Game of Rome: An Introduction

Not unlike a certain popular book/television series, Rome has had its share of power-grabbing and competing families. While many began their ascent to fortune and fame in the outlying Italian provinces, their ultimate goal was often control of the papacy and the Eternal City. Of course, we all want a permanent reminder of our glories; while the Italians couldn't upload photos to facebook or post their random topics/thoughts to a blogging service, they did the next best thing: commissioning their artists for tombs, chapels, monuments, palazzi, and churches.

But what's the point in building something if you can't show who was responsible for the Glorious work? While today's big donors get a dry "John Q. Private Wing" sign over the entrance to their funded projects, Renaissance artists and architects were a little more creative in tying their designs back to the family or individual that made it possible.

Every family was associated with certain symbols that were as good as the family name itself for identification. The Stark direwolf. The Lannister lion. Oops, that's GoT. The Barberini bees. The Chigi mounds. While one of the easiest ways to claim ownership was to put up a shield with this coat-of-arms over the new project, there were many other ways to tie in the benefactor's identity. At the end of the day, a church may come off as more of a blatant advertisement for someone's glory than merely a place of worship.

So on our last vacation back to Rome, we tried to make it a point to catch the (sometimes not-so-) little details proclaiming the generous donors that made Rome's rebirth possible. As I sort through our photos, I'll post some examples and link to them below...

Space still available! Contact Ss Luca e Martina today!

Lunapics

The best I could manage in 2003- shots with anything else in the sky washed out the moon!

This year the winter solstice will get a bonus- a total lunar eclipse visible in the entire continental US [@ 1:40 AM Central Tuesday morning]. While the Chicago forecast is cloudy/snowy, I can't say I was planning on staying up for it. It did force me to track down some photos I took while in Rome during a total lunar eclipse in 2003. I had many blurry shots of a reddening moon, but the better pictures that evening were from the quiet streets of Roma. Enjoy, and hope you have a good Christmas Week!

The Spanish Steps- minus the typical crowds

Above Piazza del Popolo- with San Pietro distant

From Piazza del Popolo looking down the main-drag Via del Corso

Taste of Rome

Nothing too crazy today, just an old video I shot on a typical walk from our Hotel in Rome to our studio... The school recently purchased a newer studio, as well as student apartments, so soon this route will be outdated. However, I'll still remember when the walk was uphill- both ways. And watch out for motorini!

Summer Stretch

Having [another] mostly work-free summer can give you a lot to think about:

Stuff like the outrageously corrupt politicians of Illinois or The Universe...


But here's a file I came across my computer last week. I had assembled all the SPQR-related pics from one of my return trips to Rome [when my sister was studying there] and combined them into one poster-sized collage which hangs above my desk. FYI 'SPQR' is from Roman times, when monuments were dedicated by 'Senatvs Popvlvs Qve Romanvs': by the Senate and People of Rome. Nowadays it can be found on Rome's manhole covers and lightposts. [Click to Enlarge]