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Alexandra Wendt graduated from our Master’s in Renaissance Art History program in 2019. She tells us more about how her time in Florence impacted the novel she recently published, Of Constellations and Clockwork, a fantasy novel for New Adults. She now lives in Northern Italy and recently presented her book at Vineria Sonora wine bar in Florence.

Congratulations on the publication of your book! Could you please tell us how it came to be?

Thank you! The story was indirectly inspired by my time in Florence. I found the city, aesthetically, to be greatly influential for the kind of setting I wanted to work with. Whereas the story itself, and the emotional arc the main character undergoes, came more from a personal crisis I experienced in late 2020. I initially wrote it to grapple with what I was going through and to figure out what I was feeling, but then as I revised it and got feedback from others, it grew into something much bigger.

Did your experience in our art history grad program impact the book’s content?

Definitely! While the book is high fantasy, and therefore not set in our world, I based the world off of late 15th century Italy, which was something I studied a lot during the grad program. We would read and discuss so many historical anecdotes in our seminars that I became inspired to do something creative with all the information I’d taken in. I still have quite a few books that I used for my classes, and so I took to re-reading those while revising for further inspiration.

Do art historians have an advantage in tackling fiction writing?

I certainly think so–there is something interesting about our discipline in that we are at once dealing with an inherently creative subject matter (art), yet examining it analytically. I think many who are drawn to this field initially are due to an attraction to beauty and appreciation for the art itself. It then requires a fine balance to utilize both that aesthetic appreciation and a distanced analysis for a sound argument in a paper. Fiction writing requires a similar approach. You must first have a genuine love for the story you’re telling–and a certain amount of creativity to go along with it–but then you need to be able to step back and look at it critically in order to revise and edit it.

Any advice for budding student writers?

Write, write, write. I’ve heard it said often that you shouldn’t publish the first book you write, and I think it’s true. Of Constellations and Clockwork was the ninth novel I wrote, and in hindsight, I’m glad none of the previous ones were published. It takes multiple books to understand what kind of things you like to write, what works, and to figure out what makes a story uniquely “yours,” compared to other works out there. Read widely in your genre and outside it, and read craft books, but don’t be afraid to bend the rules a bit too.

Dr. David Broder, who teaches our Twentieth-Century Europe course, has published a New York Times comment piece on the recent turmoil in French politics.

It argues that Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National is exploiting not only conflict over immigration and national identity, but also a declining public faith in the country’s welfare model and promise of meritocracy.

The article is available here.

Professor Chiara Faggella, who teaches Italian Fashion and Food Stories and the design course Bellissima! Unraveling the Threads of Italian Fashion has published a book on Italian fashion history.

As Faggella explains:

Becoming couture is the first book to examine the history of the Italian fashion industry during the global transition brought about by the Second World War. It draws on a wide range of primary sources, some of them newly unearthed, to demonstrate that the Italian fashion industry in the Republican era continued to rely on business practices and professionals established during Fascism. Analyzing changes in promotional discourses and press coverage, the book traces the shift that occurred when manufacturers were encouraged to expand their exports of accessories to include sportswear, knitwear, and moda boutique. This ultimately led to the legitimization of Italian dressmaking as creatively independent of French influences and therefore worthy of the label ‘couture’.

In January, Professor Leonardo Lastilla, who teaches Vine to Table: Italian Wines in Context, presented his latest book, a novel called Il Piccolo Tour (The Little Tour), in three different venues: NessunDove bookstore and the city library in Empoli, and Caffé Letterario delle Murate in Florence.

Lastilla has also recently started a blog dedicated to his literary forays.

An Amazon reviewer calls Lastilla’s new book, “intense and refined,” “an unforgettable voyage through identity and reality.”

Professor Francesca Parotti, who teaches Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Systems at Syracuse Florence, has published a chapter in the book Il design nell’era della creatività artificiale (Design in the Era of Artificial Creativity), edited by Simone Aliprandi and published by Ledizioni.

Her chapter “Gendered Codification: Bug or Feature?” explores the positive and negative relationships between Artificial Intelligence and the gender gap.

A free online version of the book is now available here.

Last summer, Terry Christovich Gay returned to the Villa Rossa with her husband to share with him a place that had a huge impact on her life. She decided to go into law because of the class that she took here with Professor Donald Meiklejohn. She went on to practice in New Orleans for 47 years.

Terry, who has two children, met her Tampa-born lawyer husband in New York. She had a Proustian moment when they walked into Room 13, our Aula Magna, during her tour of the campus. She was reminded of Professor John Clark Adams’ passion for opera, something he transmitted to countless Syracuse Florence students.

During the tour, Terry had a chance to see the Villa Rossa garden for the first time. Back in 1971, Countess Bona Gigliucci still occupied the top floor of the Villa Rossa, and the only outdoor space Syracuse students had access to was the public Piazza Savonarola out front.

Another difference is that students would stay with two different families over their semester in Florence, though Terry would have preferred to remain in just one. “We would take the bus home for lunch!” Back then, lunch was the most important meal of the day, and was always cooked by Italian host mamme.

“Florence has my heart,” Terry sighed wistfully as she walked around her old stomping ground. She said Florence is much the same today as it was when she studied here, except for the presence of so many tourists.

Another lasting impact of the program for Terry were the friendships she solidified. She and her girlfriends all attended Sweet Briar College back home in the States. “The four of us really became good friends in Florence even though we knew each other before.  We all adored our time at Syracuse and had great experiences with our host families.  We can’t believe it was such a long time ago!”

A particularly bonding experience for the girls was hitchhiking to the Island of Capri.

She and Deborah Ziegler roomed together when they returned to Virginia and continued studying Italian. Like Terry, Deborah’s interest in law was also awakened in Prof. Meiklejohn’s class. “It has been a lot of fun to learn from Terry about her visit to Villa Rossa,” says Deborah. “Our Syracuse semester in Firenze was a pivotal and exceptional part of each of our lives, and it is heartwarming to know that the program is still thriving!”

Terry’s parents also visited her while she was in Florence and Terry found a letter her dad wrote to her afterward.

I hope the Perruzis are all well and know you will give them our best.  You are really lucky to have been quartered with such kind and intelligent people and in this regard I would only have to say, somewhat immodestly I fear, that the Perruzis are very lucky themselves! 

 At the right of being unduly philosophic, I might express a few thoughts about your situation in Florence.  You have many great friends whose company I know you will continue to enjoy, and whose companionship in such a pleasant environment will be doubly pleasant to you.  But there will also be times when you will be alone; in that loveliest of cities solitude can contribute to a really rewarding experience.  Your Mom likes to kid me about my devotion to “tombstone elegies” but she would agree with me that the opportunity to be alone and have time to consider the beauty and artistry of so many things would be a very fulfilling and happy thing. 

From the letter Terry’s dad wrote to her while she was in Florence

The newly established Syracuse Florence book club, hosted in the charming Villino Library and led by the delightful British-born April Child, recently had the honor of welcoming a very special guest. Syracuse alumna and acclaimed YA author Charlotte Balogh graced one of their meetings, bringing with her a wave of excitement and inspiration.

Charlotte, whose much-anticipated book Kill the Lax Bro is set to be released next summer by Delacorte Press and Penguin Random House, shared her fascinating journey with the book club members. Over tea and ‘biscuits’, she delved into her experiences breaking into Hollywood writer’s rooms, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way.

The discussion was not just about her past achievements. Charlotte also gave a sneak peek into her upcoming project, a unique blend of memoir, novel, and fairytale, which she is currently crafting in the serene libraries and bustling coffeeshops of Florence. Her passion for storytelling and her dedication to her craft were evident.

Nor was the gathering a one-sided affair. Charlotte was genuinely curious about the reading habits of the book club members. She engaged them in a lively conversation about how they select their books, their reading preferences, and their use of modern reading apps like Kindle and BookTok.

The meeting was a perfect blend of inspiration and interaction, leaving everyone with a renewed love for literature and a deeper understanding of the writing world. The Syracuse Florence book club, under April Child’s enthusiastic leadership, is a beacon for book lovers, fostering a community of readers and writers who inspire each other.

On Wednesday, December 11, the Syracuse Florence campus was abuzz with excitement as students, faculty, and guests gathered for the Final Art and Architecture Show. The event showcased the incredible talent and hard work of our students, who have spent the semester creating a diverse array of artistic and architectural pieces.

The exhibition featured a stunning variety of works, from beautiful handmade metal jewelry to intricate architectural sketches. One of the highlights was a wall fresco, crafted using traditional techniques. The creativity and dedication of our students were evident in every piece on display.

This event was also a poignant moment for the Syracuse Florence community as we bid farewell to our beloved restoration professors, Diane Kunzelman and Ezio Buzzegoli. Both have made significant contributions to our program, and their retirement marks the end of an era. Director Sasha Perugini shared heartfelt comments, expressing gratitude for their years of dedication and impact on countless students.

Adding to the evening’s significance, renowned art collector Christian Levitt attended the show, engaging with students and discussing their work before the exhibition opened to the public. His presence was a great honor and provided valuable insights and encouragement to our budding artists.

The turnout was fantastic, with attendees marveling at the brilliant work on display. The atmosphere was filled with pride and celebration, a fitting end to a semester of hard work and creativity. For more photos capturing the essence of the evening, be sure to check out the stunning images taken by our talented staff photographer, Francesco Guazzelli.

We look forward to seeing what our students will create next and wish Diane and Ezio all the best in their retirement. Thank you to everyone who made this event a memorable success!

On December 6, Syracuse Florence hosted the 38^th edition of the annual Florence Graduate Symposium in Italian Renaissance Art History. Six art history Master’s candidates presented their individual capstone research projects to a standing-room-only audience in Villa Rossa Room 13 on topics that ranged from the impact of French manuscript illuminations on Simone Martini’s 14^th-century frescoes in Assisi to the relationship between time and magic in Salvator Rosa’s early 17^th-century depictions of witchcraft.

Because 2024 marks the 60^th anniversary of Syracuse University’s Florence Graduate Program, we were honored to have a number of special guests with us to celebrate that milestone, including Dr. Behzad Mortazavi, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Dr. Erika Wilkens, Assistant Provost and Executive Director of Syracuse Abroad. In addition, nearly thirty program alumni attended the event, including program supporters Nicole Squires Marca (’90) and Peter Weller (’01), both of whom traveled from the West coast to be there. 

In January 2025 we will welcome a record-breaking new cohort of 12 MA candidates to the Villa Rossa, yet another sign that our prestigious graduate program is alive and well.

Pheonix, Arizona native Puja Pradhan, who is currently studying at Syracuse Florence, recently travelled back to the US to present at a conference in Houston, Texas. The Northwestern biology major tells us about the experience and how it came about.

This past weekend,  I had the honor of presenting my research poster at the Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO) conference. This poster is a summary of all the work I’ve been doing in the lab in the past two years. Our lab studies an aggressive brain tumor called glioblastoma and we’re trying to understand the mechanisms behind its radioresistance and recurrence after radiation. My project specifically focuses on understanding what cell subpopulation is primarily responsible for tumor recurrence. 

I began working in the lab in 2023 and have been contributing to experiments, research papers, and discussions ever since. My Principal Investigator (PI), a renowned neuropathologist and regular attendee of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) conference, recognized my contributions and invited me to present my work this year!