A Day at the Capitoline Museum

I had a hard time deciding what to highlight from our visit to the Capitoline Museum--not surprising, as Ira pointed out, since it's considered the oldest public museum in the world. I fact-checked him, and he was right: it officially opened in 1734, making it the first museum where the collection wasn't private but intended for the public.

Pala Gozzi by Titian - Front and Back

On the ground floor of the Palazzo dei Conservatori, we came upon Titian Vecellio's Pala Gozzi, his first signed work, painted in 1520 for the merchant, Aloisio Gozzi.

Pala Gozzi

Even more fascinating than the painting itself was the backside, on display as well. You could see the wood support structures and butterfly joints used to reinforce the large altarpiece.

Backside of the altarpiece

Sketch of a child

And hidden on the back--sketches, including one of a chubby-cheeked child believed to have been drawn by Titian himself. A bonus discovery.

Cooling Off & Playing Ancient Games

From there we wandered downstairs, seeking some shade from the relentless Roman heat. There we found a number of smaller exhibits, but one in particular caught my attention.

Duodecim Scripta (backgammon)

Duodecim Scripta, a version of backgammon, was a popular game in Roman society. Played on portable gaming boards--tabulae lusoriae--the wealthy used marble or bronze boards, like the one pictured here, while simpler wooden versions were common among the public. Many game boards were etched right into the stone floors of public spaces and are still visible today. 

Stone Details & A Surprising View

We stumbled onto a side staircase and found ourselves in a hallway with what I can only describe as stone crown molding--massive and incredibly detailed.

Stone Crown Molding

And then we stepped out onto a balcony and to our surprise, we were overlooking the Roman Forum! 

The Forum

We'd been here before, walking down in the Forum on a guided tour. Ira remembered looking up at people on the balcony and wondering "How do we get up there?" Well, this time--we were those people. 

Arco di Settimio Severo

Grand Halls and Gorgeous Ceilings

Back inside, we climbed up to the Hall of the Captains, an enormous room dedicated to military men of the 16th and 17th centuries. It was so impressive I took a video rather than a photo.

Hall of the Captains

In the next hall--the Hall of the Horatii and the Curiatii--we were drawn to the chandeliers, hanging like jewels beneath a beautifully painted ceiling.

Chandelier in the Hall of Horatii and the Curiatii

Medusa, Hercules, and Marcus Aurelius

One of our favorite pieces was this stone sculpture of Medusa.

Medusa Sculpture

Hall of Horatii and the Curiatii

Did you know you can translate a photo directly? The translation below seems correct.

The image of Medusa was

once carved on the shield

of the Romans to Terrorize

their enemy. Now the

glory of the most famous

statues shine

in the Capitol

in the month of March 

in the year 1831 

Though photo translate was stumped on "Francisci Bichi Cons"--Andrea? A little help please?

Then we stepped into the Grand Glass Hall and saw the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. Although there are replicas elsewhere in Rome, this is the original. It likely dates to 176 A.D., after his victory over the Germanic tribes, or 180 A.D., after his death.

Marcus Aurellius

Nearby, we found the famous Capitoline Wolf, showing the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. The wolf itself may be Etruscan, while the twin figures were likely added during the Renaissance.

The Capitolline Wolf

Then Ira patiently waited until he could get this clean shot of the Gilded Hercules without any people in the frame--worth the wait!

Gilded Hercules

Hercules is shown holding both his club and the golden apples of Hesperides. It was found at the Forum Boarium, an ancient marketplace along the Tiber river.

Right nearby, we saw Commodus as Hercules; complete with lion skin, apples and the club. If you've seen Gladiator, you'll remember Commodus as the villain who murders his father, Marcus Aurelius, to seize the throne.

Bust of Commodus as Hercules

Palazzo Nuovo - The "New" Side

Next, we crossed the Capitoline Piazza to the Palazzo Nuovo, designed by Michelangelo to complete the third side of the piazza.

Here we saw two standout sculptures:

• The Dying Gaul, a Roman copy of a Hellenistic piece, portraying a defeated warrior with dignity and humanity.

Dying Gaul

• The Capitoline Venus, housed in an intimate octagonal room, was discovered between 1667 and 1670, hidden away to protect it. Pope Benedict XIV later donated it to the museum in 1752.

The Capitoline Venus

Lunch Break & Designer Appliances

We were officially hot and hungry, so Ira found us a cute little trattoria with strong air conditioning--our top requirement. After lunch, we headed back to Charlie and Fru's apartment. 

On the walk back, I had to snap a pic of these stunning Dolce & Gabbana SMEG kitchen appliances in a shop window. Aren't they like functional artwork?

SMEG stand mixer

SMEG small appliances

Back at the Apartment...and Almost Trapped

Back at the apartment, we attempted to ride the tricky old elevator, but I think we triggered an alarm! Apparently, we pushed a button before completely shutting the second set of doors. Danilo to the rescue! 

Double-doored elevator

3 person capacity elevator

Once safely upstairs, we packed up, cooled down, freshened up, and then returned the key before hailing a cab.

Arrividerci, Roma

Tonight we're spending the night at the Airport Hilton, as we like to do, since we have an early flight back to the U.S. tomorrow. Hard to believe we're leaving Italy again--for now.

A dopo!