Yesterday was yet another wonderful class day. We went to the Basilica of San Clemente, which is a beautiful 12th century church. However, the really cool thing about San Clemente is that it is built over another church from the fourth century, which in turn is built over a religious temple dating back to the year 100! And we actually got to go down to these subterranean levels; it was just cool beyond words, both literally and metaphorically. The second level, the former dwelling of Clemente himself, was converted into a church for very early Christians right after Christianity was legalized. The temperature dropped about 25 degrees and not because of air conditioning, but just because we were beneath street level! It was very cave like and mysterious. Then we went down an ancient, 1800 year old stone stairway down to the very first level, where a cult worshipped the god Mithras. Here's a picture that doesn't really do justice to what being in the lower levels was like:
We went to a couple of other beautiful early Christian churches (Santa Sabina and Santa Maria in Cosmedin), and then Kate, Natasha and I went to the airport to purchase our train tickets to Venice (which were a whopping amount, but still far cheaper than flying or taking a taxi). It'll take about four hours to get there. I had my advanced art history class seminar out on the terrace with the other classmates who are in it (including Kate and Mica). We had JUST barely made it in time for class back at the hotel because the line for train tickets took so long. Kate accused me of "making her" run up the stairs and I complained that it was entirely voluntary (there's 200 feet of stairs up to the hotel from the train station; I was going up them two at a time). My brain was so fried from running up the steps I was out of breath for the first quarter of class, gasping out answers when asked questions.
At dinner, we had ravioli at the restaurant that we eat at together as a class from Monday to Thursday night; but it was really strange--it was flavored with nutmeg, which kind of ruined it. Then they served french fries and slices of veal. The girls have finally found me a wine that I enjoy. It's extremely sweet, and has a very low alcohol percentage (11%). Nevertheless, a small cup and half was enough to make me quite silly and lightheaded. Natasha, friends and teachers couldn't believe what a lightweight I was and made fun of me about it (not in a mean way at all, though). I'm really glad I can get to enjoy a wine produced right here in Frascati!
Today the class went to the Palazzo Massimo in Rome for the entire morning. This museum has several levels, but one of the most significant exhibits there was a temporary exhibit on ancient wall frescos (paintings) on loan from Pompeii. There was a wide variety of frescos in amazingly good condition... seriously, damn, the Romans and Greeks could paint! We also looked at beautiful marble sculptures (including a copy of the famous discus thrower; and a beautiful feminine sculpture that turned out to have a "surprise"--you found out she was a hermaphrodite when you walked around to the other side). Then the class was free to go for the day, but the teacher recommended that on our own free time, we could go to the sister museum of the one we were in. Mica and I were the only ones who did this and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made on this trip.
This museum, the Palazzo Altemps, was next to impossible to find, and in the middle of a very sudden and unexpected rainstorm, we asked about 10 different Italians for directions to the museum. None of us gave us accurate directions and we wandered all over the area around the Piazza Navona. Finally, it was a German who gave us precise directions to the museum and we found it, a very unimposing and unassuming building. However, it turns out to be a Renaissance palace on the inside. As soon as we walked in, the museum knocked the socks off both of us. Not only did this museum have incredibly beautiful and intact Roman marble sculptures, but the Renaissance aspects of it as well were breathtaking. There were frescos covering the walls, and amazing Renaissance interior decoration (rosettes on the ceilings, things of that nature). Many of the frescos on the walls were damaged, but the remaining portions still showed incredibly beautiful scenes and allegorical representations (like Patience, Charity and so on) and biblical narratives.
Mica and I just wandered around slowly, taking it all in and making assorted commments on the sculptures and the Renaissance rooms. If this had been during class time, we'd have absolutely been rushed through the museum, so we were glad this wasn't the case. Another wonderful thing about this is that there weren't many people in the museum on this particular day, so in some rooms we had the sculptures all to ourselves. One of the highlights of the museum was the astonishing representation of Galata Suicida, or the Gallic chief and his wife committing suicide. A picture of it that does it NO justice whatsoever:
We were in this room for about 25 minutes, just walking around this sculpture. It is very large, larger than life, and incredibly moving. And we were the only ones in the room--it was just amazing. I'm using the word amazing and beautiful too many times, but I don't know what other superlatives I can use to describe the things I'm seeing here. I'd almost come to Rome just to see this statue alone. The palazzo also had a small but astonishingly beautiful Baroque chapel decorated with frescos, marbles and gilded angels. After that, we wandered back to the Piazza Navona and we got gelati from another famous gelati bar, and sat and enjoyed the general scenery of the piazza (it is long, and has three fountains, one at either end and a rather massive one in the center, designed by Bernini). The fountain designed by Bernini was being renovated, so it was a bit disappointing because it was all covered up with platforms and metal. The chocolate gelati nevertheless made for it. By the time Mica and I made it back to the train (we barely made it on time!) we both just agreed that we were very glad we had decided to go through the trouble of finding the Palazzo Altemps.
My next post will not be until either Sunday or Monday, because I have no guarantees about having internet access in Venice! But I will be sure to take a ride in a gondola, get to see a variety of artworks such as Botticelli's Birth of Venus fresco, and just enjoy the general Venetian cityscape.
3 comments:
Best Post yet. Incredible.
Have a wonderful time in Venice.
Great job, finding the museum! And the fact that it was off the beaten path is why you were alone with your thoughts. I love when you turn up a hidden treasure like that! Have fun in Venice!
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