Where is the original Marcus Aurelius?

On the Campidoglio hill, where are all the main offices of the Sindaco of the city, two buildings host the Musei Capitolini of Rome, the eldest publique museum of the world (1471) founded in obedience to Sisto IV Pope's wish. 

image from wikipedia

The Cordonata Stair and the entire square were projected by Michelangelo and strongly wanted by Pope Palo III before the visit of emperor Carlo V in 1536. The sacre place, once the center of the ancient Rome, was in ashamed conditions. Michelangelo suggested to build a third Palace, Palazzo Nuovo, to enclose the space of the square. 

The project was finished only after Michelangelo's death but following his original drawnings. Nowadays, Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori host the Musei Capitolini, the first public museum of the history opened in 1734. 

First rooms are dedicated to the sculpture and keep some beautiful Roman bronze statues as the Spinario, depicting a young man in the act of taking off a thorn from his foot or the famous Lupa Capitolina, feeding young brothers Romolo and Remo, a real symbol of Rome. The upper floor, dedicated to the painting, hosts works by Caravaggio, Veronese, Guercino, Rubens and Tiziano.

                                                                   Lupa Capitolina

An underground passage will bring you to Palazzo Nuovo principally dedicated to the the sculpture. Palazzo Nuovo also keeps the original Marco Aurelio's equestrian monument once placed in the center of the square.

Scott and the Marco Aurelio

Taking a photo!!

For any further information:

Musei Capitolini

I LOVE ROME!!!!

Welcome "Primavera"!!!

Primavera di Botticelli - Birth of Venus by Botticelli

… “arbitrium tu, dea, floris habe.”
Saepe ego digestos volui numerare colores,
nec potui: numero copia maior erat.

   Ovidio, Fasti, V, 210 sgg  .

.. "Goddess, take charge of the flowers,"
I often wanted to count the colors of the plants he'd
set out, but I couldn't: the profusion was beyond  counting.         

Today the northern hemisphere celebrates the first day of Spring!
... what better example than the Primavera or Birth of Venus by Botticelli, a key works in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence!


Are you planning a trip, or you have a strong passion or an interest in art...I organize private art group cafe' such as lectures at university and galleries, but also community education classes.


Questions? you can contact me HERE


A presto!!

Love and art on Valentine's Day

If you love art and you want to celebrate this event with someone you love, a beautiful initiative has been organized by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture for the following week-end all over Italy, so don't miss this occasion!

Valentine's day is the perfect day to celebrate love and sweetness, so a wonderful experience for all those who love to get together, give flowers, chocolates or sharing moments of love.

For this reason the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, 12 and 13 February decided to give all couples a Valentine's Day alternative, with the opportunity to learn and discover the wonders of Italian cultural heritage by offering two entrances to the price of one in all the museums, monuments and archaeological sites state.

Valentine's Day is the first major event of the year MiBAC offers to all Italian citizens and foreigners to stimulate the knowledge and rediscovery of our artistic and enhance the wealth that the world envies us and that we, first, we enjoy.

For more information on the places that adhere to this initiative, have a look to this link (in Italian):

Giornata di san Valentino - 2011

 

When in Auckland

A view from the other side of the bridge by Simona Albanese

I spent quite a long time in Auckland. Here I met many lovely people, I taught Italian and art history courses, plus I have presented quite a few lectures at the Auckland Art Gallery, which possesses several Italian artworks. (that was back in 2007!!)

As many big cities around the world, Auckland has all of the large-scale attractions you would expect: museums, galleries, zoos and family amusement parks. 

It is amazing how you travel and you see beautiful things everywhere!!!

If you want to know what happen in Auckland have a look to the link below:

Auckland  

                                                                                                                          SkyWatch Friday

The Sistine Chapel

St. Peter's facade by Simona Albanese

Aerial view of the Sistine Chapel (center). Image © Google Earth

The Sistine Chapel is one of the most beautiful and perfect work in the art history!!!

Look this wonderful presentation on the Sistine Chapel clicking on the link .....it is amazing!! 

My dad has sent me the link...just because I have a strong passion for art like him!!

Here a brief history of the Chapel:

The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be the pope's chapel and the site of papal elections. In 1481 Sixtus IV called to Rome the Florentine painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli and the Perugian Pietro Perugino to decorate the walls with frescoes. The fresco project took only 11 months, from July 1481 to May 1482.

Michelangelo was called in a later time, being younger in comparison to the other artists. The Sistine ceiling was originally painted by Piero Matteo d'Amelia, who included a star-spangled sky. But in 1508 Pope Julius II della Rovere commissioned Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling. He worked on the project between 1508 and October 31, 1512, in cramped conditions high on a scaffolding and under continous pressure from the pope to hurry up. 

Michelangelo was later called back to paint The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The work was commissioned by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), forced Michelangelo to complete it quickly. 

In recent decades, the Sistine Chapel has been carefully cleaned and restored, beginning with the 15th-century wall frescoes in 1965. The cleaning and restoration of the lunettes, the ceiling and The Last Judgment, a painstaking process using computer analysis, lasted from 1980 to 1994. The restoration included removing several of the "modesty" drapes (called braghettoni)   that were added over some of the nude figures later by Daniele da Volterra.

As a result of the restoration....some are happy ...some are not...you need to go and have a look by yourself and then you come make a judgement!!! 

Happy vision!!

An introduction to art history

Moses by Michelangelo in San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome

Works of art have traditionally been associated with vivid and abiding experiences and memories. Of the various form of arts, painting are usually the most highly privileged.

Sistine Chapel's ceiling by Michelangelo, Rome

Painting provide useful information by virtue of the events and scenes and people that they illustrate. Paintings preserve former layouts of cities and landscapes, the appearance of long-dead kings and queens and philosophers and artists, the configurations of formers battles and the scenes of terrible disasters.

When we stand in front a painting we expect to perceive something ....to understand the artwork we are looking at. The kind of paintings normally commissioned in the principal urban centers of Europe reflected the existing stratifications of the social world at a time when the main sources of patronage were the church, the state, the aristocracy and the increasingly independent mercantile class of bourgeoisie. 

Artists like Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci worked for various type of patrons in different city of Italy creating astonishing and impeccable artworks, which will be introduce during the next Term at new Farm State School Community between October 28th and November 11th.

For any information and to enroll to the course just download the form below:

New Farm State School Community Education

If you have any question just drop me a line!!!
Simona

IMPORTANT!!! Art seminar in Brisbane

This is the first seminar of Italian Art Awareness series organized in the heart of the city!!!

Art and seminars in Brisbane

TRAVELLING TO ITALY... INTERESTED IN ITALIAN ART....

don't miss the next series of seminars organized for the beginning of October around Brisbane and at New Farm State School during Term 4!!!

Seminars on art at New Farm State School will be held for three consecutive Thursday between 6:30 and 8:30pm from October 28th.

For more information just drop me a line!