Roman Glass

Ah! Jackpot! While wandering the streets of Rome Kurt and I stumbled upon the most beautiful blown glass shop. We went inside to meet the owner and in house glass artist, a man by the name of Mazen Rankoussi. Mazen was beyond welcoming as he talked to us about his treasure trove of art glass, all handmade by himself. Mazen showed me some of the books he uses to gain inspiration and which pieces in his shop reflected Roman, Venetian, and Murano techniques. He talked to me about his life as a glass artist for over 21 years. He has lived in Roma for over 20 years, and considers himself a native of Italy. His roots however, take him back to his birthplace of Syria where he told us about how glass was discovered there dating 2000 years before Christ. That a massive fire burnt along the Syrian coast turning the beach sand to molten glass. Mazen’s work was absolutely beautiful, his shop unbelievably quaint, and his hospitality overwhelming. He gave each of us a glass bead as we left the shop wishing us good luck during the rest of our trip. Meeting Mazen and seeing all of his beautiful handmade Roman art was a total surprise and pleasure.

Vatican Museums

What an amazing day! On our quest for art both ancient and new Kurt and I set off for the Vatican Museums. We met Maria our private guide and she took us on an unbelievable journey back in time as we looked at some of the most ancient and influential art known around the world today. We looked at countless Roman sculptures, tapestries, and painted frescos. We saw the artwork of the master’s like Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini. We were in awe of the Sistine Chapel, and amazed by the grandeur of the Basilica. We were told that because of the size of the museums we wouldn’t be able to see (even close) to everything. While we didn’t get to see much in the means of glass, we couldn’t believe all of the ancient treasures that were laid out in front of us. Because of the history of the city, they can’t dig into the ground without uncovering a new site to excavate. So there is such a wealth of art (mostly sculpture) that has been found, and at the same time, much left undiscovered. Interestingly, Maria talked to us about the difficulty modern art has in the current Roma art scene. That the city still prefers the baroque style of its past to most new and contemporary works. Hands down, the experience of visiting the Vatican Museums was made by our guide Maria, who earned her Art History PhD while studying in the Vatican libraries and museums. Thank you, Maria!