In the Footsteps of Popes: A Spirited Guide to the Treasures of the Vatican

303 Pages·2009·3.73 MB·English

by  Enrico Bruschini

In the
Footsteps
of Popes
A SPIRITED GUIDE
TO THE
TREASURES OF THE VATICAN
ENRICO BRUSCHINI

This book is dedicated to all the friends with whom I have visited
the Vatican. It is the response to the many interesting questions that
were posed spontaneously as we admired the masterpieces of
Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini. Through conversation with
these many friends this book was born, and so with gratitude I
consider them all coauthors.

Contents
Foreword iv
Genesis of the Vatican 1
The Vatican Museums 7
St. Peter’s Basilica 197
Index 251
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Cover
Copyright
About the Publisher

FOREWORD
BY COKIE ROBERTS
If you were walking through the Vatican with Enrico Bruschini
he’d stop at some random, seemingly insignificant, spot along a
hallway. “Allora,” he’d begin, and proceed to tell you a spellbinding
story about your surroundings—the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the
windows even. You’d watch his eyes twinkle with enjoyment, his
smile spread under his maestro mustache as he regaled you with
the adventures, or misadventures, of the artists we think of only,
and simplistically, as “great.”
This book provides you with a written version of those delightful
discourses. Immediately on meeting this distinguished art histori-
an—Bruschini has written several books on Roman art, excavated
ancient Roman sites, and directed the restoration of antique fres-
coes—he becomes just Enrico, your friend. Meeting him through
the pages of this book, you might not be able to hear Enrico’s enthu-
siasm when greeting a colleague; or admire his patience as he an-
swers the question of a stranger who’s horned in on his tour; but
you will be able to read and refer back to the wealth of information
that even the eager ear might not remember.
The book takes you step by step through the buildings and
courtyards of the Vatican. When Enrico asks you to trust his many
years of experience as a guide, “combined with a great personal
passion for art, to select the works of major interest,” be grateful.
He is giving you good advice on what to skip as well as what to see.
And he tells you how to make the most of your visit. For instance,
while viewing the three altarpieces of Raphael, Enrico recommends
that, “after admiring them from the best standing vantage point,
you sit on the comfortable antique chairs facing them to admire these
works as a group. It is something unforgettable!”
It’s not just as an artistic student and critic that Enrico leads you
through the Vatican, it’s also as an historian who can tell you the
sometimes juicy stories of the people depicted in the sculptures and
paintings. The Roman work of the Venus Felix, for example, shows
the goddess of love preparing for her bath with her son, Cupid.
Venus’ face, in the eye of the keen observer Enrico Bruschini, re-
sembles closely portraits of Second Century Roman Faustina Minor,
wife of the emperor Marcus Aurelius. According to our guide, she
was “well known in Rome for her dissolute ways and for her sub-
sequent scandals which the emperor desperately tried to cover up.
If the statue really represents Faustina, she is properly represented
with the body of Venus, the goddess of love!” Good stuff!
Since Enrico talks about Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and
Caravaggio in such familiar terms, it’s hard to believe he didn’t
know them personally; but he also appreciates modern works. He
passionately describes the Sphere within a Sphere sculpture placed
in the Courtyard of the Pine Cone in 1990, concluding, “A work of
art is a true work of art only if it moves your soul.” And remarkably,
Enrico Bruschini finds himself moved by the masterpieces of the
Vatican even after what must be the millionth time he’s seen them.
In introducing the Sistine Chapel, Enrico says simply, “No descrip-
tion can equal the powerful impact of seeing Michelangelo’s frescoes
in person.” Its impact gets him every time, causing him to tear up
with emotion as he beholds them once again. Lucky for you, that
passion comes through in this book
vi / Enrico Bruschini