DARK WATER: A Book Review
arthisto February 3rd, 2009
Dark Water, by Robert Clark; Published by Doubleday, 2008; First Edition; 354 pages; inside cover map of Florence 1226 – 1966. $26.00; ISBN 978-0-7679-2648-5
“This dramatic, beautifully written account of the flood that ravaged Florence, Italy, in 1966 weaves heartbreaking tales of the disaster and stories of the heroic global efforts to save the city’s treasures against the historic background of Florence’s glorious art.” Inside front cover of Dark Water: Flood and Redemption in the City of Masterpieces.
Within the first pages of Dark Water, the author, Robert Clark, refers vaguely to his noticing of “a tile.” This immediately caught my attention because, I too, have noticed and wondered about these tiles that are mounted here and there, high above my head, in Florence. Now, having read Dark Water, I am not wondering anymore. In fact, my wondering has been replaced with amazement.
These tiles, embedded permanently in walls and ceilings around the city, indicate the high water mark of the great flood of November 1966, when the Arno crested its banks and drowned Florence.
Based on expansive research, the author wades the reader through several of the floods that have ravaged Florence over the centuries, occurring curiously about every 150 years. However, as interesting as these historical accounts are, Mr. Clark is all the while, building suspense for the worst flood to date.
We come to know, not only the personalities and peculiarities of the Florentine art experts, but the Arno itself. We learn how, in the face of the loss of the art that represents Western Civilization, everyone from the most exalted and world renown art historians and restorers, to the lowly “mud angels,” rushed from everywhere to help organize and save what they are not willing to live without. In many cases they are forced to improvise and create restoration techniques on the fly, in a mad race against mold, mildew, and tons and tons of mud.
As the water recedes the dilemma of a lifetime stares back at the art historians, rescuers, restorers, and Western Civilization as a whole.
-
What to do?
Where to start?
Save the least damaged first or the worst?
Is there such a thing as a piece of art that is no longer worth saving?
What about the floating books in the Biblioteca Nazionale, Italy’s Library of Congress?
These are the overwhelming questions that had to be answered and fast. Here is where the book became a page turner for me.
In some cases an amazing solution is applied to the delight and relief of most, never all, but most. After forty years of painstaking care and constant attention, hundreds and hundreds of pieces of art were finally returned to there homes for the world to enjoy.
“A wonderfully intimate evocation both of the geniuses that created Florence’s masterpieces and the teams of art experts and “mud angels” who rescued them. Anyone visiting Florence after reading Dark Water will find the city all the more precious and miraculous.” Ross King, author of Brunelleschi’s Dome
I agree and look forward, more than ever, to my next visit to Florence. I will see her through more perceptive and appreciative eyes.
- Art and History
- Comments(2)
This is why Cynthia Quist remains a “perceptive and appreciative” and most pleasant travel leader – she notices everything, and maintains the intellectual curiosity to research. She takes such gentle interest and pleasure in what she does that it is impossible for anyone near her not to do the same. She has a depth and breadth of knowledge to be sure, but she also has a sense of history, kindness, patience, and the ability to just “be” in a place and in the moment, whether that moment is now, in a cafe, or in 1400, taking in a church frescoe. Beautiful picture of the restorers, yes?
Ciao Bella– I’ve already sent in a request to Northern Indiana University Inter-library Loan to get a copy of Dark Water. I’d never heard of the book, but am looking forward to reading it. Judy