Friday, September 30, 2011

il Baciccio


Il Baciccio 1639 - 1709
Giovanni Battista Gaulli was a Baroque artist who was born in Genoa (Baciccio is the Genoese nickname for Giovanni Battista). He went to Rome around 1658 and his first known commission was the altarpiece in the church of Sant'Rocco in 1663. In 1666 he received a commission from the Pamphilj family to paint the pendentives in Sant'Agnese in Agone, then in 1672 he was awarded the commission to decorate the ceiling in the Jesuit church of Il Gesù, with a contract to complete the works in the church over 10 years. It is this work of his stunning vault ceiling fresco, the Triumph of the Name of Jesus that the name il Baciccio is mostly recognised. 
In 1707, two years before his death, he again worked on a ceiling fresco depicting the Triumph of the Franciscan Order, this time for Santi XII Apostoli.
During his lifetime he also painted the portraits of seven popes, Alexander VII, Clement IX, Clement X, Innocent XI, Alexander VIII, Innocent XII and Clement XI.

il Gesù
il Baciccio Art in Rome
Apotheosis of the Franciscan Order
Triumph of the Name of Jesus
Vision of Heaven
Death of St Francis Xavier
Birth of St John the Baptist
Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Santa Maria in Montesanto
Santa Margherita di Antiochia
St Louis Beltràn
San Nicola da Tolentino agli Orti Sallustiani
pendentives
San Francesco a Ripa
Vision of St Francis Xavier
Il Triofo del Nome di Gesù
Apotheosis of St Ignatius
Portrait of Gian Lorenzo Bernini
The Pietà
Galleria Corsini
Galleria Spada
Palazzo Chigi
Saint Nicholas of Bari
Santa Maria Maddalena

click here for il Baciccio - a walking tour
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Friday, September 2, 2011

Guercino


The Most Holy Trinity
Santa Maria della Vittoria
Guercino 1591 - 1666
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri was a Baroque painter and self taught artist. He was born in Cento in the region of Emilia. His nickname was Guercino which roughly translates to squinter in Italian, some say because he was cross-eyed. 
He became one of the major artists of his time, one of his patrons was Pope Gregory XV and because of his fast working style he left behind a large collection of artwork.
He painted and taught up until his death in 1666.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

 Guercino Art in Rome
Galleria Borghese
Return of the Prodigal Son
Pinacoteca Capitoline
St Petronilla Altarpiece
St Matthew and the Angel
Holy Family
Persian Sybil
Galleria Nazionale d'Art Antica
Galleria Doria Pamphilj
Erminia Finds the Wounded Tancred
Et in Arcadia Ego
St John the Baptist in the Desert
Pinacoteca Vatican
Galleria Spada
Cardinal Bernardino Spada
Death of Dido
Galleria Colonna
Martyrdom of St Amerenziana
Guardian Angel
San Pietro in Vincoli
St Marguerite
San Pietro in Vincoli
St Augustine
St Marguerite
Saint Peter's Basilica
Sant'Agostino
St Augustine Washing the Feet of the Redeemer
St Augustine, St John the Baptist and St Paul the Hermit
Santa Maria della Vittoria
Holy Trinity
Chiesa Nuova
St Philip and the Angel
San Crisogono
San Chrysogonus in Glory
Villa Ludovisi
Aurora with Agostino Tassi
Palazzo Costaguti
frescoes with Agostino Tassi
Palazzo Lancellotti
frescoes with Agostino Tassi







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Helpful Hints

Getting Around

I found walking Rome was the best way to see everything.

The metro, trams and buses are also an easy and cheap option.

Buses and the metro can get crowded. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated.

Beware of pickpockets.

Buses 40 (express) and 64 start at Termini and end near Saint Peter's, traveling past places of interest, returning the same way.


Some stops along the 64 route are:

Repubblica

Piazza Venezia

Via Nazionale

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II


Bus 75 takes you past the Colosseum to Trastevere

Bus 910 takes you to Villa Borghese


Ticket Options

€1.50 B.I.T (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo) is the standard ticket valid for one metro, unlimited tram or bus rides within 100 minutes.


€7.00 B.I.G ( Biglietto Integrato a Giornaliero) is a daily ticket valid for unlimited metro, tram, bus and train travel within Rome.


Purchasing Bus and Metro tickets.

Newsstands, train stations, metro stations, kiosks with the ATAC logo and tabacchi shops sell tickets for the metro, trams and buses.

Large fines apply to travelers not holding or validating their ticket. Tickets once validated start from the time they have been stamped.



✾



These are a few of my favourite books about Rome

The Cardinal's Hat by Mary Hollingsworth
This book tells the story of one of the sons of Lucrezia Borgia who became a cardinal during the 16th century.

The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev
I love this book telling the story of Caterina Sforza who was fighting against the Borgia pope to retain the rights of her land and her freedom.

The Popes by John Julius Norwich
A detailed but easy and enjoyable book to read about the history of the papacy and the popes.

The Pope's Daughter by Caroline P Murphy
This book describes in beautiful detail, the life and times of Pope Julius II daughter, Felice della Rovere.

The Families Who Made Rome by Anthony Majanlahti
I love this Book! It explains the families who made Rome what it is as we see it today and also looks at their triumphs, scandals and failures.

Rome by Robert Hughes
This book explains Rome from its beginning and expands on the Renaissance and Baroque until present times.

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
Another of my favourite reads about a lost Caravaggio painting and the search for its provenance.





other sites I trust for information on Rome are:
Rome Art Lover
Churches of Rome wiki