The Ecstasy and More Ecstasy Oct 2007

8/9/2019 The Ecstasy and More Ecstasy Oct 2007

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The Ecstasy and More Ecstasy

My Maiden visit to Rome

S Sivakumar, October 2007


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The Man

It was in the marrow of his bones to create only the finest he could produce; tocreate far beyond his abilities because he could be content with nothing that wasnot new, fresh, different, a palpable extension of the whole of the art. He hadnever compromised with quality; his integrity as a man and an artist was the

rock on which his life was built. If he split that rock by indifference, by givingless than the exhausting best of himself, if he were content merely to get by,what was left of him?

That was Michelangelo, in Irving Stones The Agony and the Ecstasy,

Sistine Chapel. And Michelangelo knew, just as clearly as he had known anything in his life,

that nothing would suffice for his vault but Genesis itself, a re-creation of theuniverse. What nobler work of art could there be than Gods creating of the sun

and moon, the water and the earth, the evolving of man, of woman? He wouldcreate the world in that Sistine ceiling as though it were being created for thefirst time. There was a theme to conquer that vault! The only one that could sooverwhelm it that all of its ugliness and clumsy architecture would vanish as

though it never existed, and in its place would come the glory of Gods

architecture.


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The Dream

He was determined to get a teeming humanity up on the ceiling, as well as GodAlmighty who created it; mankind portrayed in its breathless beauty, itsweaknesses, its indestructible strengths; God in His ability to make all things

possible. He must project a throbbing, meaningful vitality that would invert theuniverse; the vault would become the reality, the world of those looking at itwould become illusion.

He visualized that everyone of the figures would look as though they couldmove right off that ceiling and come down to earth.

,staring straight up. Paint dripped onto his face, the moisture of the wet plasteroozed out and dripped in his eyes. His arms and back tired quickly from thestrain of the unnatural position.

I wanted to see this Sistine Ceiling in the Vatican City ever since I read The

Agony and the Ecstasy (the biographical novel on Michelangelo) by IrvingStone, just after writing my X Std exams in 1976.

Eventually my dream was fulfilled earlier this month. It was ecstasy and moreecstasy for me all the way

By the way, this book is one of my all time favourites. As I re-read the novel, Icame to deeply appreciate the struggle that goes into creation of any kind.


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The Sistine Chapel

The interior of the chapel consists of a single long nave (13 mtrs x 40 mtrs)

surmounted by a flattened barrel vault with spandrelsand a lunette above each of the twelve arched windows

Still today, the Sistine Chapel houses the conclaves of Cardinals that elect the Pope


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The Full View of the Sistine Chapel


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The Ceiling


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God creates Adam

The most famous picture on the ceiling


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and the Sun and the Moon before that


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The Last Judgment

The mega fresco on the Wall


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More Michelangelo


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The Pieta

Pieta is the greatest work of Michelangelos early years (1499). The blessed Virgin, portrayed asa young girl, holds in her arms and contemplates the body of her Son, taken down from the Cross.

The work conveys a feeling of profound calm, filled with sorrow and drama


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Mary up close (The same Pieta)

Michelangelos signature can be seen on the sash across Marys robe


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The Dome of St Peters

The immense dome (136 mtrs high) is designed by Michelangelo, at the age of 81, when he wasthe architect Incharge of building the Vatican Basilica. When he died it was completed upto the drum.

The work was finished by Giacomo della Porta.


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More Vatican Museum


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At one stage, I even wondered if I would get into the Museum at all!

This is the long queue behind me.Queue ahead of me was even longer.

It took two-and-a-half hours to get in

No different from Tirupati back home!

The Entrance to the Vatican Museum.This is where you had the Sistine and all!

Eventually I got in just in time to get a glimpse

and get out to catch my flight back


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The wait & the walk were worth it, as you see themagnificent sculptures all around


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and halls full of marble work


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and breathtaking ceilings & dome interiors


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Paintings along the walkways


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And on the Door Arches


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You will believe the lively colours and 3-D effectsonly when you see them


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I walked into this hall, and thoughtI was already in the Sistine Chapel


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There was some Modern Art too


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And surprisingly, I saw just one painting on stained glass


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Rest of Rome

We all used the proverb Rome wasnt built in a day many a time;

I realised that you cant even see all its highlights in a day!All I had was a half day! Here is a glimpse of what I saw


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St Peters

The centre of the Roman Catholic faith, St Peters draws pilgrims from all over the world


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St Pauls, next only to St Peters


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The Landmark Trevi Fountain

The fountain is filled with coins! Apparently the belief is that you will definitely return toRome once more in your lifetime if you throw a coin into this fountain


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And the well-known Colosseum

Built in the 1st Century AD, this amphitheatre held animal and gladiator shows forentertaining the emperors and common people. Gladiators had to fight each other to death!

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The Magnificent Circus Maximus

What was once ancient Romes largest stadium (remember the Chariot races in Ben-Hur),is today little more than a long grassy esplanade

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Pantheon, the Roman Temple of All Gods

Granite columns in the Portico shot here are awe inspiringThis is also a 1st/ 2nd Century AD building

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Fontana del Moro on Piazza Navona

Remodeled in 1653 by another famous Roman Architect Bernini, who designed the Sea God

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Fontana della Barcaccia

Constructed in the shape of a leaking boat, this is one of the oldest fountains in Rome

Th S i h St


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The Spanish Steps

The steps are a popular place to sit, write post cards, flirt, busk or just watch the passers-by

M li i B l


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Mussolinis Balcony

Palazzo Venezia is one of the first renaissance buildings in Rome (15th Century)In the fascist era, Mussolini used it as his headquarters and addressed crowds from the central balcony

The Fi st B idge the Tibe Rive


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The First Bridge on the Tiber River

Young lovers put these locks; they believe they will stay together for lifeThis is only one of such many lock hangers on this bridge


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And then there are some odd sights,

you may n anywhere

You ca reflect perfectly o ly whe you are still


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You can reflect perfectly, only when you are still

Standing tall is a matter of relativity


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Standing tall, is a matter of relativity

Nature is an audience even when the game is not on


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Nature is an audience, even when the game is not on


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Or a few even ones too,

that you ont n everywhere


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are due to my knowledgeable Driver in Rome, Angeliano


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y g g

Documents

The Ecstasy and More Ecstasy Oct 2007