Gerriann Brower
Caravaggio’s Rome
Caravaggio was a violent man and a number of his paintings depict violent scenes. What was Caravaggio's Rome like?
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Italian Art for Travelers
Your passport to culture, history, and art
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Gerriann Brower
- Sep 11
- 4 min
The Last Masterpiece: A Book Review
The author presents readers with parallel stories of two young women from different countries, each playing a role in Nazi looted art.
Gerriann Brower
- Aug 20
- 18 min
Four Emperors that Built Rome
Debauchery and megalomania seem to define most Roman emperors. Four come to mind: Augustus, Nero, Vespasian, and Hadrian.
Gerriann Brower
- Jul 18
- 20 min
Four Popes that Built Rome
Four popes did much to shape the Rome we see today. The della Rovere, Farnese, Borghese, and the Barberini families each placed their own ma
Gerriann Brower
- May 25
- 13 min
From Renaissance Self-Portrait to Selfie
Are selfies an evolution of the self-portrait, or do they lack the cleverness and creativity of early modern self-images? The Italian Nation
Gerriann Brower
- Apr 22
- 17 min
Michelangelo and Titian: Endings
Michelangelo and Titian, the two sixteenth century powerhouse competitive artists, decided to create their own memorial as the end of their
Gerriann Brower
- Feb 28
- 14 min
Ancient Rome in Six Iconic Symbols
The Colosseum, public baths, togas, wall paintings are some of the iconic symbols of Rome, made possible through creativity and invention. A
Gerriann Brower
- Jan 18
- 12 min
Made in Florence: Renaissance Clothing
The merchant and banking classes gained their fortunes largely from the textile trade and in turn became patrons of art. Artists paid homage
Gerriann Brower
- Dec 15, 2022
- 11 min
Saint Carlo's Relics
How did a piece of an Italian saint make it from Milan, Italy, to St. Paul, Minnesota, USA? I found answers to most of my questions, includi
Gerriann Brower
- Nov 23, 2022
- 13 min
Botticelli and Renaissance Florence
Sandro Botticelli was a go-getter and lived in time when Florence had no lack of talent and innovators. Competition was intense for commissi
Gerriann Brower
- Oct 30, 2022
- 13 min
Florence's Ponte Vecchio
The story of the Ponte Vecchio is one of perseverance and love for Florence. Still standing after almost 700 years, it has withstood World W
Gerriann Brower
- Aug 29, 2022
- 13 min
When the Vikings Attacked Sicily
They were ruthless mercenaries. They excelled at military sieges, geo-political maneuvering, and image management. Their artistic legacy
Gerriann Brower
- Jul 26, 2022
- 13 min
The Shroud of Turin
The relic of all relics is a linen sheet bearing faint blood stains of a Christ’s body. It has been venerated, debunked, and debated for cen
Gerriann Brower
- Jun 6, 2022
- 9 min
Peacocks, Fetters, and other Signs and Symbols
A painting with a peacock, a wheel, a blue garment, a dead tree, and a woman holding pincers – what does it mean? If we could time travel ba
Gerriann Brower
- May 9, 2022
- 14 min
Venice in Six Iconic Symbols
Glass, the Rialto, gondolas, books, St. Mark, and wells are iconic parts of Venetian history, pieces of a historic puzzle of its faded, but
Gerriann Brower
- Apr 10, 2022
- 12 min
Leonardo’s Last Supper: Why it’s Magnificent
Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is one of his most admired and recognizable art works. It is iconic, has been reproduced endlessly, parodied
Gerriann Brower
- Mar 14, 2022
- 13 min
Michelangelo: Artist, Poet, Lover
Was Michelangelo gay? It’s complicated. How does one say Michelangelo is gay when there isn’t even a word for it in the language of his...
Gerriann Brower
- Feb 10, 2022
- 16 min
That's Amore!
Meet three couples, real and mythical, and their romantic stories: Federico and Battista’s arranged marriage, Apollo’s longing for Daphne, a
Gerriann Brower
- Jan 4, 2022
- 9 min
Caesar's Calendar
Even the humble calendar has an intriguing history. Meet the Caesar and the Pope who shaped the calendar to what it is today.
Gerriann Brower
- Dec 21, 2021
- 13 min
Saturn, Solstice, and Christmas
December means special foods, decorating, libations, and gift giving. Families and neighbors gather to celebrate time together. December...
Gerriann Brower
- Nov 22, 2021
- 10 min
Eat Like an Italian
Salty fermented fish sauces really made Roman meals special. A piping hot bowl of cinnamon spiced pasta satisfied the medieval appetite. Pe
Gerriann Brower
- Nov 1, 2021
- 11 min
How a Banker Lost His Head
The Bargello Museum gave me the creeps. Why ? It could be because banker Lorenzo Tornabuoni lost his head in the courtyard. Find out where h
Gerriann Brower
- Jun 7, 2021
- 8 min
Afterthoughts on the Illicit Art Trade
With over 55 UNESCO World Heritage sites, is it any surprise Italy’s art has been looted and still is? A statue illicitly taken from Italy w
Gerriann Brower
- May 30, 2021
- 20 min
Finders Keepers: Looted Italian Art
A krater, an amphora, and a marble sculpture tell the story of the illegal art trade in Italy. The Italian art squad nabbed the culprits an
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