Sunday, May 15, 2011

Day Two - Vatican - Statuary

Onward in the Vatican Museums tour!

The photos here are not in order and I don't feel like rearranging them, so just enjoy.

Here we have a full three-dimensional Mithras slaying the bull, complete with dog, serpent, scorpion. It is in the "zoology" room full of animal sculptures. It was roped off or I could have gotten some wild stuff. So to speak.






The Braccio Nuovo (New Arm, or what we might call the New Wing) was not crowded, unlike everywhere else except the Egyptian section, and I found this room very relaxing.






Octavian hails a taxi. (I could not resist.)






Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. There is debate over whether these are breasts or bulls' testicles. We report; you decide.




Whew. This has been a marathon day for posting and we are not through with the Vatican Museums yet. We still have the tapestries, the Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and miscellaneous to go.

I refer to it as the Vatican Museum Death March. It takes stamina but one should not miss it.

Ciao for niao, bambini.

--the BB

3 comments:

Fran said...

*Death march* - so true! I have not been through there since 1990 and even then I missed so much.

When I tried to return in 2000 or 2002, can't recall exactly, there had been a strike for a few days. The museum had reopened the day we chose to go and it would have taken hours just to get in the main door, so we did not *sob* go.

I would like to return one day. Thanks for giving me a look through your photos, I look forward to more!

it's margaret said...

boobs have nipples. they must be balls. just sayin'!

Paul said...

Well reasoned, Margaret!