Category Archives: Michelangelo and the Capitoline in Rome Italy

April 18, 2013 · 10:41 am

Top Treasures of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel in Italy

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Carlo Brogi (1850-1925) – “Rome – Vatican – Museo Pio-Clementino – Augustus in his older age”. Catalogue # 8262. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Fresco of Mercury – Vatican Museum – Rome, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Vatican Museums (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A spiral staircase inside one of the Vatican Museums (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Augustus of Prima Porta, statue of the emperor Augustus in Museo Chiaramonti, Vatican, Rome (with white background). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bust of Augustus of the Prima Porta type. Roman artwork, most of the bust is a modern restoration. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Vatican Museums ( Musei Vaticani) are located inside the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection acquired by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries. The collection includes some of the most renowned classical sculptures like the Apoxyomenos (Athlete Washing) in the Museo Pio Clementino that houses works of Greek and Roman sculpture. This statue was discovered in 1849 when it was excavated in Trastevere. This statue is a 1^st century Roman copy of an original Greek bronze by Lysippus.

Athlete Washing at the Vatican Musuem

I can’t resist the ancient “giant head ” sculptures in Rome! They truly relflect the egos that have dominated this town for centuries.

Classic vatican giant head

The museums contain some of the most important masterpieces of sacred Renaissance art. The intricate and elaborate Roman mosaic floors were made from tesserae colored marble.

Roman Mosaic floor of Neptune at the Vatican Museums

Many Roman military leaders were commemorated with statues throughout Rome. The statues were originally painted with vibrant colors like this replica of the Prima Porta Augustus shown below. The original marble Augustus of Prima Porta is also in the museum.

The statue of Augustus Caesar was discovered in 1863, in the Villa of Livia at Prima Porta, near Rome. Augustus Caesar’s wife, Livia Drusilla, retired to the villa after his death. The sculpture is now displayed in the Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican Museums.

There are 54 galleries (salas) in the museums. The last one is the Sistine Chapel. You will witness one of the oldest and most comprehensive art collections in the world! Let’s take a look at some of Vatican Museum’s treasures and masterpieces.

Vatican Museum Treasures

The Goddess of Fertility

1.Pope Julius II founded the museums in the early 16th century. They were visited by 4,310,083 people in the year 2007.

The Vatican Museums trace their origin to one marble sculpture, purchased 500 years ago; the sculpture of Laocoon.

The story of Laocoön was the subject of a play by the Greek writer Sophocles. According to Greek mythology, Laocoön was killed after attempting to expose the ruse of the Trojan Horse by striking it with a spear. The snakes were sent by Athena, and were interpreted by the Trojans as proof that the horse was a sacred object. The most famous account of these events is in Virgil‘s Aeneid. Laocoön warned his fellow Trojans against the wooden horse presented to the city by the Greeks. In the Aeneid, Virgil gives Laocoön the famous line Equo ne credite, Teucri / Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes, or “Do not trust the Horse, Trojans: Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even bearing gifts.” This line is the source of the saying: “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”

The statue was unearthed in 1506 near the site of the Domus Aurea of the Emperor Nero in Rome, in the vineyard of Felice De Fredis near the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Laocoon in Vatican Museums

Pope Julius II, an enthusiastic classicist, sent Giuliano da Sangallo and Michelangelo Buonarroti to examine the discovery. On their recommendation, the pope immediately purchased the sculpture from the vineyard owner. The pope put the sculpture of the Trojan “Laocoön and His Sons” who were named Antiphantes and Thymbraeus in the grips of a sea serpent on public display at the Vatican exactly one month after its discovery. It is believed that the scultures wre from the island of Rhodes and there names were Agesander, Athenodros and Polydorus.

2. The Stanze della Segnatura are four rooms decorated by Raphael. They formed part of the apartment situated on the second floor of the Pontifical Palace that was chosen by Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) as his own residence and used also by his successors. The pictorial decoration was executed by Raphael and his school between 1508 and 1524. I love Raphael’s “Baptism of Constantine” and the “Deliverance of Saint Peter.”

Raphael’s Baptism of Constantine

Raphael’s ceiling

Raphael’s Deliverance of St. Peter

3. The Sistine Chapel houses Michelangelo’s brilliant frescoes on the ceiling and lunettes above the windows. Here’s a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

In 1473, Pope Sixtus IV commissioned Giovannni De Dolci to build a chapel for Papal ceremonies. This Sistine Chapel is located in the Vatican Museum a few blocks away from St. Peter’s. It is famous for its architecture and its elaborate decorative frescoed interior. Many Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others contributed to the magnificent art display in the Chapel.

Commissioned by Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling by Michelangelo

He resented the commission but the ceiling and The Last Judgement (1535–1541) is Michelangelo’s crowning achievement in painting. The “Last Judgment” is located on the wall behind the main altar and was completed in 1541.

Saint Jerome holding his flayed skin with Michelangelo’s self-portrait

Pope Paul III commissioned Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” (1536-1541). It represents a vortex of divine, human and diabolical bodies. Some souls are blessed and reach paradise and others are damned and cast down into an inferno.

Vatican Last Judgement Information Board

There are information boards in the Cortile della Pigna that will help you navigate the art in the Chapel.

Check out the large Roman bronze pinecone that was once a fountain. It is positioned in front of the niche in the courtyard.

Michelangelo’s Ceiling in the Sistine Chapel

One of the primary functions of the Sistine Chapel is that it is a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. During a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel. The smoke from the chimney serves as a signal. If white smoke appears, it is generated by burning the ballots of the election. The white smoke signifies the election of a new pope. If a candidate receives less than a two-thirds majority, the cardinals send black smoke up the chimney. This is created by burning the ballots along with wet straw and chemical additives, therefore it signals that the election has not been successful.

4. The Gallery of the Busts (Galleria dei Busti) is where many ancient busts are displayed in the Museum of Antiquities.

Ancient busts at the Vatican Museum

The Bust Room in the Vatican Museum

5. The Map Room at the Vatican Musuems is incredible. The barrel vaulted ceiling of the “Gallery of Maps” is the hallway that leads to the former residences of the popes. The map room illustrates stories of the saints and events charted on the wall maps. It is located on the west side of the Belvedere Courtyard in the Vatican. This magnificent hallway contains a series of painted topographical maps of Italy. The maps are based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti. The gallery was commissioned in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII.It took Danti three years (1580–1583) to complete the 40 panels.

A Map of Sardinia at the Vatican Museums

6. The Sarcophagus of Saint Helen, the mother of Constantine is located in Sala a Croce Greca. The ornate object is carved from red porphyry stone with Roman horsemen and barbarian prisoners from the 4^th century.

St. Helen’s Sarcophagus

7. The Pinacoteca Vaticana was commissioned by Pope Pius IV in 1790. The collection was first housed in the Borgia Apartment, until Pope Pius XI ordered construction of a proper building. The designer was Luca Beltrami. The art gallery contains paintings by Giotto, Lippi, Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio including:

Leonardo da Vinci’s Saint Jerome

Fra Filippo Lippi’s Coronation of the Virgin

1. Giotto, “The Stefaneschi Altarpiece”

2. Fra Angelico, “Madonna and Child with St. Dominic, St. Catherine and the Angels

3. ”Filippo Lippi, “Coronation of the Virgin”

4. Bellini, “Pieta” (1471)

5. Pinturicchio, “Adoration of the Magi” (in the Borgia Apartment)

6. Leonardo da Vinci, “St. Jerome” (1480) Raphael’s Oddi Altarpiece, “Crowning of the Virgin” (1503) and “The Foligno Madonna”

Caravaggio’s Entombment

7. Caravaggio’s, “The Deposition” shows Christ’s hand brushing againstthe tombstone.Saint John the Evangelist and Nicodemus, the Pharisee and doctor of law, struggle to support his body.The Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene are bent toward Jesus.This painting was originally commissioned for a church in Rome but it was moved here when itwas returned from France.

“The Vatican Museums Under the Stars” Exhibit is open from May 6-July 15 every Friday. Get your tickets on-line, get there early and proceed to the Sistine Chapel immediately. I was fortunate enough to almost have the entire Chapel to myself!!

After admiring the amazing art, helix staircase and sculptures collected by the papacy since the 15^th century in the Vatican Museum, have a Vino con Vista by enjoying a glass of Cesanese or Montepulciano di Abruzzo wine in one of the charming neighborhood cafes like Bar Santa Anna or Pizzeria il Migliore on via Santa Anna.

Vatican Museums Helix Staircase by Giuseppe Momo in 1932

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides. To learn more about Rome visit www.vino-con-vista.com

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Tagged as Apoxyomenos, Arts and Entertainment, Attractions at the Vatican Museums in Italy, Augustus of Prima Porta, Catholic Church, Domus Aurea, Michelangelo, Neptune, Pope, Pope Julius II, Prima Porta, Prima Porta Augustus, Renaissance art, Rome, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Trojan Horse, Vatican CIty, Vatican Museum, Villa of Livia

May 9, 2012 · 11:33 am

Capitoline Hill Adventures in Rome

Palazzo Senatorio, Rome City Hall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Piazza Campidoglio is the home of the Capitoline Museums. The museums are loaded with interesting ancient Roman statuary (www.museicapitolini.org). This area of Rome is Capitoline Hill, located between the Forum and the Campus Martius. It was the citadel of the earliest Romans; like the ancient Greek acropolis in Greece. Click on the map to see how many interesting sites are in this area; within walking distance. Some of these intriguing sites in Rome include: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and highlights of ancient Rome.

The seven hills of Rome Српски / Srpski: Седам брежуљака Рима (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As you walk around Rome, look for Rome’s trusty maps to help you identify key sites in the area. Many of the sites will provide plaques that identify some of the key monuments. Here’s a map of the Viminale Hill. The Viminal Hill is the smallest of the famous seven hills of Rome. At the top of Viminal Hill there is the palace of Viminale that hosts the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior. The hill first became part of the city of Rome during the reign of Servius Tullius; Rome’s 6th king.

The forefathers of the United States named their Capitol Hill after this Roman site. Were they thinking about the massive debt problem negotiations when they named their meeting place for the United States Congress in Washington D.C. after this ancient Roman location?

Viminale Map Photo

Capitoline she-wolf, Romulus and Remus, Roman Forum, Rome (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to legend, the mythological twins, Romulus and Remus were raised on Palatine Hill by a she-wolf. Palatine is one of Rome’s seven hills and inextricably tied to the origins of Rome. The mythical Romulus killed his brother and laid out a circuit of walls; the “Roma Quadrata” that became the nucleus of the city. When you see the statue of the she wolf nursing Romulus and Remus be sure to pet her face for good luck.

View from the Piazza del Campidoglio. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Roman Emperors selected this area of Rome to house their royal residences. There is a beautiful panoramic vista of the Forum and the Colosseum from the terrace of the Palazzo Senatorio. The view from the terrace of the square is especially captivating in the moonlight.

360° panoramic view of Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome. Morning at 7 am. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The existing design of the Piazza del Campidoglio and the surrounding palazzi was created by Renaissance artist and architect Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1536–1546. He was commissioned by the Farnese Pope Paul III, who wanted a symbol of the new Rome to impress Charles V, who was expected to arrive in Rome in 1538.

A balustrade punctuated by sculptures atop the giant pilasters is one Michelangelo’s most influential design elements. The two massive ancient statues of Castor and Pollux which decorate the balustrades are not the same conceptualized by Michelangelo, which now are in front of the Palazzo del Quirinale.

The bell tower was designed by Martino Longhi the Elder and built between 1578 and 1582. Its current facade was designed by Giacomo della Porta and Girolamo Rainaldi. Michelangelo provided new fronts for the two official buildings of Rome’s civic government, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Senatorio.

Capitoline Rome Italy

1. Climb the stairs to the top of the hill and tour the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. It is adjacent to the square and it is located near the location where the ancient citadel once stood. Visit the special Chapel of the Bambino in the church.

Santa Maria in Aracoeli (façade), Rome. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chapel of the Bambino is Santa Maria in Ara Coeli

Salone of Palazzo Nuovo, Capitoline Museums, Rome (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Visit the Capitoline Museums. The museum complex dates back to the 15^thcentury. The museums are housed in two buildings connected by an underground passageway. The original structures were built during the 13th and 14th century. Admire the Capitoline Venus.

So-called “Capitoline Venus”, one of the best preserved copies of Praxiteles’ Cnidian Venus (4th century BC). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Palazzo Senatorio (“Senatorial Palace”) stands atop the Tabularium that had once housed the archives of ancient Rome. Peperino blocks from the Tabularium were re-used in the left side of the palace and a corner of the bell tower. It now houses the Roman city hall. The two-sided staircase was designed by Michelangelo.

The fountain in front of the staircase features the river gods of the Tiber and the Nile as well as Dea Roma (Minerva).

The palazzi are now home to the Capitoline Museums. In the museums there are plenty of interesting things to see. You can marvel at the giant body parts from the components of the “Colossus of Constantine.” They are located in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Capitoline Museums.

The Colossus of Constantine was a colossal acrolithic statue of the late Roman emperor Constantine the Great ( 280–337) that once occupied the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius near the Forum Romanum in Rome. Portions of the Colossus now reside in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini, on the Capitoline Hill, above the west end of the Forum.

Colossus of Constantine

While you’re in the museums, check out the statue of Bernini’s Medusa. She didn’t always have a bad hair day. According to the myth, when she was seduced by Poseidon in Athen’s temple, the enraged virgin goddess Athena transformed her beautiful hair into serpents.

Athena made Medusa’a f ace so unattractive that the mere sight of her face would turn a man to stone. Be careful not to gaze directly at Medusa unless you are interesed in turning into stone. The museum is loaded with ancient classical sculptures. The Pinocateca Capitolina houses Renaissance paintings by Titan, Tintoretto and Caravaggio.

3. Get some photos of Michelangelo’s magnificent piazza and the corresponding panoramic view. He moved the ancient bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) to the center of this square. The statue stood at the center of the Piazza for centuries until it was restored in 1990. He currently resides inside the Palazzo Nuovo in the museum. Admire the copy of the original statue in the Piazza. Although the original statue is now protected from the elements, he has unfortunately lost his panaoramic “Vino con Vista.”

Marcus Aurelius

4. Visit the “Rome from the Sky” booth and buy a ticket for the glass elevator. From the terrace of the “Quadrigas” of the Victor Emmanuel structure you will have an incredible panarama of Rome. Do not let the price of the ticket intimidate you, this is an outstanding panoramic view from the top of the historic monument.

Glass elevator in Rome

“Rome from the Sky”

Rome is the Perfect Vino con Vista Destination

5. After your exciting elevator trip, have a perfect “Vino con Vista” sitting under the umbrellas at the Cafe overlooking the city of Rome. I totally enjoyed my glass of 2009 Morellino di Scansano but you have plenty of other options at this rooftop cafe.

6. You will be close enough to t0ur the Roman Forum. The Roman Forum was the center of the Roman Empire. Visit the remains of arches, temples and basilicas including the House of the Vestal Virgins. The virgins were buried alive for breaking their vows. You can admire the Church of Santi Luca e Martina on the grounds of the Forum.

Arch of Titus in Rome

The Roman Senate House is where Caesar was assassinated. The Arch of Titus is a 1^stcentury triumphal arch constructed in 82 by the Roman Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his brother Titus.

The arch commemorates the capture of Jerusalem in 70 AD that ended the revolt against the Romans. This arch was the inspiration for the Arch de Triomphe in Paris built in 1806. The structures in the Forum provide interesting insights into life in ancient Rome. Admire the Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina.

7. Walk over to Piazza Venezia and the Victor Emanuel II National Monument. The “Wedding Cake” building was initiated in 1885 to honor the 1861 Unification of the Kingdom of Italy. It was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi. It is dedicated to the first King of the unified country. The statues surrounding the base of the equestrian statue represent fourteen historically significant Italian cities. A flame burns on the front terrace of the building to mark the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

The Victor Emmanuel National Monument

The Museo del Risorgimento has interesting exhibits dedicated to Italy’s unification. Since I am a teacher, I loved the alphabet exhibit; so remember B is for banane in Italian.

8. Admire the Triumphal Arch of Constantine. It is one of the last monuments built by Imperial Rome in 312 AD before Constantine moved the capital to the Byzantine side of the globe. It commemorates his victory over co-emperor Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge 312 AD.

Triumphal Arch of Constantine

9. On your way to the Colosseum, tour the ancient church dedicated to the twin brothers Saints Cosma e Damiano. The church is loaded with incredible mosaics.

Mosaics in the Church of Cosma e Damiano in Rome Italy

10. Time to walk over the the Colosseum. The Colosseum is Rome’s largest amphitheater. It was built in 72 AD as an elliptical sports stadium. This venue was primarily designed for deadly gladiator combat and wild animal fights. This amphitheater is the largest ever built by the Roman Empire with a base of six acres. The exterior of the grand stone ellipse was made of travertine blocks that were held together with metal camps instead of mortar.

When you tour the inside of the massive structure, you will see the elaborate network of underground passageways that were used during Roman times.

The stadium could hold up to 50,000 spectators. In ancient Rome, the spectators were covered with a canopy called a velarium suspended by ropes and masts attached to stone corbels on the upper level of the structure. Gladiatorial combat ended in the 6^thcentury.

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides. To learn more about Rome visit www.vino-con-vista.com