The Roman Context

Right now I am sat at my desk writing this. I can see my calender on my wall. I can see my shoe rack, my wardrobe, my bed. This is what I wrote in my notes app exactly one week ago today:

"I write this on the steps in St. Peters Square just outside the basilica. It is nothing like I've ever experienced before. The basilica is so big it's impossible to describe. The Sistine Chapel was surreal - lots of people and we had to be told to be quiet over the tannoy, but the five minutes I had stood there gazing at the creation of Adam was worth the crowds. It was the first time in a while I felt completely present, and alas now it is but a memory. The chapel was surprisingly breezy and smelt fresh with whiffs of sweat. That's what thousands of people and 30 degrees Celsius will do to you, Sistine Chapel or not. A priest has just walked past us in full attire. This place, religious or not, is magical."

Once upon a time, I was religious, now not so much (see 'Negative Energy'), but clearly, I was taken aback by everything in the Vatican. Art is everywhere, and I found myself becoming enticed in a way I hadn't before whilst beautiful to look at, I found I was most amazed by how much context lay in those rooms and corridors. There is a huge tapestry named "Adoration of the Magi" in the Vatican Museum which depicts the three kings arriving to see the baby Jesus. The design was from Raphael but was manufactured by Pieter van Aels between 1524-1531 in Brussels. Just above the head of Joseph, there is a man peering through the bricks wearing a hat. This man is Pieter van Aels, the manufacturer as a nod to say 'yes, it was me who made this'. 

It is the context that makes this interesting. Context is also why the Mona Lisa is so famous… Whilst the painting is certainly very good, it's not the most famous painting in the world because of technique. The painting itself has been around a fair bit, from Napoleon's bedroom to the bottom of a trunk of an Italian thief (Picasso was even arrested as a suspect). The identity of the woman depicted is not certain: people liked to create their own stories about who the woman was. There is no one reason why the Mona Lisa is so famous, but without context, we aren't queueing for hours to take a picture of it.

That night, after visiting the Vatican, we went back and out for a meal. I hadn't realised how little water I had had all day and almost passed out. Refusing to end the night early, we went to the Trevi and sat there at night for about an hour, people-watching. Here is my notes app from then:

"What I see

Sitting by the Trevi after almost passing out at dinner, the wonders of life.

Three old ladies trying to work out how to have a picture with all of them in.

A group of five old Italians practicing throwing the coins over their shoulders, man barking like a dog to scare people.

Young lady by herself chatting to everyone she sees with a huge smile.

"A traveler sees what they see, a tourist sees what they came to see". I came to see the fountain, but what I saw were people from all over the world having fun. "

The quote above, about the traveler and the tourist, was from a writer called Gilbert. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) that I found described this night perfectly:

"The traveler sees what they see, the tourist sees what they came to see." We came to the fountain that night because we thought it would look nice at night, but my lasting memories of that place are of the people. People make things important.

I don't know if I've articulated my well, but anyhow go look at some art and some people.