The frescoes by Andrea Pozzo use perspectival projections to create an illusion for visitors who perceive the architecture continuing above the flat ceiling.
Of course, second hand information is the foundation of all my prior knowledge of Rome, so my presence in this city must be based on trust. I clearly witnessed the change in culture and surroundings as my taxi from the airport swerved across and straddled lanes on my journey to my apartment. I could at least understand I had truely landed in Italy, where driving is a risky sport where the cobble stones are filled with Fiats and motor scooters. My eyes darted left and right as I passed by pizzerias and and Italian businesses looking for evidence that I had arrived at the correct destination. I passed by the glowing Colosseum which proclaimed the present and past glory of this city, my jaw dropped low with astonishment. But how can I be sure this is really it?
I have seen monumental copies of famous buildings in Las Vegas, replicating the Eiffel tower, and Nashville displaying a replica Parthenon. Is my perception of this place being tricked by magical architects creating false visions of grandeur, like the ceiling in the Church of Sant’Iganzio? I am surely not in a dream world because I’ve spun my “totem” and seen it fall (if you have seen inception you know what I mean). A walk through the historic forum of Rome left no doubt in my mind that this is the place I had been hoping for.
The temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina is the building that revealed my confidence that this is truly Rome. I can see here what is not able to be duplicated by tricksters and is so prominent in a place with the history of this great city. Layers of use and weathering from the exposure to the elements over centuries is definitely evident. The corinthian columns date from 138-161 AD and yet they have been saved for us through the adaptive re-use of the Roman Catholic Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda locating itself in the capable ruin left behind in the 17th century. The columns show scars of surviving the attempts to pillage the temple for stone in the middle ages, when scavengers used rope and vinegar to cut partially through them. The triangle pediment that the columns supported was successfully stripped away as well as its decorative sculptures. It is the inconclusive boundaries of modification and repair that lead to the depth of layers that cannot be duplicated in places other than Rome itself. I can see the way the structure has been used and left defunct over the different centuries. Viewing it from the ancient Roman roads of the forum is quite a treat. Places and objects like this let me know that I am in Rome, the eternal city as they say.
2 Comments to I – How do I know that I’m in Rome?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I like your phrase “capable ruin.” It does seem that some ruins are more capable than others.
David, your 2nd blog response is fantastic! Keep up the good work.