Sunday, July 28, 2013

So Much Beautiful Art and Architecture...so little time





I am sharing some amazing photos of the Sistine Chapel, The Vatican Museum, Venice, Rome, and Tarquinia. The fresco in the Tomb of the Leopards is an Etruscan painting that dates back to 480 BCE.
Look at how amazingly vivid the colors are and I am excited my camera was able to capture this from the actual tomb in Tarquinia.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

More Whimsical Sculpture-Il Giardino Dei Tarocchi






A Fantasy Come True....








Yesterday we had an amazing visit to the tombs at Cerveteri, and il Museo Nazionale Tarquiniense (National Museum of Tarquinia), a splendid 15th century palazzo that contains a wealth of Etruscan treasures. We also toured the Necropolis in Tarquinia, where we saw tombs painted with lively scenes of Etruscan life.  The colors are amazingly fresh in the tombs and after that we entered Il Giardino dei Taiocchi with artwork by Niki de Saint Phalle.  Words cannot describe the amazing work I have seen as well as the tombs I have walked into and the amazing tomb paintings I have viewed!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Andiamo a Roma!

Ciao. Today our Art and Architecture class traveled to Rome to the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giula, perhaps the best collection in the world of Etruscan artifacts.  It was amazing to see the artifacts we studied in the class room! Then we visited the church of Santa Maria del Popolo with one of the richest art collections of any church in the city. We viewed two stunning Caravaggios in the Capella Cerasi! Then onto the Spanish steps...


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Buon giorno.  Yesterday I learned that Viterbo used to be a papal hideaway and the location of the Papal Palace conclave that voted on a new pope.  Here is our Journalistic Drawing class documenting all the amazing details. I am also learning about Etruscan artifacts and rituals. Underneath Roman
architecture here in Viterbo you can see evidence of the Etruscan foundations and walls beneath
perfectly preserved... I cannot wait until we visit the tombs in Cerveteri...


Sunday, July 7, 2013

A Magical Place...

Viterbo, a medieval town about 90 minutes north and west of Rome,
is a magical place. The medieval core of the city still sits within 12th century walls. I am at a Saturday flea market taking in the smells, sounds, and beauty of Viterbo,  I am amazed by the architecture and everywhere you turn 
you see Etruscan treasures! I am sketching prolifically in my sketchbook for my Journalistic drawing class and the studying the Art and Architecture of the Etruscans. 

I cannot wait to bring drawings and artifacts back to my classroom.  Yesterday we had a "Sketch Weekend"
and we documented the hot springs, (Terme) nearby, and today we visited the lake and took in some amazing sites and of course, gelato...