Skipping some class in favor of more art

This morning, right after I posted the previous blog, I went across the street to the bar I don't particularly like to grab a cappuccino and bottle of water, and I saw there my Spanish teacher from Marymount and a friend of hers who is visiting the city. We started talking, and instead of me going to class right away, I went with them to the Villa Farnesina, which is right next door to John Cabot. It was so serendipitous and absolutely wonderful to spend some time with her and her friend, who was also very cool, and I didn't suffer through the Michelangelo situation... It turns out that an hour and a half of Michelangelo is managable! But seriously, as I have learned so well, it's the company that matters in such situations that can make or break it.

The Villa Farnesina is positively spectacular. The ground floor is decorated beautifully by Rafaello, but upstairs is the brilliant Salone della Perspettiva, among other things. The above picture (I didn't take it, unfortunately) is of the room depicting Cupid and Psyche (with the trials of Venus), which was tremendous, with a fantastic pantheon theme going on and positively beautiful frescoes. The recent restoration of the whole place is brilliant, and it's such a gem of Rome. Rafaello was doing things quite similar to Michelangelo at the same time Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling, but with much more beautiful female figures, and at times more proto-Mannerism and poses that are very daring. The whole trompe l'oeil thing going on in the whole villa is stunning, but the room with Cupid and Psyche also has great naturalistic elements, and fascinating putti with gorgeous butterfly wings instead of feathery angel wings. Brilliant.