A statue which at once engages and rivets your undivided
attention; it at once induces you to approach and to take no notice of the
statues on the right and left of the hall. And how should it be otherwise,
since it is the identical statue of the father of the Gods and men, the
famous Jupiter Capitolinus which adorned the Capitol in ancient Rome. He is
sitting on a throne with a sceptre in one hand and the thunderbolts in the
other, at his feet an eagle. It is a glorious statue and in every respect
characteristic; such grandeur, such majesty in the countenance! It is
impossible not to feel awe and reverence on beholding it. It was on
contemplating this venerable statue that an Englishman who was at Rome some
sixty years ago, stood wrapt for a time in silent veneration; then suddenly
breaking silence he made a profound obeisance before the statue and
exclaimed: "Recollect, O father of the Gods and men, that I have paid my
hommage to you in your adversity and do not forget me, should you ever
raise your head above water again!"
In the hall of the Muses are the statues of the tuneful Nine which were
found underground among the ruins of Hadrian's villa at Tivoli.
In the centre of a circular chamber of vast dimensions, is an enormous
circular basin of porphyry, of forty-one feet in diameter. A superb mosaic
adorns the floor of the centre of this chamber, and is inclosed.
Appropriate ornaments to this immense chamber are the colossal statues of
the Dii majorum Gentium. Here are Juno, Minerva, Cybele, Jupiter,
Serapis, Mars, Ceres, and others.
In another hall are two enormous Egyptian Gods in yellow granite; two
superb sarcophagi in red marble and two immense Sphinxes in granite. In
another chamber is an antique car drawn by two horses: the near one is
modern, the off one ancient. The wheels of this car are modern; both car
and horses are of exquisite workmanship. Several fine statues adorn this
chamber, among which the most remarkable are a Phocion, a Paris, an
Antinous, and a Triton carrying off a Nereid.
I must not omit to mention that in one of the halls is the famous group of
the Nile, represented by an enormous colossal River God, surrounded by
fourteen children playing with young crocodiles. Opposite to this group is
another equally celebrated, viz., the colossal statue of the Tiber, with
the she-wolf giving suck to Romulus and Remus by his side. The mosaic
pavements in this Museum surpass in richness any in the world. In one of
the halls, among the works of modern times, are two beautiful marble tables
richly inlaid with all sorts of stones of value, with bas-reliefs on them;
the one representing the visit of the Emperor Joseph II, and the other that
of Gustavus III of Sweden to Rome, and their reception by the Pope.
One of the halls of sculpture is appropriated to the figures of animals of
all kinds, from the lion and eagle down to the rat and crawfish in marbles
of all colors, and of all sizes; the best executed among them appeared to
me a group representing a greyhound bitch giving suck to her young. As for
the valuable cameos, coins, medals, and smaller remnants of antiquity in
this Museum, they are innumerable.
With regard to the paintings that belong to this Museum, there is only a
small, collection but it is unique. Here is the Transfiguration and some
other masterpieces of Rafaello.
In the Stanze di Rafaello (so they are called) are several large fresco
paintings, viz., one representing the battle of Maxentius and Constantine;
another, the school of Athens and Socrates sitting among the other
philosophers; a third representing a fire; besides others.
In one of these stanze is a work in tapestry representing Jesus Christ
bursting forth from the sepulchre, but he has a visage far too rubicund and
wanting in dignity; he looks like a person flushed with wine issuing from a
tavern; in the countenance there is depicted (so it appears to me) a
vulgar, not a dignified triumph.
The Palace of the Vatican is of immense size and is said to cover as much
ground as the city of Turin; and I am inclined to think that there is not a
great deal of exaggeration in this statement, for the vista along the
corridors and galleries appears to be endless. The Library of the Vatican
is of course very extensive and of immense value; but the books, as well as
the manuscripts, are kept in presses which are locked, and it is rather
awkward to be continually applying to the custode to take out and put
back a book.
The Museum of the Vatican is open twice a week to the public, viz.
Thursdays and Sundays; but foreigners, on shewing their passports, may
obtain admission at any time.
ROME, 17th Sept.
My next visit was to the Capitol in order to inspect the Museum
Capitolinum. This time I ascended the magnificent escalier of Michel
Angelo, having the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in front. On
arriving at the courtyard, I entered the building on my left (which is on
the right of the facade). Under the colonnaded portico of this wing are the
statues of Caesar and Augustus; here too is the naval column of the consul
Duilius, in commemoration of the first naval victory gained over the
Carthaginians; also a colossal statue of the Rhine called Marforio. In one
of the halls two large statues of the Egyptian Goddess Isis and various
other Egyptian divinities. In this Museum among other things is an altar
representing Claudia drawing to the land the Ship of Cybele; a magnificent
sarcophagus with a bas relief on its side representing the progress of
life; Amalthea giving suck to Jupiter; the God Anubis found among the ruins
of Adrian's palace at Tivoli.
