a guided field trip to rome in the tale of a student from professor mercedes carrara’s art history class at gonzaga university in florence - the florence newspaper

A Guided Field Trip to Rome in the Tale Of a Student from Professor Mercedes Carrara’s Art History Class at Gonzaga University in Florence

Written by: Meghan Yee

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Before this class trip to Rome, I admit, I had the pretty stereotypical or cliché ideas about Rome. My first thoughts concerning Rome where, of course, big historical monuments like the Colosseum and Vatican City, and far too often I dreamt of having my own Roman adventure as in The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

My only previous knowledge concerning Rome was the random facts I had learned from Rick Steve’s, along with my sixth grade segment on the history of ancient Rome. So while Rome and its culture, art, history, and life have always fascinated me, it had always been merely a dream up until this point in my life. And, I have to say, that the three days that we spent in Rome certainly did not disappoint – in fact, they exceeded my expectations, and this trip will probably be one of the top five trips of my life.

Behind the bustling cosmopolitan that is now modern day Rome lays the rich historical and cultural art, monuments, and treasures of ancient Rome, which are, in all reality, the true gems of Western civilization. The amount of art, architecture, history, museums, and sites covered within our three-day excursion is endless. I could not honestly say that I know the names of everything that we saw and each place we went. However, I can say that the pieces and places that I do know and remember had a profound impact on me, and, through this experience, I most definitely learnt a lot about my interests and myself.

Prior to our Roman travels, I had initially been a fan of impressionist painting, as I had often found myself completely drawn to the realism and movement of the work. However, what I discovered on this trip was my love for sculpture, which depicted those exact qualities and more. Being a student in the Women’s Studies department at my university, I especially connected to sculpted works of women and/or goddesses. This was quickly discovered upon seeing the Dying Niobid, one of the first pieces we came across at the Massimo Alle Terme. I was immediately stricken by this utterly expressive and hauntingly beautiful piece of the Dying Niobid, who is wounded, dying, and completely vulnerable as she takes out an arrow from her back and becomes fully exposed with the falling of her gown. The expression and anguish of her eyes and face, and the collapse of her body capture her struggle, pain, and helplessness – or what the Greek called pathos, her suffering with dignity. In looking at her, I could not help but feel remorse. Even so, despite the Dying Niobid’s complete vulnerability, there is still something quite discreet and beautiful about her.

Other sculptures, mosaics, and wall paintings we saw while at the Massimo Alle Terme as well as the Capitoline Museum, were, nonetheless, also fantastic; however, none impacted me the way the Dying Niobid had. Though, I must admit that it was truly amazing to see in person, pieces that we had studied in class. Pieces like – Augustus as Priest, Portrait of a Lady, Women pouring perfume, The Capitoline Wolf, What I also really appreciated and enjoyed about this trip were the Forum, the Colosseum, as well as all the Triumphal Arches we saw. The architecture of the ancient Roman Empire truly astounded me, and I especially liked hearing the historical and political stories behind these works. The Roman Forum and the Colosseum were probably two of my favorite sites of the entire trip. Standing at sites where so much life and history took place was unbelievable. While there, I kept trying to imagine these sites in their heydays – the Forum and Via Sacra bustling with toga-adorned merchants, senators, and whoever else, as they discussed life, food, and politics; or the Colosseum as a packed amphitheater with massive crowds jeering on gladiatorial battles and wild beast fights. It was incredible.

Moving on, day one concluded with the well-worth wait to the Borghese Gallery, home to the most beautiful sculptures ever created. Gian Lorenzo Bernini is without a doubt my favorite sculptor, who certainly gives Michelangelo a run for his money. Pluto and Persephone, Apollo and Daphne, and Bernini’s David were my favorite pieces from his collection. Each sculpture depicted its own story and Bernini illustrated each story magnificently. Never before have I seen such intricate detail within sculpture. The impressions, expressions, bodily contacts, drapery, movement were so real that it felt unreal. I felt like I was watching a live-action scene that was put on pause. I could probably fill another three pages describing each of these sculptures, but I will not so that I may leave some room for curiosity. All I will lastly say is that Bernini is the epitome of sculpture.

Day two of our Roman excursion was a bright, clear, and cloudlessly sunny day, which suited our trip to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica perfectly. It’s as if God was smiling down on us! I have to admit, however, that I was not quite as impressed with the art within the Vatican museum in comparison to the works in the Massimo Alle Terme and the Capitoline Museums. The Vatican art, like all pieces of art, certainly bestowed their own historical significance, yet they simply did not intrigue me in the same way – though, the same cannot be same for the Raphael Rooms, my favorite section of the Vatican exhibit.

Raphael, along with Michelangelo, probably defined the High Renaissance of Rome. Seeing the wall frescos of Raphael after the frescos of “Garden Room” from the Villa of Livia in the Massimo Alle Terme was somewhat revolutionary. The evolution of wall frescos from the Roman Republic to the High Renaissance is actually remarkable. Raphael, and followed by Michelangelo, created a whole new style of painting that added more depth, as well as character and humanistic qualities. Raphael particularly demonstrates this in The School of Athens, and Michelangelo perfects it in his The Last Judgment of the Sistine Chapel, which marked the end of the High Renaissance.

Though the Sistine Chapel and The Last Judgment were quite honestly almost perfect pieces, I found myself not as impressed as I expected I would be. Perhaps it was the chaos of the large groups of tourists, or the intensity of the high security, but regardless, I was more fascinated by Raphael’s The School of Athens. The vibrant colors, precision, details, and just overall image of the painting completely awed me. I definitely felt like Raphael excellently captured the life and essence of Greek philosophical life and discussion through his illustration of classic philosophers of Greek antiquity, and their pursuit for human reason. His portrayal of prominent philosophical figures such as, Socrates and his various students – Xenophon, Zeno, Aristotle, and then Plato, demonstrates diverse ideas of reason and its multicultural and trans-historical background; and, I find it absolutely amazing that Raphael was able to portray in a painting, a scene that so credibly reveals the founding of Western rationalism and ideals.

After recomposing myself from my marvel over The School of Athens, I found myself in awe, yet again, when reaching the world’s most famous church, St. Peter’s Basilica. Although the church itself was undoubtedly beautiful, I almost loved the setting of St. Peter’s Square even more. While the idea of the perfectly sunny day may have contributed to this quaint haven, I simply loved the idea of God’s arms stretched out before His loving people, who stood in his square with great love, admiration, faith, and respect. The serene peacefulness of the square was so calming; it was perfect and it deemed itself worthy to be the home of the Pope.

Following this still and composed setting, we headed on towards the crowded tourist hotspots of the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Pantheon. These sites were not necessarily my favorite locations of which we visited; however, seeing them at night – the night before and without as many tourist crowds – was rather “magical” and the picturesque image of an enchanting “Roman Holiday”.

As much as I loved Roman city life, Ostia Antica cannot be dismissed. Our third and final day was spent in Ostia Antica, harbor city and seaport of ancient Rome. I was completely blown away and pleasantly surprised by its ambiance and intricacy. The preservation of its ancient buildings, forums, and frescos astounded me; and, I really enjoyed being able to climb atop and around such ancient ruins, as well as explore the area itself. I had never even heard of Ostia prior to this class, but must now admit it to a real diamond in the rough.

Our class trip to Rome was such a wonderful experience, and I am so extremely thankful to have been given the opportunity. It was a truly special weekend. I have seen so much more of Rome than I could have ever imagined – and, it was all accomplished in three days! My experience in studying and witnessing the art, architecture, culture, and history of ancient Rome indeed prove that “all roads lead to Rome”.