Italian Art for Travelers
Your passport to culture, history, and art

Gerriann Brower

The Secret Raphael Room

Need a peaceful place to enjoy art at the Vatican Museums? Look no further than the Raphael room. I call it the secret Raphael room because

Gerriann Brower

Palatine View: Julius Caesar to Mussolini

The view from the Palatine Hill conveys the storied history of ancient Rome, Christian Rome, and modern Rome.

Gerriann Brower

Two Michelangelo Masterpieces: Pieta and David

Michelangelo’s fame was well founded after completing two early masterpieces, the Pietà and the David. Both speak to his creative genius.

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?

Gerriann Brower

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

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

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

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

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...