May 18
Today was such an exciting day! We made a trip to Vatican City and were able to see some of the most incredible paintings and sculptures. At the museum, we were able to walk through art as it transitioned from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. As you travel through the exhibits, it was almost as if you were traveling through time as well. Paintings went from flat and expressionless to being more naturalistic and dramatic. One of my favorite parts was seeing the Sistine Chapel, as a lot of the panels are very popular pieces of art. The Creation of Adam is one of my absolute favorite pieces of art, and being able to see it in person was such a surreal experience for me.
Today we also got to meet with the Italian Art Police. This is a special task force of police that’s goal is protect stolen cultural items. We learned about their Stolen Works Of Art Detection System (SWOADS) and how they are able to locate stolen artifacts that are sold on the black market. Over the past 53 years, they have been able to recover over 3 million items. The work the art police does is important because of the value these pieces hold for cultures. They shared a story with us about a women who lost everything in a fire and was upset about the art she lost. Art holds value in our lives and is a way to display a culture and its values and history. The work done by the art police is a way to preserve identities and culture within Italy.
What a fun day! Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow!
