Roman sculptures and clothes.

I have recently visited the exhibition space for the Musei Capitolini in the former Giovanni Montemartini Thermoelectric Centre in Rome. The building is an extraordinary example of industrial archaeology converted into a museum, began in 1997 with the transfer of hundreds of sculptures to the new location during the restructuring works carried out across much of the Capitoline complex.
The exhibition is entitled “The machines and the gods”: it put side by side two diametrically opposed worlds: classical art and industrial archaeology. The display reconstructs some of the great monumental complexes and illustrates the development of the ancient city from the Republican era to the late imperial age.
As an architect I have been really impressed by the building itself, with old machines and tools. Walking along the exhibition you can still feel the smell of the metal and – with a little of imagination – you can hear the noise of the working thermoelectric machines while admiring the ancient roman and Greek statues. Although I was at the Vatican Museums the day before, I enjoined very much the opportunity to visit and admire in a unique and quite place some of the most beautiful masterpieces of roman art.
I also could not avoid noticing the fine art of detailing the human body and the personal character of the portrayed person. The extreme ability of defining clothes with such a “hard” and static material like marble literally shocked me. What a shame not being allowed to touch them!
Elena