Chicago Magazine staff and DuChamp’s mixologist Kris von Dopek will offer cocktails from “The Discerning Drinker’s Guide to Chicago” Issue of the Magazine.
Image via Wikipedia
WHEN: Wednesday, February 8,2012
WHERE: Duchamp at 2118 N. Damen in Chicago
You can submit a cocktail recipe for this event.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Filed under Attractions in Chicago
When: Attend the Chicago Spirit Awards 2012 Kickoff Party on Thursday, February 1, 2012. Tickets $25
Where: Gensler @ 11 E. Madison Suite #25
Mark your calendars: The Spirit Awards 2012 will be held on May 1oth, 2012 at Venue One.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Filed under Chicago, Chicago Charity Events, Philanthropy in Chicago
Fontana di Piazza Farnese
Image via Wikipedia
If you follow my posts, you know that I wax poetic about my love of Italy; especially Rome! Where else can you witness 28 centuries of history?
I adore Rome’s monumental fountains, so I have included some short video clips of the water features in this post. The glorious city of Rome is adorned with spectacular fountains.
Image via Wikipedia
Some are relatively simple and look like bathtubs as you can see in the picture of Fontana di Piazza Farnese that is located in front of the Palazzo Farnese. The granite stone basin of that fountain came from the Roman Baths of Caracalla. The emblems on the upper part of the fountain represent the Farnese family and the the man who commissioned the construction of the Palazzo Farnese; Cardinal Alessandro Farnese who eventually became Pope Paul III. Many of the fountains depict the person responsible for the commission.
Image via Wikipedia
Some fountains support obelisks and others anchor famous piazzas. The dramatic iconographic fountains host a cast of interesting characters that generally spew water from their mouths. The basins are shaped in the form of chalices and decorative elements generally include dolphins, tritons, theatrical masks and shells.
Piazza Navona has three fountains with Giacomo della Porta‘s Neptune Fountain on the north end, his Fontana del Moro on the south end and Bernini‘s Fountain of Four Rivers in the middle. These fountains were built in a straight line along the central axis of the elliptical piazza that replicates the floor plan of the arena built by Emperor Domitian in the 1st century. It was a place for athletic competitions and races known as “Agones”. These fountains were supplied by water from the Vergine Aqueduct built by Agrippa in 19 B.C.
The fountains of Rome were originally operated by gravity. The source of water from the aqueducts had to be higher than the fountain itself to create a dramatic water feature. The difference in elevation and distance between the water-source and the fountain determined how high the fountain could shoot water. Today, they use gravity as well as mechanical pumps. Some fountains have powerful water sprays and others do not. Bernini’s Triton Fountain spray reaches 16 feet above the conch shell of his Triton in Piazza Barberini but the Boat Fountain by the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon’s Fountain have very little water pressure.
Here are some of my favorite Roman Fountains with a brief description and a short video clip that captures the water feature in motion:
1. The Fountain of the Naiads “Fontana delle Naiadi” is one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmIolEAHn6s
It is located in front of the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (St. Mary of the Angels). The fountain is surrounded by four bronze nymphs embracing sea monsters. There are three tritons, a dolphin and an octapus in the center of the fountain. It was created by the sculptor Mario Rutelli to adorn the Piazza della Repubblica in 1901.
Piazza Repubblica in Rome
2. Bernini’s Fountain of the Triton is located in Piazza Barberini. It was created in 1642. The muscular Triton is held up by four dolphins and is blowing into a sea-shell. After you admire the two Bernini Fountains in this square, stroll down Via Venato.
3. In close proximity to the Triton Fountain, you can find Bernini’s Fountain of the Bees with three bees on a shell sculpted in 1644.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6jJB7T0Xe0
4. The spectacular Trevi Fountain is located on Via della Stamperia and was designed by Nicola Salvi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bZueL2gABs
It was completed between 1732 and 1762 and is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. The central figure is Oceanus and he is the personification of all the worldly bodies of water. He is riding an cockleshell chariot pulled by sea-horses, surrounded by Tritons and Sea Nymphs. Visit the beautiful church of Saints Vincenzo E Anastasio in the Piazza across from the Trevi Fountain. Find Agrippa approving his aquaduct blueprints in his dapper Roman military uniform in one of the niches in the Trevi Fountain. The niches convey significant historical messages in this fountain.
Church across from Trevi Fountain
5. The Fontana della Barcaccia was the work of Pietro Bernini with the help of his talented son Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXShm8X5sek
It looks like a submerged boat and was commissioned by Pope Urban VII Barberini around 1629 to commemorate a boat that was stranded in the square in the flood of 1598. It is located at the foot of the Spanish Steps below the church of Trinita dei Monti.
6. The Piazza del Popolo has two fountains. I like the interesting Fontana dell’ Obelisco with a group of four mini lion fountains around the base.
http://www.com/watch?v=PoRtIk2TRDU.
Each lion is situated on a stepped plinth that was added around the base of the obelisk in 1818. The other fountain in the square is at the base of the stairs that lead to Villa Borghese.
7. The Fountain of the Moor is also known as La Fontana del Moro. It is located on the southern end of Piazza Navona with a figure of an African (a Moor) wrestling with a dolphin http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=Bk7Sb1eVp5I&next=%2Fmy_videos.
Fountain of Moor
8. The Fountain of Neptune in Piazza Navona was built in 1572 and shows the God of the Sea using his trident to commandeer an unruly octopus. He is surrounded by cheribs, tritons, sea horses and mermaids. Have a Vino con Vista @ Caffe Nettuno in Piazza Navona.
Caffe Nettuno
9. Bernini’s sumptuous Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZzmcRZ9GyM is also known as Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi.
It was built between 1648 and 1651. Bernini increased the strength of the jets of water for the fountain to increase the water pressure. His statues represent rivers from the four continents; the Nile, Danube, Plate River and Ganges. The structure supports a 54-foot Egyptian “Obelisk of Domitian” that is surmounted by a the emblem of the Pamphili famiy dove that represents Pope Innocent X Pamphili.
10. The Quattro Fontane (the Four Fountains) is a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and built by Muzio Mattei. They were built between 1588 and 1593. The figures of the four fountains represent the River Tiber (the symbol of Rome); the River Arno the symbol of Florence; the Goddess Diana; the symbol of Chastity; and the Goddess Juno, the symbol of Strength. The fountains of the Arno, Tiber, and Juno are the work of Domenico Fontana. The fountain of Diana was designed by the painter and architect Pietro da Cortona.
The later Baroque church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Francesco Borromini is located around the corner from the fountains.
Quattro Fountaine
11. Il Babuino or “The Baboon Fountain” portrays a reclining Silenus. This mythological Roman character is half man and half goat. This is one of the talking statues of Rome, Italy. It is located on Via Babuino next to the Chiesa di S. Atanasio dei Greci.
Baboon Fountain in Rome Italy
12. The vicinity around the Pantheon Fountain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQw95wqHJ34 and Piazza Navona‘s fountains offer the best Vino con Vista opportunities in town. The Pantheon Fountain was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII and is located in the Piazza della Rotonda in Rome. It is located directly in front of the Roman Pantheon. It was designed by Giacomo Della Porta in 1575 and sculpted out of marble by Leonardo Sormani. In 1711, Pope Clement XI had fountain modified. Filippo Barignoni designed a new layout and added the obelisk of Ramses II. Four dolphins decorate the base of the obelisk.
The area around the Pantheon is loaded with excellent restaurants, some of them are Michelin rated http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE95_YgbcgY. In addition, I love the interesting cast of characters that supports the obelisk in front of the Pantheon.
The cafe scene, restaurants and nightlife in Rome can’t be beat! Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com. Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for daily blog updates.
The Pantheon in Rome has occupied its present location for nearly 2000 years. It was originally designed in 27 B.C. as a pagan temple for all twelve Roman deities; supernatural and immortal beings. The deities were Apollo, Ceres, Diana, Juno, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Minerva, Neptune, Venus, Vesta and Vulcan.
Image via Wikipedia
The massive original doors are still used for entry into the Basilica.
Image via Wikipedia
The structure is as wide as it is tall (140 x 140 feet). The 30 foot wide oculus in the roof is the only source of light and was designed to allow the smoke from the burning of sacrificed animals to escape. The hemispherical dome was made from un-reinforced concrete and is still the largest dome in the world of its type.
Circular exterior view of the side of the Pantheon
The coffers for the concrete dome were poured in molds. Eight massive granite columns support the triangular tympanon.
Agrippa was the son-in-law of Emperor Augustus. Agrippa’s name is still inscribed in the trabeation above the portico in Latin and bears the inscription “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, Consul for the third time built this.”
Pantheon Restoration
Agrippa did not really build the Pantheon; he built an earlier temple on this site in 27 B.C. that was ravaged by a fire. The Pantheon was built in 125 AD during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.
Image via Wikipedia
The Pantheon was given to Pope Boniface IV in 609 and he converted it into a church and named it Santa Maria ad Martyres. Pope Boniface had 28 carloads of martyrs’ bones brought here from various cemeteries in Rome. It became the first pagan temple to be consecrated as a church.
Saint Mary and the Martyrs houses the mortal remains of Raphael in an ancient marble sarcophagus. Raphael died in 1520. The bust of Raphael located in the niche left of the aedicule and was completed in 1833 by Giueseppe Fabris.
The tomb of the fist king of Italy, King Victor Emanuele II (1820-1878), has a statue of St. Ann and the Virgin in the aedicule to the left of the tomb by Lorenzo Ottoni.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Most of the marble was recycled for St. Peter’s Basilica. In 1625, Pope Urban VIII (Barberini) removed the bronze from the beams of the portico to make 80 cannons for Castel Sant’Angelo and the four spiral columns of Bernini’s Baldachinno in St. Peter’s Basilica. The colossal bronze doors are original. Today we might consider that a “green” ecologically friendly move but the Roman’s say, “Whatever the barbarians didn’t do, the Barberini did.” The tomb of Victor Emanuele II was then created from bronze that was recast from the Castel Sant’Angelo’s cannons at the turn of the 20th century.
The general area around the Pantheon is the financial and political hub of the city and includes the stock exchange and Parliament. I think the Cafe Agrippa is a great place for a “Vino con Vista”!
The Piazza della Rotunda is the name of the square in front of the Pantheon. One of Rome’s prized Egyptian obelisks occupies the center of the square. Did you know that you will never get lost in Rome if you follow the obelisks? They are like a Roman GPS system that mark important landmarks in Rome.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides to Italy and Vino Con Vista Travel Guides can be purchased at these sites.
To learn more about Rome visit www.vino-con-vista.com
Buon Viaggio–
When: Sunday, February 26, 2012
5:00 pm – 11:30 pm
Where: Rocket Bar & Grill @ 22 W. Hubbard in Chicago
Image via Wikipedia
Join co-hosts Richard Roeper & Billy Dec at their 2nd Annual Oscar Viewing Party! Test your movie knowledge by putting your ballot predictions up against Richard and Billy for a chance to win fabulous prizes and hear their commentary live throughout the telecast. Continue reading
Image via Wikipedia
Enjoy a new adventure with your friends! Check out www.vinogogh.com for details. They offer art classes in western suburbs around Chicago!
Get ready to “Paint, Drink and be Merry” at these fun painting parties!
Sign-up: The painting featured on the calendar for that day will be the one you can create.
Let us show you how simple it really is to create your own painting, even if you have never painted before.
Click here to see more pictures from one of the recent events.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Image via Wikipedia
Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza is located on Corso del Rinascimento at the end of the Palazzo della Sapienza courtyard. It is the only church in Rome with a corkscrew, twisted spiral spire. The corkscrew spiral was the inspiration for the spire of Vor Frelsers Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark.
This Baroque church was built between 1642 and 1660 in the ancient courtyard of the Università la Sapienza (University of Knowledge), by Francesco Borromini.
Image via Wikipedia
This was originally the chapel church of the University of Rome (La Sapienza). Sapienza means “Knowledge” and it was the first university founded in Rome.
Click here to watch a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0xzXhJ-_-E.
The façade is decorated with columns that are incorporated into the walls. There are semi-circular arched windows which rise toward the spiral capital that is supporting the cupola.
On the main altar, there is a painting depicting the following Saints: Ives, Leo, Pantaleone, Luke, Catherine of Alexandria, in “The Glory of the Saints” (1661) by Pietro da Cortona. This university in Rome is dedicated to its namesake, Saint Ives (patron saint of the jurists). He is considered ” The Advocate of the Poor.”
Image via Wikipedia
Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza was consecrated in 1660 and was built by the architect Francesco Borromini. Since one of the distinctive characteristics of the church is the beautiful corkscrew spire on the dome; for 15 years after placing the spire on the roof, Borromini was responsible for it in case it collapsed. Inside the church, you can also admire the portrait of Saint Ives on the altar.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
The church of Saint Ives was built under the direction of Cardinal Barberini. You can observe the Barberini Bees on the facade of the church.
Image via Wikipedia
The church began as a chapel of the palace of the University of Rome. The University is called La Sapienza, and the church is devoted to Saint Yves.
Image via Wikipedia
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Related articles
Image via Wikipedia
The Baroque Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome was Borromini‘s first independent commission.
The dome of the church by Borromini intricate, interlocking coffering composed of octagons, crosses and hexagons. These geometric shapes diminish in size as they rise to the glass window with the symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Image by profzucker via Flickr
The charming, church is named for the four fountains, located at the intersection of the 4 corners of Via del Quirinale and Via Quattro Fontane. This intersection has four landmark fountains; one on each corner.
The figures of the four fountains represent the River Tiber (the symbol of Rome); the River Arno the symbol of Florence; the Goddess Diana; the symbol of Chastity; and the Goddess Juno, the symbol of Strength.
The fountains of the Arno, Tiber, and Juno are the work of Domenico Fontana. The fountain of Diana was designed by the painter and architect Pietro.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
The church’s bi-level, tiered façade conceals an elliptical shaped interior.
A statue of Saint Charles Borromeo by Antonio Raggi is above the main entrance surrounded by St. John of Matha and St. Felix of Valois, the founders of the Trinitarian Order.
Image via Wikipedia
The statue of the Tiber river can be seen at the lower left of the facade of the church of the Trinitarian Order.
The church has a two-storey cloister with porticos, arches and loggias. The sacristy has a potrait of Borromini.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Leonardo da Vinci was the embodiment of a Renaissance Man because he excelled at a variety of worthwhile endeavors. He was a celebrated sculptor, painter, architect, engineer and scientist. Leonardo’s “Vitruvian Man” represents the perfectly proportioned man.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Watch the following video showing four major Italian Renaissance artists and their work : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQBVE9BzYk
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Michelangelo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbZen2OOA3M&feature=related
Image via Wikipedia
Titian, Raphael, Giotto Video:
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBTtjDMBIbk&feature=related
Image via Wikipedia
Botticelli Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOILQzTfYww&feature=related are notable Renaissance artists who were commissioned by wealthy families and popes.
The contributions of these artists decorate the walls of churches, palaces and museums around the world. The Renaissance flourished in Italy and Italian masters graced humanity with a wealth of masterpieces
Bartolommeo Vivarini from Venice produced works of art for cities across Northern Italy and down the Adriatic Coast including this altarpiece of “Saint Mark” around 1490.
Cosme Tura from Ferrara painted “Saint George” around 1474 for the Church of San Giorgio fuori le Mura in Ferrara.
Carlo Crivelli from Venice painted the “Madonna and Child” in 1468.
Alessandro Mattia da Farnese from Rome painted the “Portrait of Prince Augusto Chigi” in 1664.
Giovanni di Paolo from Sienna painted “The Madonna and Child with Angels” in 1475.
Sano di Pietro from Siena painted “Saint Catherine of Siena” in about 1450.
Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) from Florence painted “The Madonna and Child” in 1411-1413.
Giotto‘s “God the Father with Angels”
Saint Jerome
Bernardino Luini from Milan painted “The Conversion of the Magdalene” (An Allegory of Modesty and Vanity) in 1520 with gesturing hands.
Catena’s “Holy Family”
I love Luca Signorelli’s, ”The Coronation of the Virgin” 1508
.
Filed under ebooks, Florence, IPad, Italy, Italy Travel Guides, Renaissance Art
Image via Wikipedia
Image by Chiara Marra via Flickr
Attend a Sicilian Wine Dinner at Prosecco located at 710 N. Wells in Chicago on Tuesday, February 7, 2012. The Sicilian Donnafuggata Winery will be pouring an interesting variety of wines.
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides about Sicily @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Filed under Sicilian WIne Dinner in Chicago
Italian Word of the Day Vino Con Vista | Traveler Vino Con Vista | The Blog
