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Day 2 - Trip to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.....
Got to the end of our afternoon here and was speechless, for those of us that studied all these extraordinary artists it was magical!
The Vatican Museum has a huge collection of marble statues, busts and/or remains of carvings from tombs some dating back to the 8th and 3rd century BC, Roman and Greek sculptures... A huge collection of artwork from various artists. The list goes on.
The artworks by Raphael are vast. In 1508 Julius II invited Raphael to decorate 4 rooms that formed part of the private apartments in the Palazzo Vatican. This took him and his pupils 16 years to finish, however he died before it was completed.
He also did 8 huge tapestries that hang in the halls. All the works placed him among the greatest Europens artists.
But for me it was seeing the masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo that had me standing in amazement. Couldn't take my eyes off it!
Michelangelo accepted this huge task and worked on his own from 1508 and 1512, often splayed on his back high up on a specially built scaffolding that, it appears to have been suspended from the walls.
Even though there are 33 paintings on the curving of the ceiling between pilasters and supports which depict scenes from the Old Testament it is the " Creation of Adam" where the hand of God reaches out to Man that your eye is immediately drawn to.
The last great large scale painting Michelangelo did before he died in 1545, four years after its completion was the one behind the alter. It depicts the horrors that await sinners after death with frightening intensity.
The Sistine Chapel is where the Sacred College of Cardinals meet when electing a new pope.
- comments
Jill Hi Spence Family, Sounds like you are having a fabulous time in Rome. glad to hear it. Enjoy. Thinking of you all back in sodden Sydney. The Jansens. XX
J spence Hi. .....hear its been a little wet since we left! We're all good, ticking off all the tourist to-do's and absolutely exhausted!!!! You would think all this walking you'd loose some weight.... But it's just working off all the food we are consuming. Heading back to Scotland sat, one full day left in Paris. Today did Disneyland for Jacks bday..... He had a great time, 14hr day HUGE. Sun doesn't go down till 10pm so you loose track of time a little when you get to the evenings.... Kids not getting to bed till after 10 most nights. Hope the holidays are going ok, minus the fact that its been raining and you can't get out to do anything !?!?, Speak soon. Xxx Jo