Student profiles 11.07 - Santa Barbara Museum of Art

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Highlights include St. John’s Co-Cathedral with Caravaggio’s Decapitation of St. John the Baptist and a private visit to the Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta, residence of a Maltese family whose lineage dates back to ancient times. Elegant and well located hotels, along with thoughtfully chosen restaurants, ensure comfort and gastronomic delights on this tour planned and led by Susie Orso, a favorite of past Museum travelers. Also joining the tour is Dr. Jill Finsten, Director of Special Projects for the Study of Art and Culture at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, one of the museum's most popular lecturers and a Harvard-trained specialist in 16th- and early 17th-century Italian art. In late May, days are warm with cool evenings, and the crowds of summer have yet to arrive. LA to ROME – Friday and Saturday, May 21st and 22nd Suggested flights on British Airways depart Los Angeles at 3:40 p.m., connect in London and arrive in Rome at 4:15 p.m. the next day. Connections are available from Santa Barbara. Upon arrival, meet Susie Orso and transfer to the Hotel Majestic, conveniently located on the Via Veneto, the city’s center of high fashion, near the Spanish Steps. This evening, welcome drinks will be followed by dinner at the hotel. Hotel Majestic (D) ROME – Sunday, May 23rd After breakfast depart by coach for the Pantheon, built originally as a temple to the many gods of the polytheistic ancient Roman culture and converted into a Christian church in the 7th century. The concrete and coffered dome’s central oculus is open to the sky. Nearby is the Piazza Navona with baroque sculpture and architecture including Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers that animates the center of the square. Then visit the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, housing Michelangelo’s Christ the Redeemer along with the tombs of St. Catherine of Siena and the Dominican painter Frà Angelico. Continue to the Campidoglio where the expansive Capitoline Museums house three important Caravaggio paintings, including The Fortune Teller, a very early work of the artist. The museums are connected by way of an underground tunnel, which also leads to the Tabularium, an ancient structure that once housed the official records of Rome. The Tabularium looks out onto the Roman Forum, offering one of the best views of its temple ruins, arches, and basilicas. Following lunch at the Ristorante Vecchia Roma, visit the Doria Pamphilj Gallery to see the collection of Caravaggio paintings, including Rest on the Flight to Egypt. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Hotel Majestic (B,L) ROME – Monday, May 24th After breakfast leave by coach to visit several churches housing Caravaggio’s paintings and altarpieces. The tour begins at the Church of Sant’Agostino to see the Madonna di Loreto. This famous painting created a stir when it was unveiled due to his depiction of a barefoot Virgin Mary. Nearby is the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi where the Contarelli Chapel has Caravaggio’s first public work, three masterpieces dedicated to St. Matthew. Continue to Santa Maria del Popolo to compare his Martyrdom of St. Peter and Conversion of St. Paul, where his naturalistic style and use of dramatic chiaroscuro evolved. Particularly notable is the way in which he draws the spectator in as witness to the dramatic moment depicted. Following lunch at the Michelin-starred Ristorante La Rosetta, enjoy a specially arranged private opening of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. See Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ, a work that was highly progressive during its time. Without the crowds, take in the Sistine Chapel, where the colors are now as brilliant as they were in the 16th century after a restoration, completed in 2001. Dinner will be at Trattoria La Campana. Hotel Majestic (B,L,D) ROME to NAPLES and return – Tuesday, May 25th After breakfast depart by coach for the railway station to board a high-speed Eurostar train for Naples. Upon arrival visit the Pio Monte della Misericordia to see one of Caravaggio’s dramatic masterpieces, Seven Works of Mercy. In the Cathedral also visit the Cappella San Gennaro, dedicated to the patron saint of Naples. After lunch in a traditional Neapolitan pizzeria, visit
Visit the State Apartments of the Palace of the Grand Master and the Sacred Infirmary. Lunch in a local restaurant is followed by a private visit to the charming Casa Rocca Piccola Palace for drinks with Marquesa Francesca de Piro (subject to confirmation). The balance of the day is at leisure to explore Valletta. Hotel Phoenicia (B,L) VALLETTA – Saturday May 29th the Capodimonte Museum to see Caravaggio’s Flagellation of Christ and the finest collection of paintings by Caravaggio’s school of followers including Orazio and Artemisia Gentilleschi, Stanzone, and Lanfranco. Also see the extensive Farnese Collection which includes works by Titian, Bellini, and El Greco. Return to the train station for the high-speed Eurostar train back to Rome. The balance of the evening is free. Hotel Majestic (B,L) Leave by coach for Mdina to explore the noble ancient Roman capital where quiet streets are lined with baroque palaces of the aristocracy. See the Vilhena Palace, the chapel of St. Agatha and St. Peter, the palaces of Gatto Murrina and Santa Sophia, as well as the Cathedral of St. Paul, before lunch at the Relais Chateau Xara Palace Hotel. Return to Valletta with time to relax before a late afternoon cruise around the Great Harbor, considered one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. Go ashore to explore the fashionable towns of Sliema and Floriana and the great fortifications of the walled capital. A farewell dinner is planned at the hotel. Hotel Phoenicia (B,L,D) ROME – Wednesday, May 26th This morning visit the magnificent Borghese Gallery to see the great canvasses by Caravaggio, including David with the Head of Goliath, a self portrait the artist painted as an attempt at pardon after being accused of murder. Continue to Palazzo Barberini to explore the collections of the Galleria Nazionale, including three masterpieces by Caravaggio. Depart this evening for a private visit and dinner with Marchese Corsi Patrizi at the Palazzo Corsi Montoro, an 18th-century palace with a fine collection of paintings and antiques (subject to final confirmation). Hotel Majestic (B,D) ROME to VALLETTA – Thursday, May 27th After a late breakfast and a leisurely morning, depart for the airport. Fly Air Malta to Valletta and transfer to the Hotel Phoenicia. Gather for an orientation walking tour to see the 16th- and 17th-century baroque architecture built by the Knights of St. John. Dinner will be in a local restaurant this evening. Hotel Phoenicia (B,D) VALLETTA – Friday, May 28th A morning walking tour of the city includes a visit to St. John’s Co-Cathedral where Caravaggio’s late masterpiece, The Decapitation of St. John the Baptist, demonstrates the artist’s brilliant use of chiaroscuro. VALLETTA to LA – Sunday, May 30th After an early breakfast depart for the airport. The suggested flights leave Valletta airport at 7:15 a.m., stopping in London, and arriving in Los Angeles at 3:05 p.m., where connections to Santa Barbara are available. Alternatively, return to Rome on Air Malta at 3:30 p.m., arriving at 5 p.m. (B) HOTEL MAJESTIC Rome, Italy Located in the heart of Rome on the fashionable Via Veneto, the Hotel Majestic is within walking distance of the Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps. Elegantly appointed rooms have bathrooms of Carrara marble. Public areas feature murals and antiques, a reminder of the hotel’s historic past, including its role in Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita. HOTEL PHOENICIA Valletta, Malta Situated on seven acres of gardens adjacent to the city gate, the Phoenicia projects the elegance of a bygone era. The hotel is known for its light and airy guestrooms, excellent service, and ideal location close to the city’s major sites.
Page 1: SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART In the

Student profiles 11.07 - Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?