Art

The Art of Rome

Painting on Stone after the Sack of Rome

By Lucy Gordan Tempesta’s Capture of Jerusalem in “Painting with Stone/Landscape and Architecture” (photo credit: Galleria Borghese) May 6, 1527 was a tragic day in the history of Rome. Angry at not having been paid, some 34,000 mercenaries of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, many of whom were German followers of Luther known [...]

The Nativity of Jesus in the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas

“And thou, Bethlehem, Ephrata... out of thee shall He come forth unto Me, that is to be the ruler in Israel.” — Micah 5:2 St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), the Church’s “Angelic Doctor,” wrote with remarkable breadth and detailed insight on thousands of questions pertaining to God, man and the Catholic faith. In his Summa Theologiae, he [...]

Of Books, Art and People: Caravaggio and His Admirer, Roberto Longhi

By Lucy Gordan Boy Bitten by a Lizard by Caravaggio. Prolonged through January 10, 2021 at Rome’s Capitoline Museums, is the temporary exhibition, Il Tempo di Caravaggio: Capolavori della collezione di Roberto Longhi, or The Times of Caravaggio: Masterpieces from the Art Collection of Roberto Longhi. I’ve already written three articles for ITV [...]

Church vs. State: Who Should Own Italy’s Religious Art?

By Lucy Gordan Duccio Buoninsegna's Madonna Rucellai On June 2, 1946, Italy held a referendum to choose between remaining a monarchy or becoming a republic. This year the Government decided to commemorate this anniversary by reopening its state-owned museums after three months of lockdown. A few days before, at the reopening ceremony of Palazzo [...]

The Uffizi Before, During, And After Covid-19

By Lucy Gordan The printer, Hieronymus Cock The Uffizi Galleries in Florence are a conglomeration of two museums and a public garden: the Uffizi itself (in a building designed by Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de’ Medici to accommodate the “offices” of Florence’s magistrates), the Palazzo Pitti (the Medici’s main residence across the [...]

Pope Francis Prays Pandemic Will End

By Lucy Gordan Inside the Vatican readers for certain know of Pope Francis’ two unprecedented acts to pray for the end to the coronavirus pandemic. The first was his unannounced pilgrimage on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15th, to the Basilica of St. Mary Major and to the Church of San Marcello al Corso; the second [...]

“Australia Catalogue” highlights role of Vatican Museums

A catalogue, co-published by the Vatican Museums and Aboriginal Studies Press, lists and sheds light on the artifacts in the Vatican’s “Anima Mundi” Ethnological Museum section dedicated to Australia. Barbara Jatta, Director of the Museum talks of the fruitful collaboration that has led to this innovative publishing venture. The Vatican Museums this week hosted the launch of a [...]

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