My first post will be a tribute to Roman Art History; the cradle of historical places and religious patronage as we know it. Where profane meets the spiritual, and lovely architecture of the old Roman Empires share the ancient Metropoli with vast Villas of the Pope's men.
My interest here is very particular, a bronze sculpture that belonged to the Colonna, a very prominent aristocratic Roman family; of a mermaid.
But what I want to underline here is the fact that the nipote or nephew of Pope Urban VIII, the famous Pope involved in the Galileo trial; ended up with the bronze statue in his private collections at Palazzo Barberini.
Cardinal Francesco Barberini, this nephew of Pope Urban VIII, was very versed. He wrote poems in latin and was the translator of the first Italian translation of the ''Meditations'' by Marcus Aurelius.
Today the bronze statue is at the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) in New York City; and the last time I saw it, it was located in the foyer of the Restaurant in the heart of the Museum. The artist is unknown, but it's reference to a mythological creature, alludes to the interest in classical history. Sometimes mistaken from the nereids, these sea nymphs were the daughters of the master of the Sea, Poseidon. At least in mythology.
This same Cardinal was so interested in the arts that he had a rug atelier in Rome where, designed by the prodigious Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Barberini cycle of rugs was made; to enhance the clan's influence in the arts and letters as well as the patronage of Pope Urban VIII. Some of this pieces are present today in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
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