Day 14: Borghese Gallery

This gallery was own as a day house by the famous Borghese family to store all the art works that they collected by fair means and foul. The original sculptures and paintings date back to Cardinal Scipione's collection, the son of Ortensia Borghese who was related to Pope Paul V (reign 1605–1621). A great legacy of art is now preserved in this beautiful location at the edge of the Borghese gardens. As we could not take photos I have included a link to the website . We took a guided tour this time and we got detailed background on the politics and meaning behind some of the most famous works. I can genuinely use the word 'awesome' when describing :

• Bernini's 3 sculptures: 'Apollo and Daphne' (based on Greek legend), 'David [confronting Goliath] ' and 'Pluto and Proserpina'  (based on Greek legend) .  I will give a little detail if you can bear it!: the finishing of the marble in different parts of the scenes to create different effects eg shadow was interesting eg in the the  'Pluto and Proserpina' Pluto's fingers dig into the flesh of Prosperina as he grabs her and the finishing creates shadow which conveys 'depth' of the fingers into the soft flesh of Prosperina.  Also in the 'David' there is an eagles head in the armour;  reference to the Borghese family, which wanted to make a statement that it was an important family in Europe that came without armies (symbolised by David's armour at his feet) to rival the more famous European families (Goliath?) 
• Caravaggio's 'Madonna of the Palafrenieri' (1605) and the story behind it
• The sculpture in marble by Canova of Pauline Bonaparte (1805-08) (sister of Napoleon)
• 'The Last Supper' (1542) by  Jacopo Bassano.  Not as well known but I love the colour, action and characterization in this painting.
• 'The Hunt of Diana' (1616) by  Domenichino.  This was amongst the most famous paintings in the 17th Century and studied by all that followed.
• 'Sacred and Profane Love' (1490) by Titian.
• 'The Deposition' by Raphael (1507)- first painting that was not done to fit in confined space of frame but is a 'snapshot' of action. 

If you are interested in detail the website is good.

Keat's bedroom in house at Spanish Steps

Spanish Steps from Keats-Shelley house

After the gallery visit we had lunch and wandered through the extensive Borghese gardens on a  clear,crisp winter afternoon.  We eventually made our way to the look out over Piazza del Popolo (the Piazza I talked about earlier) and along to the Spanish Steps.  At the side of the steps is the Keats - Shelley house where poet John Keats spent his last months. We went through the museum that was his rooms at the time and learned more about the 'Grand Tour' tradition of the English (with money) to Rome in the 19th Cent.  Keat's grave outside the walls and is a place of pilgrimage for literary types but this museum is also popular.  Here is a link to some of his sublime poetry.