Who Would We Be?

Miniature model of a sculpture of an
old man by Pietro Canonica

Over the last few days, I have been thinking about a quote I read in Museo di Roma in Palazzo Braschi. The art displayed in the museum highlights the people who lived in Rome during the 18th and 19th centuries. The quote reads: "what sort of people would we be if we hadn't been able to see, in the works of art from the past, the eyes of those who have lived before us on Earth?" 

I take this quote to mean: "we learn how to be human from the people who come before us." Art, in all its various media, helps us to make sense of the world. The question the quote raises for me is: "Can I recognize the humanity of the people who came before?" 

I think the art in Rome's museums have helped me to understand Rome as not simply some place to be romanticized and to go for holiday. It is not simply a place where the Roman Catholic Church offices are. It is not simple a place to go on pilgrimage. It is a place that is being lived in and formed by the people who have lived here for thousands of years. It is a place to be respected because it is someone's home.

Pietro's studio

The art galleries and museums in Rome are restored houses of Roman nobility, artists, and monks. As I've journeyed through the art galleries of Rome, I have also wandered through these old homes. Where I stand to admire the beautiful, and sometimes otherworldly paintings of the medieval period, someone stood while they laughed or cried. This was very apparent to me when I visited Museo di Pietro Canonica. Pietro Canonica (1859-1959) was a famous sculptor who lived in house on the grounds of Villa Borghese. The gallery of his statues was there when Pietro was alive. Pietro created replicas of statues he created for the Czars of Russia, Kamal Ataturk, the English monarchy, and a couple popes, and placed them in his home so Roman locals could view them. The studio where Pietro worked to create his masterpieces hasn't been changed since his wife passed away. Patrons of the Museo can still see how he worked. 

Sculpture of a woman by Pietro

As I looked into the faces of the statues created by Pietro, I could see the humanity of the people they portrayed. It was hard to not feel sympathy for the people they represent. At times, Pietro's memories of the person were printed beside the statue. Pietro's memory of King Edward VII of England stuck with me. He recalled the friendship he and King Edward began while king posed. Eventually, Pietro and the king began having morning coffees together in Pietro's workshop near the palace. He recalled that they talked about everything.

Pietro's sculptures and his memories allowed me to step into the past. They allowed me to meet him and the people whose likeness he sculpted. When I stood in his studio, I could imagine him moving around. I could image him talking, singing, laughing. When I left Pietro's house, I felt an affinity for the man. I have not met Pietro, yet through his art I felt like I had.

The art galleries in Rome have enabled me to see the world the way other people do. They have shown me different ways Jesus and Mary can be portrayed. They have shown me the different styles of sculpting the likeness of people. They have shown me the different ways events and people in Rome are seen. Perhaps if we did not have art, if I forgot about the people who created these masterpieces, I would also forget to step out of myself and see the world with new eyes. Perhaps I would forget that other people see beauty and pain in the world, too. 

Perhaps I'm exaggerating the impact art has on us. Nevertheless, I think the world would be a little less livable if we did not take the time to share and appreciate the creativity of others.