AH Rome as a living museum FINAL

Sixtus IV Bronze statues

• Ancient bronze statues coming from lateran 

• Donated to people of Rome 1471

• Local civic secular government of the city attempting to become independent from control of the Pope

• Capitoline became a museum in the 18th century

• She-wolf, colossal head of constantine, thorn-puller

Birth of the Capitoline Museums

• 1734

• Pope Clement XII: purchased collection of Cardinal Albani, birth of capitoline museum

• Age of the Grand Tour, educational role of museum since 18th century

• Dying gaul, capitoline venus, hall of emperors, academia del Nudo

Hall of Emperors

• Palazzo Nuovo, Capitoline Museums

• Same themes of educational role of Capitoline museums

• Sequence of Roman emperors from Caesar onwards, portrait of Helen (mother of constantine)

Julius II (1503-1513): Founder of the Vatican Museums

• “Warrior Pope”: new Julius Caesar

• Portrait by Raphael

• Dream of a christian Empire

• Cortile delle statue with Apollo del Belvedere, Venus, Laocoon (circle on map)

• Construction of the Belvedere Courtyard, “imperial garden”

Raphael’s Parnassus

• 1510

• Depicts Apollo and the 9 Muses on Mount Parnassus, idealized timeless group of poets

• Library of Julius II, window overlooking the Belvedere Courtyard and Vatican Hill with Cortile delle Statue

• In Stanza della Segnatura

Hall of Muses

• Museo Pio Clementino Vatican Museums

• Hall built at the end of 18th century under Pius VI

• 1860 photo showing landscape paintings behind statues before Pompeian red paint was used to cover the landscapes in second half of the 19th century

Museo Pio Clementino: Sala Rotunda

• For the first time, important classical sculptures housed in spaces similar to those for which they were made, neoclassical architecture contextualizing the artwork

• Simonetti architect

Basilica Ulpia and Trajan’s column

• Archaeological area created at time of Napoleon

• 113 AD

• Christian appropriation of Trajan’s column

• Bronze statue at the top melted down in the Middle Ages replaced by bronze statue of St Peter at time of Sixtus V in 1587

Project fo Garden of the Capitol

• Napoleon's plan of an archaeological park, excavating floor of campo vaccino

• Connecting roman forum to colosseum and temple of hercules, arch of constantine etc

• Renovation of arch of titus and uncovering of temple of Saturn

Mussolini’s balcony in Palazzo Venezia

• Via dell’Impero seen from Colosseum, 1932

• “A civilization that is buried but not dead”

• Destruction of Velia hill, I want to see colosseum from my balcony

• Mussolini obsessed with emperor Agustus

Mussolini’s 5th map

• Via dei Fori Imperiali maps showing spread of Roman Empire

• Fifth map depicts “Italian Empire” colonies of Mussolini including Libya and Ethiopia 

• Via Impero used for military parades

• Map destroyed after fall of Mussolini

Columns of the Temple of Venus Genetrix in Forum of Caesar

• Anastylosis of the columns: reassembly of existing but dismembered parts and fallen fragments using new materials

• Archaeological accomplishment of Mussolini

Columns of Temple of mars in Forum of Agustus

• Same Anastylosis technique and removal of surrounding buildings

• Removal of bell tower and church occupying temple of Mars

• Mussolini urban renovations