Life in Rome - The Artemisia Gentileschi Exhibit

Buon Anno!Man, am I happy to see 2017.  I'm really looking forward to this year, despite all the craziness in the world. I have no control over these many complicated political and social issues but I can control how I react to them.There's a lot of ugliness and hatred in this world.  I'm going to focus on the beauty and love.  I know that sounds very Pollyanna.  However, I strongly believe that those of us who work in creative fields and/or appreciate creative endeavors need to push back. Dostoyevsky wrote, "Beauty will save the world."  I agree.If you're in Rome or plan to visit before May 7th, I highly recommend the  “Artemisia Gentileschi and Her Time,” exhibit at the Museum of Rome in Palazzo Braschi. It's outstanding.Much has been written about the struggles of Gentileschi (1593-1653). This exhibit doesn't downplay them but focuses on her art and how the times influenced it. There are over one hundred paintings.  Most are by Gentileschi with a few from her contemporaries.Gentileschi was the daughter of the painter Orazio and was heavily influenced by Caravaggio.  She was the first woman to be admitted to the prestigious Accademia del Arte di Disegno in Florence.The population in Rome was two-thirds male when Gentileschi was growing up.  It was very dangerous for a woman to be even be outside.  Her mother died when she was twelve and she was raped by the painter her father hired to tutor her when she was seventeen. Her father had to hire a tutor because at the time women were denied access to the art academies.  During the humiliating trial, Gentileschi was tortured and her family's reputation questioned.  Her accuser (who had raped his wife, his sister-in-law, and tried to steal paintings from Orazio) was sentenced to a year in jail.  His verdict was annulled.Gentileschi rejected the stereotypical female roles of the Early Baroque era and painted women who were powerful, mythical.The exhibit is categorized by city.  You can see the influence living in Rome, Florence, Venice, London, and Naples (where she died, perhaps from the Plague) had on Gentileschi's work.  After her death, Gentileschi's work was often attributed to her father or other artists.The exhibit is well organized (I know. Shocking).  There are informative introductions (in Italian and English) to each period of her work.I saw her most famous work, Judith Slaying Holofernes, at the Ufizzi when I visited Florence a few years before I moved to Italy. She painted two versions and the other one is in Naples at Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte.   There many paintings of this biblical story (including one by Caravaggio himself). It's fascinating to compare her interpretation to that of her male peers.I don't know if it was the setting (a smaller room, less chaotic that the Ufizzi), post USA election stress, or what, but this time the painting unnerved me.  I didn't want to look at it but I couldn't turn away.  There was a woman next to me tearing up.  It's truly a powerful, visceral, beautiful, work of art. My god the colors. The physicality. Gentileschi painted herself as Judith and her accuser as Holofernes. I didn't know the details of her trial then but even those who have no knowledge of Gentileschi's backstory, can see and feel the unadulterated rage.Moving on from that uplifting note, Palazzo Braschi is a striking venue located in Piazza Navona.  During the weekends there was quite a line.  It might be less crowded now that the exhibit has been running for a few weeks. Museum of Rome, Palazzo BraschiUntil May 7th, 2017Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm  Save

Seven Days of Sicily - Day 3 - Noto

I took a little day trip to Noto on my birthday.  After a quick thirty minute ride on the shortest train I've even seen, I arrived in a small town considered to be the height of Baroque urban planning.The Duomo is a show stopper.  The old town was completely destroyed in the 1693 earthquake.   The way it's laid out is very organized thanks to Giovanni Battista Landolina.  Working with three architects, Rosario Gagliardi, Vincenzo Sinatra, and Paolo Labisi, Landolina designed three main streets, running parallel.  At the top were the aristocracy (with the best views), the clergy in the middle, and everyone else at the bottom.I had a great time in gorgeous Noto. Caffe Sicilia on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 125, is fantastic.  I had one of the best lemon granitas of my LIFE there.My return to Ortigia had a classic Italian moment.  I bought a round-trip ticket.  After a long walk, downhill, to the train station I noticed everything was closed.  Ten minutes later, an announcement is made over the loud speaker in rapid-fire Italian saying my train had been canceled.  Thank God I understand Italian because at a pocket-sized station why would there have been an explanation also in English?  I went to a gym across the street to ask where the heck the bus stop was as there were no signs with that information.There were four men at the front desk chatting and they looked like Dolce & Gabbana models but with athletic builds.  The men were very dark and handsome with those striking green/grey eyes you see all over Sicily.  My brain froze.  I literally could not speak Italian (or English really).  One dude said, "are you okay?"   I blamed the heat and they were kind enough to give me specific directions.The street was silent, expect for my cursing, as I climbed back up the ridiculously long and steep hill, in the blazing hot Sicilian sun (there were NO cabs around). At the bus stop I was told that the bus service between these small towns is a lot more reliable than the train.  Thanks Trenitalia!The Duomo.A view of the Duomo from one of the terraces of the Santa Chiara church.Love the detailing above the chandelier.I ate a delicious Pasta alla Norma and the service was great.  The reviews of this restaurant are all over the map.  Two foodie friends thought the food was overrated and others go to Noto just to eat here. While am I more of a Biggie person, I can appreciate this graffiti. Interior of the Montevergine church. Three bells. Shot from another terrace of the Santa Chiara church.Sea view.  In the distance.

Seven Days of Sicily - Day One - The Duomo

During my trip to Ortigia, I saw many beautiful things and ate many dishes that were so delicious I wanted to Tweet/IG/FB about them immediately.However, one of my goals during my vacation was to slow down.  I wanted to focus on what I was seeing, doing, eating at that moment.  I did occasionally post a picture on social media but cut way back.My friend, Erica, is also a Sicily fan and we decided to highlight a few things we love about this incredible island for seven days.  You can following Erica on Instagram HERE.First up is the Duomo.I arrived in Ortigia during the early afternoon. After unpacking, and picking up some essential groceries, I walked over to the Duomo.I was not ready.Many friends have described the Duomo and its piazza as one of their favorites in all of Italy. Yet, I was still floored by her beauty, color, and presence.   It is truly one of the most magnificent buildings I have ever seen.As with other regions of Italy, the layers of history in Sicily run deep.   Siracusa was one of greatest and important cities in the Greek empire. This dramatic cathedral was built in and around a 5^th Century BC Doric Temple to Athena.   Doric columns are visible inside and outside the church.In the 800s it was converted into a mosque by the Arabs who conquered Sicily.  Then the Byzantines returned to power, only to be defeated by the Arabs again.  They ruled until the Normans defeated them in 1085.The Baroque facade was added after the devastating earthquake of 1693.  Somehow this very ornate style sits in perfect harmony with the Greek lines and aesthetics of the earlier structure.I made it a point to see this building every single day.

Photos: Me with my iPhone

This piazza is a perfect place to relax as the sun goes down and the locals start their passeggiata. 

Life in Rome - Buon Rientro and a Dolce Far Niente Progress Report

While my family and friends in the States are enjoying the last sunrays of Summer 2014 this Labor Day, it's Il Rientro here in Italy.This time I am ready!As I wrote earlier this summer, even after all the years I've lived here, I was still resistant to the European way of vacationing. I felt guilty and unproductive.Well, I am happy to report that major progress has been made regarding my efforts to partake in the great Italian tradition of Dolce Far Niente.  I'm not completely out of the workaholic woods yet but these things take time.I went to Siracusa, Sicily for my birthday, staying in the historic center called Ortigia.  The first two days the Internet in my apartment was down, which was a blessing in disguise.  I couldn't obsessively check my emails or read news headlines.When I arrived in Oritiga, I was a one big ball of stress.  By the end of the week, I was so calm not even the chaos at the Catania airport and my delayed flight could wind me up.This calmness was short-lived as it ended by my first evening back in Rome but that's a different story.It was my first trip to this area of Sicily and just what the doctor ordered.  I didn't realize how badly I needed a vacation until I had one. Yes, it was a short one but I still appreciated it.The architecture, design, history, and culture were inspiring.  The food was on another level.  My friend and her family just happened to be staying at an apartment around the corner.I will write more about my Sicilian adventures once I sort through all my photos.It took a few days into my trip for my major breakthrough.  One morning I ditched my itinerary.  I kept my plan to jog along the seawall at sunrise, and then hit the farmers' market after.  That was it.   I'll be honest. At first it was an odd sensation to not know exactly what I was going to do the rest of the day.When Erica called and invited me to lunch with her family at their place I said, "yes" instead of my usual freak out about impromptu plans.It was a glorious day of having a delicious lunch with my friends on their terrace (which had this view),going to the "beach" (which was two block away),reading my books and magazines while drinking a lot of homemade Tè Freddo con Limone Granita,and enjoying the sweetness of doing nothing.I went on to enjoy this sweetness several times during the rest of my trip.  I highly recommend it.