Evidently I love Bernini (and Rome)

So I had this plan to go to Rome for part of my vacation since it would be a touch warmer there. I was beaming when the plane landed and the whole city was bathed in the morning sunlight and that warm glow, but man oh man did I misread that "warm" glow. Please note that despite all of my pictures which show me with one of two hats and one of two scarfs and one of two coats, much more varied outfits were hidden underneath.

Day 1: The Roman Forum, Collosseum, Palatine Hill, and Capital Hill

Trajan's Column

It's pretty thrilling to be surrounded with art and artifacts that you studied in school. Emperor Trajan reigned around 100 AD and this column celebrates his victory in the Dacian wars. It's famous because of the narrative relief that spirals all the way to the top.

Arch of Titus

Arches can get a little trite, but this one was cool because I'd learned about it in Art History as well as politically in history and religion classes. It shows a relief of the sacking of Jerusalem in 70AD. You can see the Menorah that the soldiers are carrying. Grim history!

the Forum

Lots of historical remains in this stone pile - Temple of Julius Caesar, Temple of the Vestal Virgins, Basilica Aemilia, Arch of Septimius Severus, Curia (Senate House)... This was the main square where the political debates and worship took place.

P.S. Romans were not very civilized. Did you know that Julius Caesar wasn't just assassinated by Brutus. He was stabbed like 23 different times by all of his associates. AND committing suicide was a pretty vogue thing to do when life got a bit tricky. AND they treated the conquered peoples (barbarians and slaves to them) worse than animals. AND crucifixion was terrible. But they did establish some pretty lasting and amazing political, artistic, and scientific customs, inventions, and buildings. Like the Collosseum.

Colloseum

The coolest thing I learned about the colloseum is that it wasn't just bullfights but with people, they also had wild beast fights and put together some pretty elaborate stages. E.g. once they constructed a giant whale to roll out onto the sand and when it opened its mouth, out come grizzly bears. There were also trap doors that allowed beasts and people to enter up from under the ground behind secret curtains so the audience and fighters were always in suspense.

Collosal Constantine - his head was the size of my body, or more.

Marcus Aurelius - a Wise emperor around 100AD

Survived the bronze melting by Christians because everyone thought it was a statute of the emperor Constantine.

Capitolene Wolf: The founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.

Day 2: St. Peter's Cathedral and the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel


The first thing that came to mind when I approached the atrium of St. Peter's was MONEY. The pope had it! The chapel was beautiful. I love, LOVE it when sun shines through cathedral windows, any windows for that matter.

Lots of domes :-)

Michelangelo's Pieta - gorgeous and moving

So then I went to the Vatican Musuem and while pondering the art there, also pondered this question:

"How old is too old to continue dressing like your twin?"

I tried to sneak the picture by listening to my audio guide with one hand, looking at the ceiling, and aiming my camera at them all in one quick snap. I think it worked.

On to the Sistine chapel. First you wander through all these rooms the Pope commissioned Raphael to paint with frescoes, like one that contains the School of Athens. And then you're dropped out to this room.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel

I thought it was the antechamber to the Sistine Chapel because there was no dome. Somehow I got it in my head that the famous 'Touch of Life' scene from the ceiling was the center of a dome. Not so. The Sistine chapel has a basilica layout, just a plain old rectangle. But I liked the concept.

Michelangelo was supposed to paint the 12 apostles against a starry sky but instead lobbied to do a Creation theme. The ceiling and walls are a series of paintings showing the creation of the earth, of man, the fall of man, and essentially man's need for salvation as offered by God through Jesus Christ. Here's the thing. I always am happy when I find similarities in other religions with the doctrines of Mormonism, and the audio guide's shared information sounded nice and familiar.

I thought it a shame that they always crop this painting to just show the hands. The whole thing with all the people is more meaningful in my eyes.

Day 3: Borghese Gallery and Garden, Pantheon, and Futuroma

The Borghese gardens were beautiful. There was a lake in which you could row boats, paths to ride bike surreys, and lots of sun bathing spots.


The Borghese Gallery is a private little mansion amidst the gardens that you have to make reservations to see. It was some rich person's art collection. Bernini, a Baroque sculptor, worked under Borghese's patronage. I'd never really heard of him before, but have def discovered my favorite sculptor. The best:

The Rape of Prosperina - not really rape - just forced marriage to Pluto :-)

Apollo and Daphne - she turns into a laurel tree to escape his advances

David - really liked his facial expression

And then there's Caravaggio - my fav Baroque painter, evidently.

Madonna of the Snake - Caravaggio

I was overhearing a British tour guide talk about this one. She said it was refused due to it's scandalous nature. 1) Catherine looks like an old hag. 2) Mary is not so modest and looks far too realistic, not appropriate for a divine being I guess. 3) Jesus looks like a petulant brat and is naked, not appropriate post infancy.

:-)

Next I took a little stroll to the Trevi fountain, the Spanish steps, Piazza Navona, and the Pantheon.

Pantheon - each of those columns are one solid slab of Eqyptian marble

The ceiling was amazing! It was built around 126 AD. Brunelleschi was so intrigued with the mechanics of how it could be so large that he got permission to drill a hole into it to investigate. They used a variety of materials, with volcanic pumice stone at the top since it's so light. The oculus at the top also was/is coordinated with solstice times and seasons. Rad.

Friday night there was a big art display all over rome called Futuroma. They beamed a huge green ray from the Victor Emmanuel Monument all the way down Via Corso (which is closed to traffic at night) to the opposite end at Piazza Popolo.

Piazza Popolo had a light show with tons of smoke and really strange sounds and music. Very futuristic. No one really seemed to know what to do since it wasn't melodic or anything. We all just stood around taking it in and wondering how to react.

All in all, Rome was great. Though I don't know who ever started the idea that all Italian restaurants serve olive oil and balsamic vinegar with their bread. It doesn't happen in Rome. Nor did I ever get a whiff of garlic. I think I'm partial to Americanized Italian food.