ANTOINE JEAN-BAPTISTE THOMAS AND THE PEOPLE OF ROME (1817-1818)
What were the impressions of a Frenchman visiting a city like Rome in the early 19th century? It was certainly chaotic and boisterous but it was also filled with colours, sounds and smells. There was a myriad of faces that were typical and yet nameless – unmistakably Roman. The streets were lively with people practicing their professions. Rituals that were carried out all year long by the common folk as well as by aristocrats and the clergy. These were like the beads on a rosary that marked the rhythm of time. This kaleidoscope of daily life inspired Antoine Jean-Baptiste Thomas, the winner of the French Academy’s Prix de Rome, to sketch what he saw while he was in the city between 1816 and 1818. Upon his return to France, the artist selected sketches to divide into 12 sections, each corresponding to a month of the year, with the images accompanied by an explanative text.
Grand Hotel de La Minerve, a 5 star Luxury Hotel in Rome, is located in one of the most fascinating squares of the city, between the Pantheon and the Church of “Santa Maria Sopra Minerva”. It offers its customers various packages like for example the Art and Gourmet:
The package includes:
- Accomodation in Superior room with Continental Breakfast by room service for two people
- Welcome drink at the “le Cupole” bar
- Candle light dinner for 2 people at the “Roof Garden Minerva” (3 courses – beverages exluded)
The offer is based on a minimum stay of 2 night stay
The package includes 10% VAT
The package do not include City tax, €3,00 per person per nigth.