Today was the first day of Dr. Touchette's Ancient Roman Art History class and it seems pretty intimidating so far. She took the class to the Theatre of Marcellus which is near the Jewish Ghetto (not the kind of ghetto we think of back home, don't worry mom & dad), the Temples of Mater Matuta and Fortuna, the Temple of Hercules Victor, and the Victory Temples in the Forum Holitorium. She lectured to us about the history and architectural aspects of these places. I was extremely lost on both historical and architectural references. Dr. Touchette was going on and on about "doric, ionic and corinthian" columns and their orders and it wasn't until about thirty minutes into her lecture that I finally understood what it was she was talking about. They're architectural terms used to describe the types of columns; something that I'm pretty sure everyone else knew except for me. That's how I feel about everything she talks about. I definitely need to learn all about basic architecture and Roman and Greek mythology! Aaaaaah!

Temple of Hercules Victor-Late 2nd Century BCE (I stole this photo
from my roommate Rikk)

Carafa Chapel by Fillippino Lippi-1486-1493

Last night I had Professor Alei's Renaissance and Baroque Art History class and I feel pretty lost in that class as well. He took us to the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, which was BEEEEUUUTTTIIIIFFFULLL!!!!!!! He took us to the Carafa chapel and lectured about the artwork in that specific chapel. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take a picture, but I found a photo from the internet which is exactly what I saw. It was dark in there so we had to keep putting Euros in a machine to light up the chapel, which only lasted a minute per Euro. The church really knows how to make money! Nonetheless, it was worth it! The image shows St. Gabriele (left) appearing to Mary as she gestures that baby Jesus is growing. On the right side of Mary, St. Thomas Aquinas presents the Italian Cardinal Oliviero Carafa. The artist is Fillippino Lippi, a student of Sandro Botticelli. On the top of the ceiling are four female prophetesses called Sybils (Cumean, Tiburtine, Hellespontine, Deliphic). It is the first time in the Renaissance that these women appear in art since grecian mythic times (or something like that).

Anywho, that's what my last two days in Rome were all about. Tomorrow I go shopping hehe!

In front of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The elephant sculpture is by Bernini, but the top of it is an ancient Egyptian odalisque that was added many years ago. There are a lot of sculptures around the city with Egyptian odalisques on top of them; it's strange, but really awesome!