Departing for Rome, five am wake up call, hurriedly walking to the station in the darkness of the early morning mist. Excitement and exhaustion tamed by the first sips of hot coffee and taste of warm breakfast. The fast train speeds south towards the capital. Our class capitalizes on the hour of travel time before us reading up on the days’ itinerary or sleeping curled up on their backpacks.
Once in Rome, we deposit our belongings at the Hotel Villa Delle Rose and quickly begin what will be the first of three extensive days in and around the city. Beginning our extravaganza, we walk to the Santa Maria degli Angeli and quickly marvel at the high intricate walls and ceiling, complete with a dome and oculus. Continuing on the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, we file through security and begin our presentations on the various Roman sculptures, paintings and mosaics. My personal favorite piece is the Boxer, a Greek Hellenistic sculpture from the first century BC.
The Boxer is supposedly an older former champion who has just been told that he is not longer fit for competition. I cannot help but picture him as the historical fighter King Leonidas, who led three hundred Spartan soldiers into battle against over one million Persians. The haggard warrior rests as he contemplates the final challenges ahead of him and his faithful men. The facial scares are reminders of past battles and long days. I soak in his story. Those muscular shoulders seems to sink downwards as the weight many fights takes its toll on the human body.
Onwards we walk, passing by the faces of Augustus, Sabina, Hadrian and Antinous. Handsomely sculpted with curling locks, they seem to declare the authenticity of the museum with the honor of their presence. I smile at the former emperors of the Roman republic and their lovers.
The Colosseum stands magnificently before me as I exit the Roma underground. What a wonder! The historical significance alone is enough to rock even the most conservative tourist to the beat of the roar of the gladiators’ battle cry. The impressive progression of the three styles of columns beckons the viewers’ attention upwards. I walk through the seating section silently. My imagination runs wild as I replay the epic conclusion of the movie Gladiator. The loss of human life in this stadium totals over 500,000 people over the centuries. Ungrateful tourists gripe about the twelve Euro entrance fee; while in ancient times many paid with their lives.With great enthusiasm, we follow Professor Carrara around in the Roman sunshine. We walk through the Roman Forum, Capitoline Museum, the Column of Trajan and the Arch of Titus. The November heat catches us by surprise and we expose out bare arms to the warm rays while admiring the ancient structures.
Finally we arrive at the place that I have been looking forward to seeing since our train left Florence. After walking through a beautiful park filled with large trees and following a winding path up a small hill we suddenly came across the magnificent cream-colored Borghese Gallery. Somehow just knowing the in a matter of minutes, I will be standing before the masterpieces of the Baroque sculptor Bernini sends me into a nervous fit of suppressed excitement. I quietly wait to enter the gallery. To my utter dismay, I am reminded the no photography is allowed in the Villa. Walking upstairs with our group, I fidget with the hem of my sweatshirt, when do we see Bernini? Exploring the second floor, I see the works of Caravaggio and other famous artists. Although my devotion is unswerving, I am in search of Baroque marble. As we finally approach the main floor, I can just see the disheveled curls of Proserpina, as she frantically twists away from the grasp of Pluto. His strong large hands firmly pant themselves into her upper thigh, refusing to relinquish her. A single tear escapes from the rape victims’ wild eyes as Bernini sculpts her at the climax of her capture. The king of the underworld is portrayed with his regal attributes, standing in contrapposto, his calves the size of tree trunks which enable him to whirl leftwards with great strength. Pluto seizes the fleshy young form of the whimsical nymph, dragging her backwards toward the sea.
Standing speechless before courageous David and metamorphosing Daphne, who is being followed closely by Apollo, I can hear the words of Simon Schama articulating for me the scene that unfolds before my eyes. Bernini was a true master of marble. It seems to bend to his will. It is as though his figures are captured at the climax of their existence, raw energy and flesh are bound together delicately to create a situation, in which a reaction is demanded from the viewer, the quintessential purpose of the Baroque style.
Falling into bed, I recall the days’ itinerary. It seems impossible to have seen so much in such a short period of time. However, I know that we still have a substantial amount in front of us tomorrow. Sleep comes quickly.
This morning I cannot wait to see the Vatican in all it’s glory! I wear a dress in honor of the occasion and comb my wild hair into submission. The Musei Vaticani is everything and more than I imagined. The sheer presences of the diverse collections contained within Vatican City speak for themselves. The church has always been able to afford the luxurious and it is evident here. Augustus of Prima Porta and the Laocoon Group are treasures to behold in person. The Mars of Todi, an Etruscan classic from the fourth century, is a familiar face after having studied him in class previously.
Finally, we enter the famous Sistine Chapel. I quickly raise my Canon camera to shot an artistic snapshot of the commissioned ceiling. Oh Michelangelo, how you must have toiled over such a project. Besides the raising of my own child, I seriously doubt that I could dedicate that much of my life towards one particular project.
Although I have seen this epic painting before, there is truly nothing like standing directly under the canvas. The contact between Adam and God portrays an intense connection as God extents to touch his creation. The chapel laboriously illustrates the humanity of man and how the first sin is interconnected with our relationship to our heavenly father.
St. Peter’s Basilica, a personal mecca for me of renaissance and baroque fusion, I cannot help but skip into the flagship of the Catholic Church. Immediately to my right, I see her. The Pieta, Michelangelo’s masterpiece, which was commissioned by the French cardinal Billheres in 1499, was intended to decorate his funeral monument. However, it was moved to the basilica in the Eighteenth century and remains as the centerpiece in the chapel. Continuing on towards the high alter, I am fixated on the large twisted bronze canopy marking the tomb of St. Peter. Commissioned by Pope Urban VIII, Gian Lorenzo Bernini began work on this magnificent piece in 1623. The baldacchino is a classic baroque combination of architecture and sculpture, which consists of bronze taken from the ceiling of the Roman Pantheon. The canopy is decorated with small intricate bees and laurel leaves, a reference to the Barbernini family. Bernini continues to take my breath away. I struggle to read my presentation for the class. I cannot help to stare open mouthed at the opulence of this man’s creation. To top it all off, Gian was only two years older than I am! Never in my life, will anything I create comparable!
During the afternoon, we arrive at the infamous Trevi Fountain. I hand my camera off to Courtney who snaps a few shots of me throwing my traditional three coins over the shoulder. The first coin is for a return trip to Rome, the second a new romance and the third will ensure either a marriage or divorce. Oh the irony of it all! The rest of the day passes by quickly. In the evening, we meet up with Father Brian. We all adore him and enjoy our personalized tour of the Jesuit church that he calls home.
By the time we get to Sunday, I’ve mentally checked out. I am late to breakfast and barely make it out the door in time to leave for out train to Ostia. The ruins are amazing and I am very glad to see them, however, Rome has been exhausting. At this point, I don’t know how much more I can absorb.
Overall this experience has been incredible! I wouldn’t have changed anything about out time in Rome! Personally my favorite part of this weekend was being able to travel as a class. The experience created a stronger bond between my classmates and me. Not only did I grow closer to others, but I also grew closer to myself.
There is something spiritual about actually seeing art up close and in person. Of course I could simply flip through the pages of an art book and glance at miniature replications of masterpieces, but that seems so impersonal compared to my experiences with art in Florence and especially in Rome. Hearing my footsteps echo up from the museum floor, smelling the dehumidified air, and running my hands along the rough hewn walls of ancient architecture is so much better than anything that somebody can teach me or that I can read in a book.
