Bill took the day off from work, we slept late, had a lovely breakfast made with Italian eggs which feature yolks of a much darker orange than those we have at home. Then we headed to the local mall, the Markets of Trajan. (Well, I didn't say shopping!)
Mercati di Traiano
Very recently the city of Rome opened the Museo dei Fori Imperiali, Mercati di Traiano here. There has been considerable excavation, reconstruction and improvements in accessibility. In addition, there is a very sensitively sited exhibit of the marble and bronze sculpture of Kan Yasuda that will be here until March 30th. No photos are allowed in the museum building itself, but I shot a couple of hundred over the rest of the site. Luckily for you, my Dear Viewers, I edit (the photos!) ferociously.
As a sculptor, I particularly appreciated some of the bits and pieces inside the small museum building. There are literally bits and pieces, nothing complete. But what pieces! There is the front half of a foot encased in a slipper with very sensitive indications of the toes pressing through the leather. A pegasus that forms a small part of a huge capital, the part of a column that is high up just under the roof, has finely modeled veins showing on his head and neck. These must have been included for pleasure of the sculptor because from its siting, almost no one would have been able to see these details except perhaps the poor slaves that had to get up there for the periodic dusting. You can check these out at http://www.mercatiditraiano.it/percorsi/galleria_fotografica.
Kan Yasuda
After exiting the upper levels of the museum, this delightful work
Via Biberatica
It is really difficult to tell what is original to which period and what is part of the many reconstructions, at least if you are not an expert, as neither of us are. We kept puzzling over this. Most of the doorways to the shops have big marble lintels; most of these are marked: MCMXXXII, having been put there during Mussolini's time. We were told that a few of the stones are original to the ancient Romans but weren't able to find them.
Here along the Via Biberatica there were many of Kan Yasuda's sculptures. I will include photos of several:
- Ascoltare (Listening)
- Uomo e terra (Man and Earth) and Bill on the Via Biberatica
Ishinki (Pebble)
I hope these photos also help you get a sense of this incredible place and that you can imagine, a little bit, coming through here in ancient times, picking up some veges and bread, stopping for a drink, paying a cart parking ticket, hanging out with friends...
There is ancient graffiti, too! Some in Greek no less but again, we couldn't be sure that we found any. I have photos of a couple of possibilities but little confidence that the scratches are ancient. Here's one - maybe you can make it out:
Some of Kan Yasuda's works on this lower level are:
- Goccia del tempo (Drop of Time) - actually two drops, I think. We were allowed to touch and sit on the sculptures. The Drop(s) were cool, extremely smooth and soft, and remarkably comfortable. We don't always get a chance to touch sculpture and yet, for the sculptor, touch is a critical sense associated with the work.
More later; I'm off to have some cafe' and see the Colosseo. Ciao!
3 comments:
this post is so great; it sounds like a wonderful day, and I LOVE these photos—the light is beautiful and the little inclusions of Dad and your shadow are great. quite a "mall" :)
Don't you just love it when the "modern" intrusion into a site is a MEDIEVAL tower! Great pictures! Does seeing all the scuplture new and old make your fingers itch to get to work?
You are channelling de Chirico with some of these photos.. (with the help of Yasuda)!
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