SUNDAY, JUNE 23
When many people come to Rome they have a list of museums to visit and usually they include collections of works from the classical, ancient Roman, Renaissance, Baroque, etc. Our first stop was the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. It’s located in the Villa Borghese Gardens or the third largest park in Rome, along with other major museums including the Borghese Gallery. On our way through the cool, lush park, we passed a small man-made lake, dotted with tourists in paddle boats holding parasols; they’d fallen into the expensive boat rental trap.
Climbing the stately stairs past adorable, oversized, black lions and across large, white letters spelling out “TIME IS OUT OF JOINT” to the entrance of the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art was just the beginning of what proved to be a most satisfying museum visit. Each room in the museum, each pedestal holding a bust, each tiny detail, has been curated with care and extraordinary taste.
Objects from different periods are placed next to each other, creating comparisons and contrasts that would not necessarily be apparent otherwise. Some rooms are curated around color and shape, some by the relationship of various objects to the content of one painting. The curators are brilliant.
There are rooms with big, floppy giant stuffed animal-like benches, people draped over them like art itself. In one room, viewers perched comfortably in two large, dark green armchairs. The museum is also a great size, two long floors, large but not unmanageable.
We loved so many paintings and sculptures, most of which are Italian. Great examples of Alberto Burri and Fontana, and so many other famous Italians, Twombly, Clemente, Sandro Chia. Of course, the exhibitions constantly change.
The temperature rose to 33. Rome was more humid than Matera, and we felt it. Even Chloe’s face turned red! We had a sweat-drenched, hour walk to the Gallery and weren’t looking forward to going outside again, but when we emerged it was cooler, the sun lower in the sky and we had a nice stroll through the park in an area where Romans seemed to like to walk their dogs. Chloe noticed that most people had at least two dogs, many three. Lots of Golden Retrievers, another example of good taste. Of course they would have lovable Goldens!
We decided we should at least pass by the Borghese Gallery, even though we had been unable to purchase advance tickets to go inside. They are restricted in number, and timed for visits every two hours.
As we approached the Villa, a tall American man gestured toward us, ticket in hand. Do you want a ticket? he asked. I thought he was hawking them, and said “no.”
“We have three that we can’t use because our kids didn’t show up.” He looked kind of angry. “And my wife and I have already been in the museum. You are welcome to them.”
And so…as luck has shined down on us so many times, we were able to visit the Villa, perhaps the most ornate (and in some regards grotesque because it is so over the top) villa ever. Amazing collection of Roman busts, and Caravaggios, and wall paintings. It drips with opulence, decadence and ego.
PERSONAL TAKEAWAY: Yesterday, I came up with what I think is a brilliant idea…to introduce (as my startup and reason to live in Rome!) scooters like those in Thessaloniki. What a great way to get around Rome…and cheap, quiet, and kind of romantic.
