An artsy side of Roma

A very warm evening in Roma, I decided to find the Piazza Navona home to the Nettuna Fountain and art lovers. I strolled down via Pietra by sketches and paintings of famous Roman momuments and stubbled upon a large open area full of people, artists easels, musicians, and carnies. Piazza Navona is known as the best place to buy local artwork and it showed. People were drawing charictures and architecture there on the spot- and the talent was visible everywhere you looked. Just north of the piazza there is a fun toy shop. It hosted dolls, cars, and wooden and metal toys that may be centuries old. I had fun perusing through the different kinds of toys as the owner had a watchful eye on my bag - schmuk. After that, I walked through the Piazza Fiamette where a friend of my cousin has a restaurant. I wanted to introduce myself but lo! I picked the only day of the week when it was closed = ( So I went to the Tevere river instead and crossed the Umberto I bridge that has an excellent view of St Pietro cathedral to the west. I followed the murky green water, passed several house boats and animals (even a beaver!) up to the Piazza de Popolo to find a great surprise.

Carvaggio was an Italian baroque painter, who was the most revolutionary artist of his time and the best exemplar of naturalistic painting in the early 17th century. Originally named Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio was born September 28, 1573, in the Lombardy hill town of Caravaggio, from which his professional name is derived. Orphaned at age 11, he was apprenticed to the painter Simone Peterzano of Milan for four years. At some time between 1588 and 1592, Caravaggio went to Rome and worked as an assistant to Giuseppe Cesari, also known as the Cavaliere d'Arpino, for whom he executed fruit and flower pieces (now lost). I was fortunate to see some of his famous work in a church off the Piazza de Popolo this week = ) Many people come to Rome just to see the sights where his work still hangs. They are beautiful but due to my lack of art knowledge and the fact the mass kicked me out of the church, i dont have much to say about them. Google Carvaggio and decide for yourself!