Admissions

Pope Francis wanted to be buried here at Santa Maria Maggiore, in the chapel housing the image known as the Salus Populi Romani (Health/Salvation of the Roman People). He wanted to be here because this was the place he went to pray at the beginning and end of every apostolic mission abroad, where he would entrust the salvation of the peoples that he visited to the icon traditionally associated with the salvation of the Roman people. The church itself is classical in proportions, giving you a good idea of what the interior space of an ancient pagan basilica might have felt like, and the mosaics were made during a swing back to pagan styles, around 420. The Salus Popoli Romani is a good deal later, dating uncertain. But, paradoxically, the universal mission of the church that humble Francis intended to emphasize, and the conservative imperial pomp of this early period of Christian art somehow are in perfect harmony. #romeinstituteofliberalarts #saluspopuliromani #santamariamaggiore #francis

A spring walk through my neighborhood (Salario), filled with wisteria right now. Lots of beautiful places, and not a tourist in sight. No one comes here even though there’s Villa Albani where Winckelmann invented art history and which holds one of the most important collections of ancient art, the development built by the eclectic architect Coppede and the liberty style buildings nearby, and a huge ancient mausoleum by the roadside. “La vie est vaste” and so is Rome. #romeinstituteofliberalarts #rome #quartieresalario

Great Walter Sterling op-ed on “attention capitalism” in LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-03-27/higher-education-attention-capitalism. #sjc #highereducation #romeinstituteofliberalarts

Roman Spring #romeinstituteofliberalarts

A long walk today, the Doria Pamphili park, a dip into Palazzo Spada to see Borromini’s perspective gallery, and piazza Venezia with a mix of dark clouds and strong sun. Nice city. #romeinstituteofliberalarts

A few pictures of the life around Palazzo Barberini. #romeinstituteofliberalarts

More from the Caravaggio preview we got this afternoon. #romeinstituteofliberalarts #caravaggio

I have never seen so much Caravaggio in one place! The Galleria Borghese took us for an amazing preview of the Caravaggio show opening at Palazzo Barberini. One man wandered past me muttering “Che maraviglia, che meraviglia!” My sentiments exactly. The show is well-organised and wonderfully lit. Details that were hard to see in bright museums are clearer in this perfectly darkened space, much like Caravaggio’s painting. My photos can’t do it justice. I look forward to going back, and to taking students there this summer. #romeinstituteofliberalarts #caravaggio2025

The original inhabitants of Palazzo Spada were cardinals interested in astronomy. One of the paintings that suggested this was this one by Niccolò Tornioli, with Copernicus who Aristotle grabs by the hand and attempts to block (with Ptolemy nearby). To the right is a figure aiming a telescope at the celestial sphere, suggesting the fresh dispute and recent condemnation of Galileo, only ten years earlier. The female figure is an allegory for astronomy itself. Fraught moment in history and remarkable to choose to paint it practically as it was happening in Rome. #romeinstituteofliberalarts #galleriaspada #Galileo