Italy and Me

Hasan Niyazì (1978-2013) was one of the most influential and charismatic figures in the emerging world of online art history in the early 21st Century— until his premature death.

He described himself and his mission as "Evidence based art history blogger. Renaissance, Raphael and attribution studies, antique to digital influences."

3 Pipe Problem— Hasan’s free-wheeling and wildly popular blog— ran from November 15, 2009 until October 26, 2013 (it still lives online).

Open Raphael Online— Hasan’s visionary project for an open-source repository of research data —made exhilarating progress but fell victim to external forces after his death.

What's it like— being Jewish in Italy?

Especially when you're a mildly observant foreign Jew like me?

Social and cultural affinity kick in.

And it isn't always "religion" that matters most.

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Here you meet photographer Lyle Goldberg, who contributed much of this site's visual content.

You see him at work in Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Israel and Uzbekistan —just to begin the list.

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Hasan Niyazi, an arts blogger with a bold mission and unique voice, interviewed me in 2013 shortly before his death.

He made me answer probing questions that I would never have thought to ask myself— regarding Italy, archival research, digital innovation and the not-so-slow death of the humanities in Academe.

Italy has been in the picture with me as long as I can remember.

Thereby hangs many a tale...

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Don't mess with Florentine Street Performers!

They are smarter than you, tougher than you and have secret powers.