This visit to the Capitoline Hill was focused on the Piazza del Campidoglio, which was designed by Michelangelo. The statues at the entrance of the piazza point outward, addressing the city. The piazza is odd because you step down to enter, but then it slopes up to the place where the statue of Marcus Aurelius is. This spot is the highest point and was considered the umbilicus mundi (center of the world) by the Romans. From this point, the pavement pattern spirals out to create the oval shape that the buildings surround. The two side buildings (the Conservatori and Braccio Nuovo) have giant order pilasters that lead the eye up. They incorporate all three ancient Greek orders, which make them interesting because they were some of the first contemporary buildings to do so.
We also visited the Capitoline museum where I focused on the following 3 works:
1. Bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius (176 AD): Aurelius has a beard in this statue, which would lead me to believe that he came after Hadrian, who was the first emperor to wear a beard. The statue was originally thought to be Constantine, which may be why it wasn’t destroyed. He doesn’t have any weapons, unlike the many other statues of emperors we’ have seen. His arm is outstretched, as if he is either welcoming people, or gesturing out to the city of Rome. He and his horse are also both looking in the direction of the city. (See sketch)
2. Capitoline Wolf: Pope Sixtus IV gave this statue to Rome in 1471. Once it was placed on the Capitoline Hill, it became the symbol of Rome, showing the suckling of Romulus and Remus by the she-wolf that found them. The fact that this image has survived so long and that this statue is still so celebrated shows how strongly the Romans believe in this myth and how connected they feel to this founding myth. My favorite part of this sculpture is the facial expressions on Romulus and Remus. They are looking up at Lupa yearningly.
3. Bernini’s Head of Medusa (~1645): Bernini created this sculpture while he was sick, to pass the time. The sculpture shows the moment when Medusa looks at herself in a mirror and turns herself to stone. Her facial expression is a mixture of anguish, anger, and sadness. I think this sculpture truly shows a very life-like facial expression in an amazing way. It even shows this detail and emotion in the snakes that make up Medusa’s hair.
We also visited the Capitoline museum where I focused on the following 3 works:
1. Bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius (176 AD): Aurelius has a beard in this statue, which would lead me to believe that he came after Hadrian, who was the first emperor to wear a beard. The statue was originally thought to be Constantine, which may be why it wasn’t destroyed. He doesn’t have any weapons, unlike the many other statues of emperors we’ have seen. His arm is outstretched, as if he is either welcoming people, or gesturing out to the city of Rome. He and his horse are also both looking in the direction of the city. (See sketch)
2. Capitoline Wolf: Pope Sixtus IV gave this statue to Rome in 1471. Once it was placed on the Capitoline Hill, it became the symbol of Rome, showing the suckling of Romulus and Remus by the she-wolf that found them. The fact that this image has survived so long and that this statue is still so celebrated shows how strongly the Romans believe in this myth and how connected they feel to this founding myth. My favorite part of this sculpture is the facial expressions on Romulus and Remus. They are looking up at Lupa yearningly.
3. Bernini’s Head of Medusa (~1645): Bernini created this sculpture while he was sick, to pass the time. The sculpture shows the moment when Medusa looks at herself in a mirror and turns herself to stone. Her facial expression is a mixture of anguish, anger, and sadness. I think this sculpture truly shows a very life-like facial expression in an amazing way. It even shows this detail and emotion in the snakes that make up Medusa’s hair.