016 annuncio di ICCROM

I just noticed that my one-paragraph bio blip has been posted on the
ICCROM site.

I didn't write it myself, so it's not 100% accurate, but it's close enough!

015 il colosseo

This sketch was made on the south side of the Colosseum. On the right you can see the original construction of stone, built between 72 and 80 AD. The original marble, of course, was taken years ago for use on other buildings around town, or for making mortar. Only the substrate is left and you can see the large voids where iron straps were installed to support the cladding.

On the left you can see the intervention from Pope Gregory, which means it happened sometime between 1831-1846. This brick intervention actually prevented subsequent collapse of the original materials. I have some great photos of this, but I need to track down a cable for the camera before I can share...

014 due chiese in pza. del popolo

Piazza del Popolo is my favorite Piazza so far. The scale is large, and the traffic is diverted behind tall walls so it feels calmer than other places in the city. In plan, the space is an ellipse; the focus point in the center is an Egyptian obelisk portraying Rameses II, taken from Egypt by Augustus in 10 BC, (which unfortunately is being restored right now).

To the south of the Piazza are these two identical churches, Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto. I don't yet know the story on why there are two identical churches sitting right next to each other, but it's sure to be a good one!