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
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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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Gerriann Brower
- Mar 3, 2021
- 12 min
The Meander Tattoo
A better title for this post is “How My Wife Ended up with a Fifth Century Mosaic Tattooed on Her Foot.” It’s an odd connection between...
Gerriann Brower
- Nov 19, 2020
- 18 min
From Caesar to Mona Lisa
How would you like to be remembered? That selfie you took on vacation, a wedding photo, or image from a family gathering? We consciously...
Gerriann Brower
- Aug 18, 2020
- 17 min
Painting Italian Style
If you visit Italy you can’t miss the frescoes. Fresco paintings decorate castles, Roman villas, public buildings, and of course,...
Gerriann Brower
- Jun 26, 2020
- 14 min
The Old Man and the Dome
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti (1475-1564) is a mythic figure, the creator of the Sistine Chapel frescoes and sculptures such as the Da
Gerriann Brower
- Apr 16, 2020
- 5 min
Honoring Raphael
April 6, 2020 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael (1483-1520), Renaissance artist extraordinaire. Italy planned grand...
Gerriann Brower
- Mar 26, 2020
- 10 min
Artemisia: Rule Breaker
The hidden history of women artists continues with Artemisia Gentileschi, the most studied and famous of the sixteenth and seventeenth...
Gerriann Brower
- Aug 6, 2019
- 8 min
2000 Years of Roman History, Part Five: Straw Angels
St. Peter’s is a showcase of seventeenth century Italian art and the two personalities who put a defining plan in place to finish it. What P
Gerriann Brower
- Jul 25, 2019
- 15 min
2000 Years of Roman History, Part Four: Two Popes
Approximately six million people visit the Sistine Ceiling and Vatican Museums each year. Who made these treasures possible? Two popes from
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