Let's start with the plot:
Arte Spalletti is a young Florentine noble woman with a passion for drawing. However, she is hindered by her mother and by society in general, which does not accept that a woman of noble origins can become a painter. But Arte doesn't give up, and she finds work in the workshop of a somewhat mysterious artist named Leo, where she will be able to learn more about her passion and work to make her dream come true. The plot is strongly feminist, mostly centered around the main character and her goals, and how hard they are to achieve, and I don't think I've ever seen such a consistent feminist depiction in an anime.
Arte is presented to us as an independent woman with a dream to realize, which however requires many obstacles. However, she does not give up, and continues to move forward so that her ambitions become reality.
Let's say that I found myself a lot in her character, since being an artist myself I can understand all the ambitions she carries. But Arte is not the only thing that makes this anime a true masterpiece; the supporting characters, starting with Caterina, Leo, Yuri and many more, are all perfectly characterized and realistic, and some of them also receive a solid development in the span of few episodes.
The historical Renaissance setting is incredibly accurate and includes numerous details and small curiosities that can be extremely educational for the viewer.
As for the pacing, the whole series is pretty light and never boring, also thanks to the fluid animations and the extremely soft and relaxing color palette.
The OST is extremely pleasant, especially the gorgeous tracks composed by Goro Ito and the relaxing ending.
The whole message of the show is to basically believe in your own art, and most of all, in yourself. Don't let other people define who you are or what you should do, make new experiences, never give up and live your life at the fullest. A truly powerful teaching!
Let's sum it up!
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Setting: 10/10
Pacing: 10/10
Animation: 8/10
OST: 9/10
Message: 10/10
In conclusion, this anime absolutely doesn't deserve all of this senseless criticism. The whole work is criminally underrated and many people deserve to see it, especially those who, like me, and as Arte, dream of becoming successful artists.
Keep chasing your dream!
