Ancient Rome and America
February 19-August 1, 2010 | National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center welcomes the world debut of Ancient Rome and America from February 19 through August 1, 2010.
Ancient Rome and America is a multi-million dollar, artifact-rich exhibition showcasing the cultural, political, and social connections between the lost world of ancient Rome and modern America. The exhibition features a unique collection of rare artifacts and artwork including more than 300 artifacts from Italy’s leading archaeological collections in Florence, Naples, and Rome, paired with objects from more than 40 lending institutions in the United States.
Highlights from the exhibit include Roman busts of Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero along with American busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, all portrayed in togas. Ancient Rome also features excavated remnants from Pompeii, including silverware, a preserved piece of a wall fresco, and the cast of a man who did not escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
Philadelphia’s Italian Connections
After the exhibit, be sure to check out some other ties that Philadelphia has to Italy. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s European paintings gallery houses the Johnson Collection, and famous Florentine art, such as Fra Angelico’s painting of Mary’s funeral and Desiderio de Settignano’s marble relief, Virgin Child.
Nearby, the Italian Fountain, also known as The Fountain of the Sea Horses, was a gift from Italy to mark the Sesquicentennial. The fountain is located west of the Philadelphia Museum of Art near the Fairmount Waterworks.
The Italian Market, located in South Philadelphia-which has long been home to many Italian Americans, is the oldest and largest working open-air market in the United States. Located along Ninth Street, the market runs just as it did 100 years ago with sidewalk vendors selling fresh produce and fish, shops that sell a variety of cheeses, olive oils and homemade pastas, bakeries selling Italian pastries and butchers featuring exotic meats.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Ceremonial Military Helmet in the Shape of Dionysus, 50-100 CE; Courtesy of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence
