capitoline museums

sometimes Rome is maddening — buses that never show up, trash piled on the side of the street, bathrooms without toilet paper (or toilet seats!). but sometimes, it’s a real gem. case in point: now that we have our permesso di soggiorno cards, we are eligible for the MIC card, which gives residents of Rome unlimited free entrance to all of the city-run museums for just €5 per year (what?!?!). so I had a lovely excursion to the Capitoline Museums this afternoon, viewing some of the city’s finest sculptures and paintings.

the museum overlooks the ruins of the Roman Forum, and the steps leading up to it were designed by Michelangelo.

looking back down the steps from inside the museum

the Hall of Captains features late sixteenth century frescoes by Tommaso Laureti, which depict various episodes in Rome's history. even the coffered ceilings are inlaid with paintings. the carved wooden doors date from 1664, the last year of Pope Urban VIII's papacy (memorialized in the bronze sculpture).

this sculpture depicts Marcantonio Colonna, who led the papal fleet to victory against the Ottomans at the Battle of Lepanto. this battle holds especial significance for the seminary as our motto is taken from the answered plea of the papal army: "Vergine immaculata, aiutateci!" (Immaculate Virgin, help us!) 

this bronze She-Wolf may date back to centuries before Christ (possibly the late 6th century BC), although some scholars believe it was created in medieval times. the sculpture originally belonged to the Lateran Palace and Pope Sixtus IV gave it to the Roman people in 1471. whatever the actual provenance of the wolf may be, the two infants were definitely added to the sculpture after its installation on the Capitoline Hill to symbolize Romulus and Remus.

Bernini sculpted this head of Medusa 

the Capitoline geese are commemorated here for their alleged role
in alerting Roman soldiers to the invasion of the Gauls in the 4th century BC

this huge bronze horse stands in front of a plaque commemorating the date when Michelangelo was given honorary Roman citizenship.

a bronze-plated chariot (the wooden elements are restored,
while the bronze overlays date to about 350 AD)

massive bronze sculpture of Marcus Aurelius

the aptly named Colossal Head of Constantine

the next section of the museum displays fine art from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. i could have spent half an hour or more studying the striking detail, texture, and contrast of light and dark in each painting! 

La Maddalena (Mary Magdalene), by Tintoretto

St. Cecilia, by Francesco Romanelli

The Fortune Teller, by Caravaggio

John the Baptist, by Caravaggio (this one stunned me with how juvenile
and mischievous he looks! certainly different from the typical gruff representation!)

incredible table with inlaid mosaic

this stunning altarpiece used to hang in St. Peter's. it was painted by Guercino and shows 
the burial of St. Petronilla, who was the daughter of St. Peter according to legend.

detail of the lower portion of the altarpiece; notice the dirt under the man's fingernails

as you walk to the next section of the museum, you are rewarded with this birds-eye view of the Roman Forum. in its original state, all of the buildings would have been gleaming white with people and chariots buzzing along the streets.

back inside, Eros & Psyche seem unaware of anyone else in the room, while the Dying Gaul is focused on his own suffering (both are statues from antiquity).

such emotion and passion expressed in marble -- truly unbelievable.

the Room of the Faun houses the unusual red marble faun, which was discovered at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. the museum's descriptive sign says it best: "The mythological creature belongs to the world of Dionysius, so he has an indissoluble connection to wine, the god's gift to the human race, as is underlined by the sculptor's choice of precious red marble for his work."

the five sculptures from left to right: Zeus, the Old Centaur, Hercules as a Child,
the Young Centaur, Asclepius

the jovial Young Centaur

the Old Centaur looks understandably more pained

a selfie with the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, 
who appears summarily unimpressed

not a bad way to spend an afternoon! I guess I can live without the guarantee of toilet seats for another year when treasures like this are just down the road.