Come dire addio a Roma?
How do you say goodbye to Rome?
I won’t lie. I’m finding it hard. I knew before I came Rome was my favourite Italian city. Rome has that wonderful grittiness of a real city, combined with the richest history in all the world. It’s not the picture of Renaissance perfection like so many Italian towns and cities. It’s a raggedy collection of history across the ages and it’s totally captured my heart. But, leave we must!
But before we go, I have to share my final two experiences - starting with the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and my favourite of all, the Pantheon.
Visiting the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj rounds out the story of the famous Italian families who jostled for position. You’ll remember we’d visited the most famous of them all at the Villa Borghese residence some years prior and we were too late to book a ticket this time round. On this trip some days before we had taken in the beauty of the Palazzo Barberini. Like the Barberini family, they achieved the greatest of stature at their time, with Giovanni Battista Pamphilj becoming Pope Innocent X in 1644. In fact, he took over from a Barberini Pope (Pope Urban VIII) - remember we’d visited their place a few days earlier. Like many families in history, the Pamphilj family also relied on nepotism to maintain this influence. Several family members achieved Cardinal status at that time.
When you first enter the Palazzo, you can be forgiven for feeling like you’ve entered an English country home. Not least, because the voice on your audio guide speaks with the Queen’s English. But also as a result of feeling like the focus is the home itself as opposed to the many artworks it contains. I liked this and it’s at the heart of how the Palazzo presents itself. All the artwork collected here is placed in the exact position it was when initially purchased. Some art lovers may be frustrated with the challenge this presents when attempting to view each picture in detail and with the perfect light. It’s important to remember that you don’t reach the main gallery area until after the bookshop. It’s at that point that my appreciation of the building shifted from the splendour of the spaces to the wonder of the artwork.
To get to the gallery involves walking through a series of rooms, including the ballroom. It was here that the temptation to take a twirl on the parquet floor was all too great. So slow was the circle I made with my feet that I am convinced it was imperceptible to those around for me. For one magical moment, I was transported through history, the orchestra played and my dance partner swept me off my feet! Oh well, we can all dream, can’t we?
Once within the gallery space, it really is a breath-taking! For me more so than the Palazzo Barberini. There are three Caravaggio’s (procured after his death) on display here. It should be noted that after his death, his popularity and therefore the price of his works depleted. Don’t forget Caravaggio had a colourful and violent life known for having committed murder. The family were shrewd investors, buying these artworks. However, I believe for the family it is the Velasquez and Bernini that steal the show. Placed into a special ante room, the portrait and sculpture of Pope Innocent X take pride of place. I learnt that Bernini’s style, unlike that of his contemporaries, focused on making the subject seem more human. That’s why in his sculpture at the Palazzo Barberini, the pope’s button is seen ever so slightly popping out of its hole. Here Pope Innocent is displayed with equal realism, crow marks around his eyes, showing him in his true light. The back story to Bernini’s sculpture drew me in in as much as the beauty of the object itself. Bernini was the de facto sculptor for the Barberini family. Because of the family rivalry, it is unusual to see him do this work for the Pamphilj. When Pope Innocent X came to power, the papacy was almost bankrupt due to the prior (Barberini) Pope’s excesses. Despite this, the beauty of Bernini’s work won out, and enthralled, Pope Innocent X swallowed his pride and commissioned the piece.
The Velasquez sits well alongside Bernini’s sculpture. It pleased me when the audio guide made the connection for me to Frances Bacon. This twentieth-century artist made over fifty different versions of the piece through his lifetime. I had seen these many times, but never the original work that inspired it. Pope Innocent X was in his 70’s when the painting was completed in 1650. He was renowned for his ugliness and as I research the painting I find people variously suggest the work reflects or masks his true likeness. What everyone agrees upon is the impressiveness of the work!
There are living relative of the Doria Pamphilj family and, a quick Google search, indicates that you can experience a slice of their life. One post shows a guest indulging in a Michelin starred meal there - not an experience I share on my visit.
My favourite of all the sites in Rome is the Pantheon. When I first visited there twenty years ago, I recall simply walking in and being amazed by what I found. Nowadays, you have to pay and if you don’t pre-book you have to queue! Despite this, my visit was just as perfect as that of two decades earlier. This time, I was blessed with an impromptu choral rehearsal in preparation for the mass that was to start later. Whilst the short bursts of song were glorious, the choir master’s constant repositioning of the choristers made me smile. Can you imagine the pressure of perfecting music within the beautiful Pantheon? Perhaps one day I’ll get the chance to sing here. I definitely know that I will be back.
Leaving Rome wouldn’t be right without saying goodbye to Lisa and Polpi. You’ve probably detected a theme by now of having an aperitif in a lovely hotel in all my stops. Earlier in the week, I had dropped into the Plaza hotel. I was drawn there since I’d remembered visiting New York thirty years ago and wanting to stay at the Plaza - there is no connection between the two hotels. The Plaza in Rome is a living, breathing, historic hotel. So precious is its internal decoration that the concierge told me they receive monthly checks to ensure nothing has been changed. When I had my coke there, it was completely deserted. The staff were delighted with my enthusiasm for the place showing my the breakfast room and taking my photo!
For my final evening I chose the Hotel de Russie. It presented the perfect opportunity to wish Lisa well and experience a little of the Roman highlife. It’s a more modern luxurious hotel compared to the historic elegance and grandeur of the Plaza. By the time our cocktails were complete, I realised I had time to capture those deserted shots of Rome I’d promised myself. So, at some speed, I went back to the Spanish Steps and, crucially, the Trevi Fountain. The latter, whilst not deserted, was beautiful in the evening light and far less crowded than my experience with Leigh on the day we arrived.
Io adoro Roma! I can’t wait to return.
The Gallery at the Doria Pamphilj Gallery
The Velasquez of Pope Innocent X
The Pantheon
The Plaza hotel breakfast room
The Trevi fountain by night
Bernini’s fountain without the crowds
Goodbye Lisa and Rome, see you soon!
