L'arte di il museo Vaticano

BENEVENUTI!!!!


Hey guys!! So again, sorry for the late post. I will be talking about my last Friday morning (again in the present tense). So, Friday morning, I got up and I decided to join the Art History class (though I am not enrolled) since they were going to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. Finally! I will get to see famous Renaissance art! But because I took sooooo many fotos...I decided I will select a good number and try to explain the pieces. So sit tight and enjoy!

Another picture of St. Peter's Basillica. I can't resist. Every time I see it I have to take a picture. This is probably my favorite spot in the whole world. Dios sos la luz y la esperanza de nuestro mundo!!!!

Vatican Museum Lobby!

NO! It is not the original. The original is in St. Peter's Basillica. This is an exact replica though. La Pieta was original commissioned to Michelangelo by the French Cardinal Jean de Billheres. La Pieta was an altar piece for the cardinals funeral tomb. Furthermore, this replication is at the same height it would have been at the altar. La Pieta is a concept that originated from Northern Europe. What the viewer first notices is the Virgin Mary's large hand beckoning the viewer to come closer to see her son. The Virgin Mary wears a sash around her chest which was a Medieval apparel which signified one was a mother. The sash was a Medieval baby carrier. Furthermore we notice that Mary is young. When asked why Michelangelo portrayed the Virgin Mary young, he answered that the sinless of her soul was reflected in her body. Therefore, she would not have aged in body since she was sin-free. We find Mary's head bowed over and her feet supporting Christ! The significance of a bowed head is that the light would have come from overhead. Therefore it would have lit Jesus and the light would have reflected of Jesus and light Mary's face. Thus, Christ is the Light of the World. As we walk around the piece we see the lifelessness of Christ until we spot his right arm. Michelangelo portrayed his right arm with veins! This signify not that Christ was alive but rather it foreshadowed that Christ would indeed rise from the dead (the veins occur in a rather small portion of the piece). Finally, we discover that Mary does not hold Jesus with her bare hands. Her hands are in her cloak. This is indicative of the priest during the Mass. The priest raises the transubstantiation host with a cloth. La pieta begs and asks the viewer to contemplate the mystery of the Eucharist and the Death and Live in Christ. Truly a piece of art filled with a sincere Faith.

Medieval altar pieces. A Madonna scene with saints in flank.  

The St. Franciscan Crucifex.

RAFAEL'S TRANSFIGURATION!!! We are drawn to the piece first buy a Roman matron who occupies the center of the work. We find that she points to the right. To the right we find that there is a family who is bringing their child who is possessed by demons. The family pleads with the Apostles to aid their child. To the left we find that the Apostles search a way to find a cure. One looks to the ancient texts. And some point up the hill. Up the hill we see is the Transfigured Christ flanked by Elijah and Moses and with the Apostles Peters, James, and John blinded and kneeling.. The piece is balanced in chiaroscuro (light and dark). Christ is the light of the piece. From him emanates all goodness and holiness. In contrast, the busy scene below him is dark. The rest I leave for you to assess!!!

The only Leornado da Vinci in all of Rome. This is a painting of St. Jerome in the wilderness. He is performing acts of mortification to cleanse himself of impure thoughts. He is guarded by his trusty lion.

This is where the Rafael rooms begin in the museum. This room is a Papal throne room. The paintings depict the image of the papal's history and power. For example, there is a scene which depicts Constantine's famous battle at Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D.

In the papal study we find the painted walls of knowledge. Here is Rafael's famous school of Athens. It was believed that since the Middle Ages that the more knowledge one had the closer he could come to know God.

THE SISTINE CHAPEL!
There are painted walls depicting stories from Moses to Christ.