Assignment for Monday, 04-06-15

Dear Roman Readers,

On Monday, April 6, we proceed past Renaissance Rome to the Baroque. Our representative artists are the sculptor, Bernini, and the painter, Caravaggio.

Please do the following:

(1) Read these sections in the Blue Guide's Historial Sketch:

• Rome and the Counter-Reformation (pp. 23–25); and
• Baroque Rome (p. 25).

(2) Download, print, and read these overviews:

•  "Bernini and Rome"; and
• "Caravaggio and Rome".

(3) Spend some time with the following image groups on Artstor:

• Bernini; and
• Caravaggio.

We'll be anxious to hear your reactions to these artists and their works, which are found far and wide in the Eternal City.

DC/gs

Assignment for Friday, 04-03-15

Dear Roman Readers,

On Friday, we proceed into the Renaissance on display in Rome. Our representative artist for this period is Michelangelo, though we'll also glance briefly at Donatello, Botticelli, Raphael, and DaVinci.

Please do the following:

(1) Read these sections in the Blue Guide's Historial Sketch:

• Renaissance Rome (pp. 21–22); and
• The Reformation and the Sack of Rome (p. 23).

(2) Download, print, and read the overview, "Michelangelo and Rome."

(3) Spend some time with the following image groups on Artstor:

• Renaissance Masters; and
• Michelangelo.

As mentioned above, the various works by the Renaissance masters (only two of which can be seen in Rome) are there for context and contrast with Michelangelo. Into this group a few images of works from the ancient world have been mixed in, works that were touchstones for Renaissance artists. Can you spot them without looking at the captions?

The overview on Michelangelo is, as these things go, very brief; it focuses only on his Roman works, and the Artstor image group (with the exception of David) follows suit.

The last thing we'll do on Friday is learn about the layering of St. Peter's Basilica, from the Circus of Nero, to the Necropolis, to the Constantinian Basilica, to the current Basilica, in which Michelangelo had a hand.

DC/gs

Assignment for Monday, 03-30

Dear Readers of Rome,

Monday's topic is Rabbis and Renaissance Men, in which we (a) look at ongoing forms of Jewish learning, and (b) consider Petrarch as our exemplar of Renaissance letters.

Please do the following:

(1) Download, print, and read the overview of Jewish Learning.

(2) Download, print, and read the excerpts from the Talmud, on the duty to marry and raise a family.

(3) Download, print, and read the excerpts from the Zohar, commenting on Genesis 5:1-2.

(4) Download, print, and read the factsheet on Petrarch, the so-called "father of Humanism."

(5) Download, print, and read the two Letters from Petrarch, in which he talks about his peregrinations through Rome and addresses "my Cicero."

DC/gs

Assignment for Monday, 03-23-15

Dear Roman Readers,

Prof. Spinner and I hope your break has been restful.

It's time to start gearing up for our last month of Reading Rome. On Monday, March 23, we begin our journey to the Renaissance and beyond. We'll start with an overview of the unit, and then launch into part 2 of my presentation on the development of the basilica. Then my esteemed colleague will lead us in a discussion of the popes and the papacy, for which we'll consider parade routes through Rome, pagan and Christian.

In preparation for our reunion, please do the following:

(1) Download, print, and read Dr. Spinner's stunning three-page overview of the papacy. As you peruse it, please bear in mind that he wrote it especially for you: I do not exaggerate when I call it a masterpiece of erudition and abbreviation.

(2) Download, print, and read Charles L. Stinger's brief discussion of the possesso, a special papal procession across Rome, from his book The Renaissance in Rome (Yale, 1985).

(3) Please read the following sections in the Blue Guide:

• "The Papacy and Medieval Rome," pp. 16–18;
• "Popes and Holy Roman Emperors," pp. 18–19; and 
• "Popes and the Papacy," pp. 31–33.

All three selections will not only complement Dr. Spinner's overview, but also move us forward in time.

DC