L'Ultima Settimana a Roma

Week nine began with late seventeenth century illusionistic ceilings. We met on the steps of the Gesù for a second visit to the church, this time to discuss Gaulli's impressive illusionistic ceiling, combining painting, sculpture and architecture. Our reading on the work prompted us to consider Bernini's influence over the commission and the execution. We thought about the effect this breaking of space would have had on the seventeenth century viewer and we discussed the motivations for the Jesuits to utilize such visually powerful decoration in their primary church.

We continued the day with a visit to Sant' Ignazio, another Jesuit church. John led us in a discussion of Andrea Pozzo's Apotheosis of Saint Ignatius. We attempted to view the amazingly convincing perspective as a seventeenth century viewer to determine if the Jesuits were utilizing such decorative schemes as propaganda. We discussed the use of that word and its often negative connotations. We tried to consider the meaning of propaganda outside our own perception of its implications. We also had the opportunity to read about and observe the practical, mechanical and logistical methods by which these painters created these ceilings. We were actually able to see the holes in the ceilings that were created by the type of scaffold invented for such purposes.

On Tuesday we wrapped up Art H 397 with a trip to the Esposizione Universale Roma, the EUR. Lucienne orchestrated this entire visit, from the bus route, to the sites, right down to a well-timed caffe' stop. We ended our survey of Roman art by considering Mussolini's attempts to create a new, third Rome on the outskirts of the city. Lucienne walked us through Mussolini's decorative program that consistently recalled ancient Roman monuments in an updated and modern fashion. We grappled with the question of whether this conceived city was and is a successful "Third Rome."

Wednesday and Thursday were the group's last days in Rome. The students completed their finals for both Art H 497 and Art H 397. They spent their free time studying for examines, packing up their apartments, and trying to fit in all those final must-do's before leaving Rome. Our next stops: Florence and Venice.