Scribblings and Doodles at Villa Medici

At the top of the Spanish Steps just left of the Trinita dei Monti Church lies the Villa Medici, now inhabited by the French Academy.

John and I passed by the villa one afternoon and saw this poster for a show of Scribblings and Doodles from Leonardo da Vinci to Cy Twombly and decided to see the exhibit.

We've seen great shows in the past, in this narrow, Renaissance, entry way to the old stables, and this show was a fresh delight. We both love sketches, graffiti and unfinished idea-works. Here are some highlights.

Titian, head and profile,16th century

Pontormo, study of drapery, grotesque head, eyes, etc, around 1519-1521

Rembrandt, self portrait, 17th century

Pierre Alechinsky. Found work, 1979

Pablo Picasso, 20 classic profiles, caricatures and eyes, 1948

(detail) Picasso scribble on envelope

Untitled, Cy Twombly, 1957

Jean Dubuffet, Portrait of Jules Supervielle, 1947

John with Jean Dubuffet, Gazelle, 1948

Luigi Pericle, Untitled, 1965

Pierrette Bloch, Untitled, 2015

Agostino Carracci, Carcatures of heads, around 1594

Jean Fautrier, Pink nude, 1959

Pierre Alechinsky. Found work, 1979

The last room of the exhibition was reserved for graffiti by visitors. Chalk was provided. I added a stick self-portrait of a running figure in fedora and baggy shorts.

As we left the Villa Medici, John caught me passing the tranquil Roman fountain that overlooks the city. The fountain probably came from one of Rome's ancient baths. What a town!

The Windows of Angelo Feroci

No Roman will pass the window of Angelo Feroci without a look to see what is new.

Angelo Feroci is a butcher shop in Piazza Maddalena. It is one block north of the Pantheon and worth the detour

Inside is all marble.

Every day the windows show the latest prepared meats and vegetables.

Emphasis is on the word prepared: wrapped, stacked, tied

or marinating in olive oil and herbs

rolled

stuffed

rolled and stuffed and sliced

stuffed and sliced and delicious looking. Your photos will turn out.

In Rome's National Gallery of Modern Art

One of Rome's best museums is only a 15 minute walk from Piazza del Popolo yet it is almost completely unknown.

The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Italian, is set in a park on the north side of the Pincio Hill.

When Bill and I last went they had an exhibit of modern and contemporary art carpets.

This carpet reminds me of the "shag" rugs of the 70s. It looks just like a lawn. Tickled our funny bone. Sorry, but we didn't get the artist's name. 

"Ron, Ron" by Marion Baruch, from 1972, also made me smile. What can I say about it? The 70s again!

How gorgeous is "On the Way to Marseille," a woolen tapestry by Jana Setback, from 2015.

Here is a closer look at the quality of the weaving.

The curators of the museum that Bill and I call the Moderna decided to mix 19th century work with 20th and 21st century works. The resulting installation is very refreshing.

An over-the-top 19th century work like "Diana of Ephesus and the Slaves" by Giulio Aristide Sartorio, from 1899, is tremendous fun in a modern context.

We found many, wonderful works by Italian artists we did not know. Here's "Bois de Boulonge Racetrack" by Giuseppe De Nittis, 1881. We would like to see more by De Nittis.

The rooms are arranged so that that visitors fit in to the tableaus and become part of an ever changing installation. The painting is by Giacomo Balla: "Villa Borghese -- Parco dei daini," 1910.

I took the picture above. I didn't know that Bill was taking a picture of the same visitor from a different angle. The gallery visitor looks great from both behind and from the side. Sculpture by Rodin.

"The Battle of Dogali" by Michele Cammarano, 1896 and "Underdog," sculptures by Liliana Moro, 2005.

We loved "Alpen," a gorgeous multipanel painting by Gerhard Richter, 1968.

Look at these loose brushstrokes! He is a master.

We'll leave you with this lovely Alberto Giacometti sculpture, "Tete qui regarde," from 1927.

These cats have been guarding the steps of the museum for years. This cat is gazing back toward the Piazza del Popolo. If you like art, add the Moderna to your "must see" list.

Festa Della Republica 2022

On Thursday, June 2nd, Rome celebrated their Republic Day with a military parade running from the Colosseum to the Capitoline Hill, and we were there!

John and I were warned that the show had started by a roaring air force fly-by that left a misty display of the National Flag colours over our patio in the centre of Rome.

We arrived at the Capitoline Hill just as a Carbinieri band was beginning the parade.

They were followed by a military band.

The  parade is a lush collection of uniforms, military music,

corp chants and heavy-duty war equipment. The crowd of spectators was suitably enthusiastic.

I couldn't help sympathizing with these  masked desert soldiers marching in the heat.

We moved down the street in search of shade as the parade ended with this fine-feathered band

and the dashing soldiers behind them.

What are the gorgeous feathers on their head-gear?

Raven plumes perhaps.

The show ended with this chanting chorus of white-stockinged military nurses. What a great climax!

As the parade ended parachutists with Italian flags and swirling smoke trails appeared

and the troops quickly boarded buses

 (hopefully air-conditioned) to make their exit.