History of Art

Rome Trip February 2018

In February half term, Year 12 and 13 Art Historians spent four days experiencing more than 2,000 years worth of art on a trip to Rome. This ranged from the magnificent relics of Ancient Rome to masterworks in the restrained High Renaissance style, and from Zaha Hadid’s striking Deconstructivist architecture to the bombastic Baroque of Borromini and Bernini.

“It was so culturally enriching,” said Anastasia in Year 12. “I particularly liked visiting the Galleria Borghese, which was filled with sculptures by Bernini that are so much more impactful and theatrical in real life.” Besides sculptures of figures carved from marble, we also encountered some less conventional art materials, with the room filled with balloons at the appropriately named ‘Enjoy’ exhibition standing out especially.

For Annabelle, a personal highlight was “.. the Vatican Museum - and lying on the floor in the Palazzo Barberini and looking up at the amazingly illusionistic ceiling frescos. It was as though we were totally submerged in art.”

The same could be said of our experience of standing underneath Michelangelo’s awesome frescos on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which is not surprising, as the Chapel’s painting scheme as a whole covers an area almost one sixth the size of a football pitch.

“After long days of walking up and down Rome’s many hills, we certainly made up for it with all of the food,” said Irina and Priya. “The homemade carbonara won’t be forgotten - and nor will the ice cream!

Miss Morgan and Year 12

Sixth Form History of Art students at the Enjoy exhibition in the Chiostro del Bramante, Rome Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI Museum

The Borghese Gallery and Museum

Interesting History of Art Facts!

1. Some reports say that it took Leonardo da Vinci 10 years to perfect Mona Lisa’s lips. He was a procrastinator and often regretted not finishing many of his works!

3. Pablo Picasso was baptised Pablo Diego José Fransisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Mártir Patricio Clito Ruiz y Picasso. The name contains 23 words!

1. From 1912 to 1948, the Olympic Games awarded medals for artworks inspired by the sports involved.

2. When the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, the empty space it left on the wall attracted more visitors than the painting had!

3. In 1961, Henri Matisse’s painting ‘Le Bateau’ was hung upside down at New York’s Museum of Modern Art for 46 days before anyone noticed.

Year 12 Trips

- A study day at Tate Britain run by the University of Sussex - Dali/Duchamp at the RA - A trip to the V&A’s painting and sculpture galleries - Rachel Whiteread at Tate Britain

Year 13 Trips

- Jasper Johns at the RA - A full-day trip combining both Tates – All Too Human at Tate Britain, and the Joan Jonas show and the permanent collections at Tate Modern