a winner, while Arianna cries tears of sadness.

Only the bust of the sculpture is original, while the whole sculpture has been assembled later, in the eighteenth century.

Learn more about the statues at the Uffizi! Click here.

对我来说达芬奇是一个天才，他的艺术是完美的， 他的绘画在技术，哲学，诗意方面达到了极高的高度。

他的艺术是神秘的，无法得知其是如何创造出来的，我认为这张作品中的风景部分和中国传统绘画非常相似，中国绘画是线的艺术，是黑与白，虚与实的艺术。

无论是西方还是东方大师们对于宇宙规律的探索，其内核是一样的。

TRANSLATION

"To me, Leonardo is a genius and his art is perfect. His painting reaches high levels, not only in technical terms but also in philosophical and poetical terms. His art is a mystery and is difficult to understand the manufacture. This painting strikes me because I see in it - this kind of landscape, the mountains… - some characteristics typical of the Chinese traditional painting, based on lines, on black and white contrasts. From East to West, the greatest masters tried to discover reality and their art aimed at exploring the world and the laws of nature".

The painting shows the episode of the Adoration of the Magi narrated in the Gospel of Matthew.

At the centre of the scene there is Maria holding Baby Jesus in her arms, surrounded by a crowd of fascinated people forming a semicircle around them. Everyone seems to be involved, feeling emotions as portrayed gestures and expressions well show.

Two different trees divide the background in two parts: the first tree is a laurel, symbol of resurrection - triumph over death -, the other one is a palm tree, representing the passion of Christ. In the background, on the left there is a ruined architecture, while on the right a clash between people on horseback.

The painting was commissioned to Leonardo by the monks of the church of San Donato in Scopeto for the high altar, in 1481. Leonardo never finished it because he left for Milan in 1482.

Learn more about this masterpiece! Click here.