One Dante reference I think Bill overlooked

When in Rome, Bill teaches a course on Dante's The Divine Comedy. In the past he has taught at the UA Rome Center on the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, but this summer the Rome Center moved to its new location in the Palazzo Taverna.

The history of the Palazzo Taverna is indeed impressive. Dante supposedly mentions it in his masterpiece, although I'm not sure Bill is aware of this reference. Therefore, I challenge you Rome Center secchioni who might be reading this to see if you can locate Dante's reference. While you're combing your libraries for your copy of The Divine Comedy, I will take you on a little tour of the new Center.

Above is a picture of the large fountain (on axis, of course, with the entry gate) that you see as you enter the courtyard. Remember this fountain because it will appear again in a forthcoming blog. Yes, the fountain is that important. Before you can enter the courtyard, however, you are first drilled by the new portiere. He's not at all like scowling Margherita who scolded everyone with a sharp glance whenever you walked across her foyer on a rainy day. No, the portiere here is a trained professional who executes his job with military efficiency. His only shortcoming is that he thinks Davide runs the University of Arkansass (not Arkansaw) Rome Center!

The Center's entrance, below, is to the right (east) of the fountain.




Parts of the palazzo are medival, although the Center itself is housed in a wing of the building characterized by the Empire style, as you shall see.

On the day I made a trip up the grand staircase, I was schlepping a small, but outrageously heavy, 22" suitcase. I noticed the heavy red velvet drapes but failed to notice the detail work on the ceiling. For that you'll have to visit: http://sites.google.com/site/uaromecenter/uarc-location

Now I had heard rumors, from the top I might add (by this I mean the Chancellor himself), that this was indeed a palace. And it is a palace, without doubt, especially by American standards. For instance, consider this gold wall paper that lines the apparel design studio. (Davide has brought a variety of schools and disciplines under this one, grand roof.)

While the ceilings on the Corso were quite impressive with their plaster reliefs, none matched the delight of this ceiling.

The exception to the wall and ceiling decoration is the office space. Janice's is stark white walls with white laminate writing surfaces. Davide has his own office again. This is at the end of a short hall where one of Diane's lamps provides lighting for the two comfy chairs in the ante-chamber. Like Janice's office, Davide's is also white but with an accent wall of steely gray. There are two paintings, one a very rational and architechtonic painting of a building and the other an abstract; both done by important Italian artists, though I couldn't tell you who they are. The other thing you notice is the large monitor he has on his desk. The desk, I imagine, is one that he and/or Diane designed; it has tapering brushed nickel (or stainless steel) legs and the tops of the legs pierce the surface of the wood desk top. From their home he has brought one of the "flaming" metal cabinets on slender legs, again something that they designed. And there is another floor lamp designed by Diane.

Davide is not only pleased as punch with his new "digs," he is also delighted with the recent history of the building. You see, the Istituto Nazionale Architettura or InArch used this space for over thirty years, until 1990, to house their professional meetings. Davide was pulling up image after image of important Italian architects, like Moretti, who had been photographed within the walls of the new Rome Center.

OK, back to the tour. Coffee anyone? The Center now has it's own espresso maker. And if eye candy isn't enough for you, you can purchase some edible candy from the new vending machine.

Below is a picture of the room where the Fulbright professor (like Bill, hint-hint) will teach. I should add here that when I was first admitted to the Center (by a man I didn't recognize) I wasn't sure I had come to the right place. When I saw that the books were marked D214 or D43, however, I knew that I was in the Center. It's good that some things never change!

On the opposite side of the room are these Empire cabinets. Nice built-ins, huh?

And take a look at the faux marble detailing on the door trim.

Naturally, students need to be surrounded by chandeliers!

Which reminds me of a story my mother once told me. When I was about 4 years old, I went next door to visit the Chatfields. They had emigrated from Russia at the time of the Russian revolution, and Mr. Chatfield had been a successful attorney in Manhattan before they retired to Charlotte. Apparently, they didn't believe in insurance and instead bought art objets. Well, here I am, this little kid holding onto a really expensive objet (let's just say something worth $250,000 at the time--it was damned expensive). My mother walks in, sees me, and says, "Mary Patricia, put that down immediatly." To which Mr. Chatfield replied, "Mary, if she doesn't learn to handle nice things now, she'll never appreciate them." Why do I tell this story? Well, I think of all of the architecture students who will come to the new Center and wonder if they will treat their studio with the same level of respect. I sure hope so. Davide gives a stern speech and rightfully so at the beginning of each semester. I would like to be a fly on the wall next month to hear how it is amended given the improved surroundings. Speaking of the architecture students, I believe that is their studio below.

Look at all of the detailing!

And more murals.

I love this little guy...

And this bird, too. It's soooo Roman.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better than this, you step into the ladies' restroom with not one, but three, stalls.

One of Bill's students, Michelle, is returning to the Center this fall as part of the European Studies/International Relations program. I think she will enjoy being Cinderella at the ball for an entire semester.

On closing, I will be waiting to see which one of you can find the canto where Dante refers to the Palazzo Taverna. Perhaps I can tempt the first person to post this reference with some brownies made with Lindt cocoa from Castroni's! Jonathan, don't let me down here!