Painting of Amelia by A. M. C Knutsson |
by Sophia Kisielewska, ARCA Intern
Extremely early on Sunday morning a large
proportion of the ARCA class gathered outside the town walls of Amelia to wait
for the bus that would take them to Pompeii.
Other members of the class had
taken a train two days earlier to enjoy at the great sights of Naples. High on everyone’s
agenda seemed to be the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli; Caravaggio’s spectacular ‘The Seven Acts of Mercy’ at the church of Pio
Monte della Misericordia; Napoli Sottoterranea (underground); and above all a pizza from one of the three classic Neapolitan pizzerias: Da
Michele, Di Matteo and Sorbillo.
The class caught up
with these students at the gates of Pompeii at around 11 a.m. After a much needed
cup of coffee, the reunited class entered the site and met up with Crispin Corrado, ARCA’s academic director and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology at The University of California, Rome Study Center. Dr. Corrado led the students around the site, successfully keeping everyone distracted from the desert heat. She explained how the inhabitants of Pompeii had been living at the time of Mount Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 AD and the history of the site since its discovery in 1748 by Spanish Engineer Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre. Later in the afternoon we visited the villa at Oplontis situated in the heart of the Mafia district, but a beautiful spot regardless. After this we all hopped back on the coach to return to Amelia. It was perhaps both the most beautiful and the most exhausting day yet.
Walking in Pompeii |
Monday morning saw the arrival of the
first British lecturer of the week, Valerie Higgins, the Associate
Professor and Chair of Archaeology and Classics at the American University of
Rome. Dr. Higgins teaches courses in Roman archaeology and history; ancient art; archaeological method and theory; funerary archaeology and human remains. Her
personal research focuses on the role of archaeology in contemporary society
covering aspects such as trafficking of antiquities; contemporary approaches to
human remains; heritage in conflict situations; and the role of heritage in
contemporary Rome. Her ARCA course, Antiquities and Identity, touched
upon many of these topics. The primary focus of Day One was to assess how far
the current issues of repatriation and disputed legal ownership are the result
of the archaeology practices of the past and how contemporary attitudes to heritage are consequently
changing, bringing new challenges to the field. To fully understand this
problem, we were required to know a little more about the history of the field
and this began with a lecture on the growth of antiquarianism and collecting
from the time of Raphael.
With a limited number of archeology trained students this summer, everyone was captivated by Day Two’s lectures in which Dr. Higgins explained the different archeological methods. A run through of the controversial debates that surround archeology in today’s climate was the heart of discussions during Wednesday’s lectures.
With a limited number of archeology trained students this summer, everyone was captivated by Day Two’s lectures in which Dr. Higgins explained the different archeological methods. A run through of the controversial debates that surround archeology in today’s climate was the heart of discussions during Wednesday’s lectures.
Mark & Laura renew vows at Palazzo Farrattini |
Midway through
this intense series of lectures, ARCA students and staff joined their classmate Mark
and his wife of five years, Laura, at a ceremony to renew their marital vows at sunset in the beautiful garden at Palazzo Farrattini. It was a fantastic event and a welcome opportunity to relax and forget the
murky world of art crime.
After lunch on
Wednesday, Richard "Dick" Ellis, founder of Scotland Yard’s Art and
Antiquities Squad and current Director of Art Management Group, began the last course of the program, Art Policing and Investigation. Mr. Ellis brings an unparalleled level of expertise and field experience to
the ARCA classroom. In his first class, Mr. Ellis directed the non-law enforcement
figures in the room through the structure of police services around the world
and their differing contributions towards the protection and recovery of stolen
art.
The following two
mornings, through a series of case studies, often ones that Mr. Ellis was closely
involved in, the class learned the common reasons why art is targeted by
criminals. We also understood, through such case studies, how large a role the
global art market plays in aiding these criminals. The myth that art is stolen
by the order of Thomas Crown-figures was immediately dismissed, and any sense
of glamour evaporated as we were instantly made aware of the rather more
sinister figures that govern the illicit art trade.
No comments:
Post a Comment