CrittleMonkey

i first visited rome and vatican city at age 16. seeing the ceiling of the sistine chapel brought me to tears. they had just finished an extensive cleaning and renovation immediately prior to my arrival. having only seen photos of the paintings taken before the maintenance, covered in centuries of soot and dust, i was in awe of what i now witnessed. when i walked in and craned my head back to take in its magnificence i had to stop and collect myself. the colors were so vibrant and the scenes so familiar yet so striking. i never imagined anything to be so beautiful. i’m lucky to have been able to travel to vatican city were, despite my young age, i was able to just be still and at peace in such a wonderful place.

last time i was there i went on an evening tour by lantern with a historical re-enactor which had a neat feel to it.

i had studied art history for years and had viewed reproductions and photos of so many pieces. but until i was able to visit the louvre and marvel at the colors, sizes and textures of the paintings i never ‘got’ art. it never touched me…i respected it and saw beauty and talent expressed on a canvas but it never stuck me. however, after witnessing the scale and and passion of each masterpiece i became a lover of art. i have been overwhelmed with emotion upon viewing many and i’m proud that i have the ability to feel so strongly about something that touches me but that doesn’t directly affect me. makes me believe in connections between humankind and our ability to be linked through so many different means. it gives me hope.