Guerriero sannita

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Samnite warrior by Giuseppe Guastalla, 1922
Museo Nazionale Romano
Terme di Diocleziano
Viale Einaudi
Rome, May 2019

“The Samnites (Oscan: Safineis) were an ancient Italic people who lived in Samnium, which is located in modern inland Abruzzo, Molise, and Campania in south-central Italy. An Oscan-speaking people, who originated as an offshoot of the Sabines, they formed a confederation consisting of four tribes: the Hirpini, Caudini, Caraceni, and Pentri. Ancient Greek historians considered the Umbri as the ancestors of the Samnites. Their migration was in a southward direction, according to the rite of ver sacrum.” (Samnites, Wikipedia)

Castillo de Gibralfaro

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Castillo de Gibralfaro (Gibralfaro Castle)
Camino de Gibralfaro
Málaga, September 2023

“The magnificent Castillo de Gibralfaro sits on a high hill overlooking Malaga city and port, and dates back to the 10th century. The image of Gibralfaro is well known: you can see it in both Malaga city and province's seal and flag. The hill where the Gibralfaro is situated forms part of the Montes de Malaga mountain range, located to the east and north of Malaga city - this land is protected by the Montes' natural park status. The castle was built in 929 AD by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, on a former Phoenician enclosure and lighthouse, from which its name was derived - gebel-faro (Arabic and Greek, meaning rock of the lighthouse). Yusef 1, Sultan of Granada, enlarged it at the beginning of the 14th century, also adding the double wall down to the Alcazaba. The castle is famous for its three-month siege by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, which ended only when hunger forced the Malagueños to surrender. Afterwards Ferdinand occupied the site, while his queen took up residence in the town. Interesting historic fact: this was the first conflict in which gunpowder was used by both sides.” (Gibralfaro Castle, Andalucia.com)

Yellow staircase

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Yellow staircase
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road, Lambeth
London, May 2023

“Garden is a haven, home to over 200 wild native plants, a luscious lawn, views across London and our Cafe & Bar. Since it opened in 2011, this peaceful space has become a much-loved feature of the Southbank Centre, especially on sunny days. It's the ideal spot to lose yourself in a great book, or to work remotely surrounded by nature. The Roof Garden Cafe & Bar offers speciality coffee, savoury and sweet snacks, cold beer and a selection of premium wines. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy classic summertime drinks, or discover a new range of unique cocktails inspired by the garden’s herbs and flowers.” (Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden, Southbank Centre)

Risen Christ

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Cristo della Minerva (Christ of the Minerva) by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1521
Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Saint Mary Above Minerva)
Piazza della Minerva
Rome, May 2019

“The Risen Christ, Cristo della Minerva in Italian, also known as Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross, is a marble sculpture by the Italy High Renaissance master Michelangelo, finished in 1521. It is in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome, to the left of the main altar. The work was commissioned in June 1514, by the Roman patrician Metello Vari, who stipulated only that the nude standing figure would have the Cross in his arms, but left the composition entirely to Michelangelo. Michelangelo was working on a first version of this statue in his studio in Macello dei Corvi around 1515, but abandoned it in roughed-out condition when he discovered a black vein in the white marble, remarked upon by Vari in a letter, and later by Ulisse Aldrovandi. A new version was hurriedly substituted in 1519–1520 to fulfil the terms of the contract. Michelangelo worked on it in Florence, and the move to Rome and final touches were entrusted to an apprentice, Pietro Urbano; the latter, however, damaged the work and had to be quickly replaced by Federico Frizzi at the suggestion of Sebastiano del Piombo.” (Risen Christ, Wikipedia)

Palacio de la Chancillería

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Palacio de la Chancillería (Chancery Palace)
Plaza Nueva, Albaicín
Granada, September 2023

“The Palacio de la Chancillería is a building located in Plaza Nueva, in the city of Granada, located in the autonomous community of Andalusia (Spain). It was built by order of Charles I of Spain between 1531 and 1587 to house the Royal Chancery of Granada. It currently houses the headquarters of the Superior Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and is considered the most emblematic Mannerist work in the city. It was the first building of this type to be built in Spain to house a court of justice. The building was built by order of Charles I and in 1531 the works began, lasting until 1587, a period in which the façade and staircase were completed, already under the reign of Philip II. It consists of two parts: the Chancery and the Royal Prison, joined by a triangular interior nave.” (Palacio de la Chancillería, Wikipedia)

Celebrating King and Country

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Headquarters of Coutts on Coronation Day
Strand
London, May 2023

“Coutts & Co. is a British private bank and wealth manager headquartered in London, England. Founded in 1692, it is the eighth oldest bank in the world. Today, Coutts forms part of NatWest Group's wealth management division. In the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, Coutts Crown Dependencies operates as a trading name of The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited. In 2021, Coutts achieved B-Corp status, becoming only the third UK bank to achieve the certification.” (Coutts, Wikipedia)

Tomb of Pope Julius II

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Funerary monument of Julius II by Michelangelo and others, 1545
San Pietro in Vincoli
Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli
Rome, May 2019

“The Tomb of Pope Julius II is a sculptural and architectural ensemble by Michelangelo and his assistants, originally commissioned in 1505 but not completed until 1545 on a much reduced scale. Originally intended for St. Peter's Basilica, the structure was instead placed in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli on the Esquiline in Rome after the pope's death. This church was patronized by the Della Rovere family from which Julius came, and he had been titular cardinal there. Julius II, however, is buried next to his uncle Sixtus IV in St. Peter's Basilica, so the final structure does not actually function as a tomb. Hypothetical reconstruction of the first project for the tomb of Julius II (1505) according to a new interpretation by Adriano Marinazzo (2018). As originally conceived, the tomb would have been a colossal structure that would have given Michelangelo the room he needed for his superhuman, tragic beings. This project became one of the great disappointments of Michelangelo's life when the pope, for unexplained reasons, interrupted the commission, possibly because funds had to be diverted for Bramante's rebuilding of St. Peter's. The original project called for a freestanding, three-level structure with some 40 statues. After the pope's death in 1513, the scale of the project was reduced step-by-step until, in April 1532, a final contract specified a simple wall tomb with fewer than one-third of the figures originally planned. The most famous sculpture associated with the tomb is the figure of Moses, which Michelangelo completed during one of the sporadic resumptions of the work in 1513.[citation needed] Michelangelo felt that this was his most lifelike creation. Legend has it that upon its completion he struck the right knee commanding, "now speak!" as he felt that life was the only thing left inside the marble. There is a scar on the knee thought to be the mark of Michelangelo's hammer.” (Tomb of Pope Julius II, Wikipedia)