And finally we saw Bernini and Caravaggio all day long!

Our last day in Rome was one filled with Bernini and Caravaggio (2 of my absolute favorite artists)- for me, this was a very exciting day. Apparently, it was the favorite of many of the girls as well. In the morning, we took a quick metro ride and then a long leisurely stroll through the Borghese Gardens. Much to everyone's surprise, including that of John, we arrived much earlier than anticipated and so we got to enjoy the gardens for awhile before we toured the museum. As we sat in the beautiful gardens and admired the trees and the sound of a sole musician playing Renaissance and Classical pieces on a recorder under a tree somewhere, we relaxed and prepared for our last day of art in Rome.

Borghese Gardens and Borghese Villa Museum

In the Borghese Museum, we saw a beautiful collection which was highlighted by 3 of my favorite sculptures - all by Bernini! I still cannot believe they were all three in the same museum. We saw Bernini's David, his Apollo and Daphne, and The Rape of Persephone. What amazing Baroque sculptures! We all were spellbound as we walked around and around these pieces trying to take in every angle. The drama, the movement, the action, the emotion evoked by these sculptures as well as the technical genius of Bernini made these some of the favorite works of the tour. (You know how St. Mary's girls love some drama!) Not being allowed a camera while viewing these works was somewhat disappointing but it actually allowed for a more thorough, less interrupted viewing.
After the excitement of Bernini, we moved on to the drama of Caravaggio. We visited 3 churches which have managed to hold onto to paintings created by Caravaggio over 400 years ago! There is nothing like seeing a work in the spot the artist originally designed it for! The girls and teachers and guides alike were thrilled to see works such as The Conversion of St. Paul, The Calling of St. Matthew, The Cruxifixion of St. Peter and many more! Like the Bernini sculptures, the technical realism, the drama, the lighting, the engaging qualities of these paintings were quadrupled when we got to see them in real life and not just in an Art History slide show. We, of course, also were highly moved by Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa, viewed in its original setting in the Cornaro Chapel.