Ciao!
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| Palazzo Barberini |
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| Painting from perspective |
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| Second painting from perspective |
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| LOVE this ceiling! |
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| Ceiling looking like a carpet! |
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| Love those lions! |
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| The palazzo was as grand as the artwork! |
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| Garden ends here! |
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| Pyramid of Rome! |
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| Former power plant, now art museum! |
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| Ancient Etruscan lion |
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| Pope Pius IX' office car |
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| Personal car and Pope's balcony car |
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| Beautiful mosaics |
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| Building was spectacular! |
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| More parts! |
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| Beautiful setting for stunning sculpture |
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| Girl on a chair |
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| Inside glassed-in Alex restaurant |
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| Good bottle of Italian red wine! Hi, Mom! |
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| R's artichoke |
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| My bresaola salad |
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| My rare steak with chips |
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| R's steak with mushroom sauce and chips |
We have stayed in the Via Veneto many, many times – it is our favorite area to stay when we’re in Rome – but we have never visited the Palazzo Barberini until now. It was just a short walk down Quatre Fontane (Four Fountains street) and we were there! As we had earlier in the week visited the Palazzo Corsini (which we didn’t like at all!) our tickets were still good for the Barberini.
First of all, the building is beautiful! It is so amazing to us to walk through huge gates and see huge individual mansions – with, of course, lots of garden space in the back. All this right in the middle of the city! We traveled the two floors of the collection, and were just amazed at the scope of work. In the first place, they had a special exhibition about perspective. Robert actually would teach a bit of perspective from a scientific point of view to beginning Art Center industrial design students. Gaylord would have LOVED this presentation! Basically, there were four paintings that were painted all squashed together. Then, with a metal cylinder placed on top of it, you could see the entire painting in the cylinder’s reflection! So hard to explain, but hopefully we’ll have some good photos of what we’re talking about. Very unusual!
From the special exhibit, we passed on to the rest of the collection. There was a great deal of religious art – many Madonnas and children, and the collection contained everything from icon-like paintings framed in gold, to frescos that have come off various walls and ceilings around the country. From what we saw and read, it appears that some of the Barberini original ceilings have been damaged over the years. I’m thinking that a possible leaking roof would tend to bring down a stunning ceiling fresco or painting. Also, something original about these ceilings – they resembled carpets with fringe hanging down from the sides; very interesting and we thought very attractive. It was also interesting seeing the Barberini family crest – it contains three “bee’s” on a shield, so there were the occasional bees buzzing around the ceilings as well.
We were also able to see the original Borromini staircase as well as go out into the gardens. Right now, the gardens encompass about an entire block, but they are definitely in need of work. They could be absolutely lovely, but I’m thinking that there probably wasn’t money enough to complete the gardens and what looks to be the orangerie right next door. Too bad, and hopefully this can someday be remedied!
Our next spot was to Centrale Montemartini, one of the most unconventional museums in Rome. The venue is an old electric power plant, which has now been put into use as a museum. We took two busses – the 83 from Via Veneto out to the Pyramid, and then a 23 from there to the Montemartini. Talk about having a space to ourselves – there were even fewer people visiting this museum than were at the Barberini,and we loved it! The museum combines classical sculptures with industrial architecture and it works wonderfully! It appears that it contains sculpture overflow from the Capitoline Museum we visited yesterday, and it is really fabulous. Additionally, they are hosting a special exhibition which translates to The Egyptians and the Etruscans that highlights the links between the two cultures. It was great! Lots more artifacts to see and record, and a few surprises as well!
The biggest surprise was wandering into a huge room which housed – seriously – the Pope’s Train (Pope Pius IX)! Who knew the Pope even HAD a train?? This train had three special cars that the Pope used to travel around the country in the mid-1800’s. There was the office car where the Pope would meet with people, the personal car that included a chapel, and the balcony car – so he could sit outside and enjoy the scenery, as well as say Mass and extend blessings along the way! It was so quiet and remote and quite a kick to look at! We were able to recognize it immediately as the Pope’s from the crossed key insignia which decorated the outside of the cars.
At any rate, this is a huge space and there were lots of sculptures to see. This is definitely one museum that we will absolutely return to visit on subsequent visits. So much to see!
By this time, it was almost 3 pm and we still hadn’t had lunch. Our original plan was to return to Armando al Pantheon for dinner, but we decided that once was enough for one trip, and cancelled our reservation. So, as it looked like the rain they had been predicting all day might finally return – it was already sprinkling – we went back to the hotel so that I could get a jacket, and headed downstairs for a late lunch/early dinner.
Whenever we took Mom to Rome, she really loved having dinner in one of the glassed-in restaurants on the Via Veneto. So, Mom, we lifted our wine glasses (yes, it was red!) and saluted you for your great taste in restaurants! Robert started with a grilled artichoke, which he said was good but would have been better if there had been two of them. I had their bresaola salad with parmesan and arugula; it was great! Then for mains, we both ordered filets – rare, and they came with some roasted potatoes. Seriously, these steaks were wonderful – we ate up every single bite. What a great way to end our visit to Rome!
Upstairs afterwards and I am blogging, and R is sleeping. He has been working very hard, and staying up I-don’t-know-how-late to get things done, and hopefully he is near completion. At any rate, a nap was definitely called for after our very active day riding buses and viewing museums! It’s always sad to leave Rome, but we have had such an enjoyable visit! But now we’re on to Viterbo and our apartment for a week!
Lots of love,
m
xxx
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