On the cusp of Christendom: The architecture of the mausoleum of Constantina.

Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Churches, Early Christian art

Tweet The first version of this post was written for the fabulous, but now sadly defunct, 3 Pipe Problem blog. It was run by the fearsomely energetic Hasan Nayazi who died suddenly and prematurely last year. I met him in person once, on his only visit to Rome two...

Hippopotamuses and Lotus flowers: The Nile mosaic at Palestrina

Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Egypt, Empire, Out of Town, Palestrina, Roman Art

Tweet Last week a visiting friend and I braved the torrential rain to run an errand in Zagarolo. Our mission accomplished, we stopped for a spot of lunch before meandering to Palestrina. Snaking our way through the medieval streets, in a car as wide as the roads, we...

From Virgil to Vitruvius: some thoughts on the House of Augustus.

Aeneas, Aeneid, Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Augustus, Empire, Legend, Origins, Palatine Hill, Roman Art, Roman Painting, Rome, Virgil

Tweet This year is a big anniversary for all things Augustus; the two thousandth anniversary of the death of the first Emperor of Rome. The exploitation of art, religion, legend, history, poetry, dodgy family trees, you name it, in the relentlessly sophisticated...

Rus in urbe – a bucolic stroll across the Palatine

Aeneas, Aeneid, Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Augustus, Empire, Legend, Origins, Palatine Hill, Roman Art, Roman Forum, Roman Painting, Rome

Tweet This year December is treating Rome very well indeed. It has been largely dry, as warm as one can hope for, and the rich blue sky sets everything off wonderfully.   On Monday I took myself off to the Palatine Hill for a wander amid the ruins in the winter...

A spot of magic at the lights – San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Architecture, Art History, Baroque, Baroque Rome tour, Borromini, Quirinal, Rome

Tweet On my way home from yesterday afternoon’s tour of the Galleria Borghese (it’s glorious, go!), I scootered up via delle Quattro Fontane and past the Palazzo Barberini to the tight junction with via del Quirinale, to the only traffic light I always...

Going underground: The Columbarium of Pomponio Hylas

Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Empire, Out of Town, Rome

Tweet I’ve mentioned (here and here) my fondness for clambering improbable staircases to view long bricked-in frescoes. Just as good, if not better, is making an appointment through the city heritage office to meet a key-bearing guard in an unlikely looking spot. One...