Blog - Life in Italy

Everybody has his own favorite painter, in Rome there is the house-museum of one of the greatest whom many admire and take in high esteem for his art: Giorgio de Chirico.

He was born in Volos, Thessaly, Greece. In the early years of his life he traveled around Europe knowing other culturally lively realities in Germany, France and Italy. It is right here, in Italy, that the maestro will settle for the rest of his life, in the country where the town squares stimulate that metaphysical sentiment the whole world has learned to appreciate thanks to his paintings.

We can define as metaphysical an artistic movement which has the purpose of catching the observer unprepared, an art producing a very marked sense of melancholy in he who peers at it,  due to the fact that the urban landscapes portrayed are architecturally bared, lived in by shadows or imperceptible figures which stand out in the background. De Chirico's paintings engender pure bewilderment, the objects drawn close to each other are devoid of any logical relationship and solitude penetrates every corner of these squares, the mystery of which is not given to us to know.

Entering the house of the "pictor optimus" you will have the pleasant surprise of finding some of the most famous works like Pianto d'amore and Le Maschere. Unfortunately, the time at your disposition will not be much because you will have only forty-five minutes to carry out the visit and any overrunning of the time is not foreseen by the strict rules. A guide will accompany you among the various rooms introducing the subjects step by step and answering any questions you may have. (But who knows, perhaps you yourselves know more...)

Apart from the great living rooms which open to our sight, one of the curiosities you will have a way to note is de Chirico and his wife sleeping in different rooms. The room of the "pictor classicus" is of modest dimensions, very spartan, whereas the wife's one is slightly larger and more airy. Also from these peculiar clues it is possible to notice the genius's stigmata. The room where the maestro used to paint is on the last floor, and it will communicate to you an effect of extreme solitude. In this space he worked at his paintings every day. A full-blown Stakhanovite!

The commissions he received when he was still alive were innumerable and it is for this reason too that many fakes circulated and continue to circulate. In the past a great scandal burst and there were many talks about it. In the same way, de Chirico's positions have always been scandalous within the artistic circles of his time. In the full avant-garde period, de Chirico will detach himself from a certain experimentalism to retie a connection with the past and with classicism.

Inside the house-museum there are many paintings to see, so the cost of the ticket is more than reasonable, only five euros. At the exit there are many volumes on sale, even though the price is a little high. In case you would like to delve into it is advisable to seek cheaper books in the city center book-shops. They are not difficult to find. You can also leave a remark in the guest book, maybe reporting one of the catchy phrases written by de Chirico. A suggestion could be the statement that appears in his Autoritratto: "Mihi fama perennis quaeritur in toto semper ut orbe canar".

The Giorgio de Chirico House Museum is in Piazza di Spagna 31 ( metro stop Spagna )

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The 'Estate Romana 2009' is back again!

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With its priceless historical and artistic heritage, with the  flourishing of projects of contemporary architecture, with its network of cultural institutions, academies and international relations, as well as with its bent for services, movie production, and tourism, Rome provides the privileged environment for a completely cultural experience.

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When: from 22 may to 13 september 2009

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Piazza del Campidoglio, or Capitol Hill, is one of the seven hills on which the legend says Rome was founded.

Located on top of the homonymous Capitoline Hill it is a precious Michelangelo’s architectural design.
The staircase, the interweaved ellipsis pavement, the Marco Aurelio’s antique bronze are some of the most well known attractions in Rome.

The Palace of Senate, situated in Piazza del Campidoglio, is as of today the representative seat of the Rome City hall. It was built in the early XII century on top of the remaining ruins of two ancient roman’s buildings (“Temple Veiove”- 196 b.c. erected in honor of an ancient Italian divinity - and “Tabularium” - 78 b.c. the ancient roman archive). It took part to the widest Michelangelo’s Project in the early XIII century and got renewed in 1561.

The Palace of Senate began holding the first city hall representation in 1143 becoming indeed the seat of the first 50 senators administrating the civil and penal lows.

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The first time I saw this video I couldn't believe it...this guy takes a ride over Rome on an helicopter and then draws the sighseeing from memory!

It's really impressive! Take a look!

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Daniel Birnbaum explains the meaning of Art Biennale in 2009, which he titled Making Worlds / Making Worlds.

The exhibition is the centerpiece of the 53rd International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, from June 7 to 22 November 2009

(check out more on La Biennale Channel )

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One of the best example of modern architecture in Rome is, on my opinion, the Renzo Piano's "Auditorium Parco della Musica", a large multi-function public music complex.

Unfortunately, this wonderful construction is located out of the historic centre, in the north side of Rome, so tourists generally miss it.

Opened in 2002, Auditorium Parco della Musica combines architectural innovation with perfect acoustics. The complex is composed of three separate enormous bug-like halls whose forms are inspired by musical instruments. A fourth concert hall is the open air theater evoking Greco-Roman theaters.

The three  large concert halls are structurally separated to assure soundproofing. Each one has a different dimension and purpose, but they are all characterized by an extreme versatility of the space: floor and ceiling can be moved to regulate the acoustic properties. Also the cherry-wood interiors guarantee an excellent sound.

The complex includes museums, a fantastic library, music studios, areas for exhibitions, cafes, restaurants, gardens and an archaeological site. Have a look to the events calendar: it hosts big international names in classical, rock, pop and world music.

Auditorium (http://www.auditorium.com ) is open daily from 10am to 6pm and the entrance is free! It is easy reachable by bus number 910 from Rome's train station (Stazione Termini). Ortherwise, if you're interested on any of the events, a shuttle bus M service departs from Stazione Termini every 15 minutes between 17:00 and the end of the last performance.

I encourage you to visit the Auditorium!! ....also for a good drink or meal at the charming "Red" cocktail lounge bar where you can absolutely spend a pleasant afternoon :)

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