Ancient Treasures of the Vatican Museums

[@pegjames188]

During ww2 my uncle who drove a petrol bowser lost his way and found himself at the Vatican, so what did he do ,he parked up and spent a few hours wandering throughout the museums all alone , he described to me the huge statues. He then rejoined his unit .

[@binalith4898]

awesome

[@raphgalban2007]

fun!

[@jamesdykes517]

Fun story.

[@VictoriaMaxima]

❤️

[@matthewklein9225]

Unreal. Thanks for sharing

[@magnvss]

If that is what survived, imagine all that was lost, sacked, broken, repurposed, etc. At its peak Rome may have been a wonder to contemplate.

[@65stang98]

imagine all the silver and gold jewelry coins artwork that was melted down by the franks and gauls who sacked the western empire into new coins and stuff like that. buildings and monuments tore down for materials. and that goes for basically any culture that gets conquered. very little ever remains

[@ryanwiese5280]

The metal was the first thing to go. Then the marble, and marble panels, then finally the stone and brick. If the Coliseum's curtain wall hadn't collapsed in the 1370s, the whole thing probably would have been torn down for building material. The curtain wall material was enough to satisfy builders for atleast 300 years.

[@stefanfilipov7254]

At it's peak Rome was the worst possible regime that we know about. It's an age of slavery, brutality, oppression and humiliation and it's rulers displayed the worst and lowest unprecedented qualities of leadership such as Greed, Pride, Brutality....Madness. We ended the Romans hegemony for good, but for some reason we are forgotten and we study about the true barbarians, shrouded in gold and marble but with rotten souls....

[@paytongreyson9322]

a tip : you can watch movies on Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching all kinds of movies lately.

[@romancallum9239]

@Payton Greyson definitely, have been watching on Flixzone} for years myself :)

[@donrobertson4611]

In the early 1970s, while attending the University of Missouri-Columbia, I wandered into a building & discovered that up a flight of rickety stairs, in a third floor attic, there was a forgotten, dusty collection called The Cast Museum: plasters casts of great sculptures of antiquity. I went there repeatedly. There was never anyone else there, no attendant, no nothing. Nike of Samothrace, Laocoon, & many more, were jammed in the attic. I could've broken off Laocoon's son's foot & put it in my pocket. Since then, of course they've been 'discovered' & installed in a fancy campus museum. But they were all mine for a while....

[@Devon_Howell]

Miz! Beautiful campus with lots of secrets

[@jamesbarnett2483]

@@Devon_HowellZOU

[@creeproot]

I went to Rome 1 month ago. Best trip of my life. Also because there was practically no tourists, and I'm serious! I saw the forum, the Vatican museums, all the main plazas and still had time to enjoy the food, all of this in 3-4 days. Covid for once did something good... Would you believe me if I told you I went to the pantheon and it was practically empty? It was like magic

[@toldinstone]

I hope the city is still so untouristed when I take my own trip this summer.

[@prkp7248]

I was in Rome in the middle of pandemic. It was great - almost zero tourist so you can access everything without waiting in line and because of lack of tourism there wasn't many scamers or annoying merchants trying to force you into buying something.

[@brcienpartin5462]

Madvillain luck

[@craigthescott5074]

I’ve been to the Vatican and what you can see is absolutely amazing. Imagine what you can’t see.

[@socialdistancejusticewarri8533]

I am waiting for them to tear down those walls. Dope Francis needs to lead by example.

[@ezakustam]

@@socialdistancejusticewarri8533 Why do people say things like this? He's done so more than any pope in many lifetimes - maybe more so than any since the first. How can you watch this channel and not know how many downright evil popes there were?

[@1hunglow582]

@@socialdistancejusticewarri8533 what walls?

[@DizZzaMcOwnage]

Probably a metaphor

[@Songbirdstress]

Ha went to an expo of the hidden erotica...

[@jennywagner8278]

When my family and I went to Rome in 2001, we got up at 3 am to get in line for the museum. We were 5th in line! Totally worth it though. Love your channel!

[@toldinstone]

I admire your family's dedication. I could never make myself get line before about 7. Glad you enjoy the channel!

[@El_Guap]

@@toldinstone When I went about 6 years ago my travel agent (a lady that spent 6 month a year in Italy in 6 in the United States) set the whole thing up... I don't know how she did it, but there was a Mercedes at our hotel at 9am, they took us to some entrance and we had a private tour... just myself and my girlfriend at the time. I never went through the detailed cost of the trip (the whole trip price was my biggest concern) but what ever we paid, it was worth it. I felt so bad for the people in the lines. If you can afford to, there are way to not have to wait in that line with the hoi polloi.

[@johnspurrier0001]

When I die, I want to go all the way back to the beginning and press 'play' on the story of humanity and watch the whole thing beginning to end.

[@Frederick.J.Marshall]

The Islamic faith believe they see that in the next life.

[@johnspurrier0001]

@@Frederick.J.Marshall I've read their book, visited their mosque and participated in their prayers.... I missed this part.

[@Frederick.J.Marshall]

Sure you have.

[@johnspurrier0001]

@@Frederick.J.Marshall sure it does 🙄

[@soisaidtogod4248]

When you die, there is nothing.

[@CleverMonster101]

I went to the Vatican museum last year in October. It was completely empty and I took my time and spent all day there. Going through a lot of Italy while it was empty was such a lucky experience

[@MechanicalFrog]

We traveled to Rome in March of 23' and decided to pay the extra money for an early morning Vatican tour. It was worth every penny as we didn't have to wait in lines and were done seeing everything before the place got too busy before lunch. If you have the means, I would definitely recommend it as the Vatican tour guide was very friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly cared for the content she was sharing with us.

[@Rapid1453]

easily the most impressive museum in the world, nbr of art pieces per m² is just ridiculous, they just don't know where to put it all. we did a tour with a wonderful guide (booked online in advance & just skipped all the lines) that included St Peters Basicila, one of the best days of my life.

[@kamion53]

the Vatcan is an impressive, but also an oldfashion museum using the display room as storage rooms. I think people would be pleased as much when a big part of what is shown now moved to archives or climat controlled depots and they organised theme related exhibitions. People only see and comprehense so an so much and the overkill on pieces exhausts the visitor. All the breath and sweat of the crowds must be defestating on the antics. Personally, the more a museum looks like a warehouse the quicker I go throught it.

[@ErikLoney]

I am continually impressed with the amount of knowledge you share in these videos.. like the casual mention of the runaway sled... It's so fun listening your videos. Thank you.

[@26japrey]

I did the Vatican tour but spent the extra money and got in early and had a buffet breakfast in the pine cone court yard and got our tour started an hour before opening to the public. We had no crowds and a private guide explaining everything. It was phenomenal

[@annieroche22]

I paid for a really good tour of the vatican museums. I was able to skip the queue.I even got to see the briamante staircase. By the time of got the st Peters basilica 4 hours later, I was exhausted. Can't wait to go back for the third time later this year.

[@El_Guap]

When I went about 6 years ago my travel agent (a lady that spent 6 month a year in Italy in 6 in the United States) set the whole thing up... I don't know how she did it, but there was a Mercedes at our hotel at 9am, they took us to some entrance and we had a private tour... just myself and my girlfriend at the time. I never went through the detailed cost of the trip (the whole trip price was my biggest concern) but what ever we paid, it was worth it. I felt so bad for the people in the lines. If you can afford to, there are way to not have to wait in that line with the hoi polloi.

[@KRISTIANITY_]

That thing about the line of people, it's true, and even more horrible than it sounds. When I went there, it was the last Sunday of the month, so the entrance was free. The line was even bigger than usual, it spanned from like 5 blocks away, and there were people with blankets on the pavement. We got in the line at like 9 in the morning, and we reached the museum at around 2 in the afternoon. But you know what, it was all worth it. I went there for 3 things mainly - Michelangelo, the Augustus of Prima Porta, and Laocoon and his sons. And I saw them. Augustus was even moved to a temporary location, where I could see him up close, centimeters away from me. If I had dropped dead at the museum exit, I would have died happy.

[@toldinstone]

I know the feeling...

[@irenerodriguez6593]

9

[@JulissaLucas-f5w]

Another fascinating tour through the art of the ancient world. Thank you!. Another fascinating tour through the art of the ancient world. Thank you!.

[@robbicu]

I really enjoyed the bits of humor you threw in.

[@toldinstone]

Glad to hear it!

[@RedStickHistorian]

I'm glad I visited in 1978, it was crowded back then.

[@joshuapatrick682]

I am someone relieved that deep inside an underground network of vaults almost a millennia old countless works of art, knowledge, mystery and even heresy are being maintained and preserved. The Vatican is the longest lived state in the western world, it is only fitting that it would house so much from across that time.

[@XX-gy7ue]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT !! I've never enjoyed an art history video as much as I did this one - THE BEST , GREAT WORK !

[@toldinstone]

Thank you!

[@larrypalmer7136]

A very informative, interesting, and well narrated virtual vacation. Thanks for the video.

[@kellyharrison5184]

Another fascinating tour through the art of the ancient world. Thank you!

[@bethwilliams4903]

One of the nifty details about the Laocoon is that yes it was discovered in 1506 but uncovered by architect Sangallo, who brought in his pal Michelangelo to identify it - keep in mind no one had seen the statuary since antiquity, only read about this wonder of Greek sculpture. Recently a theory has been put forward that the Laocoon is in fact not from Antiquity at all, but a forgery, by or all people, Michelangelo. A giveaway is that ancient writers marveled that the original Laocoon had been carved from one block of marble - Michelangelo pooh-poohed that idea to the Pope, no, it was 4 blocks of marble, just cleverly fitted together!

[@prokkle]

The Vatican Museums has a really great sarcophagus collection of Roman and early Christian sarcophagi. Common Roman themes and scenes like wheat ears and grape clusters continued to be used in Christian tombs but interpreted as a reference to the bread and wine of the Last Supper. Pastoral scenes of shepherds and sheep became allusions to the Good Shepherd and his flock of souls. There is also a child's sarcophagus, with a heart-rending scene of the extended family gathering around a little boy's deathbed. I was more impressed with these than the Sistine Chapel ceiling!

[@cristianvera8506]

Thanks for the virtual tour,awesome job 🙌👏☝️

[@toldinstone]

You're very welcome

[@chrismcdonald6942]

Pro tip, go to the museum during a papal address, usually Wednesday mornings. My wife and I walked right in, no lineup at all.

[@michaelhoffmann2891]

This brings back so many memories. My wife and I visited for my birthday. We splurged on a private, accredited tour guide, so got to walk past the lines with a smug grin on our face to a separate entrance. I went again the next day by myself (wife went shopping - she still starts hyperventilating when talking about the shopping in Rome). The two things that for some reason stuck in my head the most: the room of tomb markers showing how shockingly young people often died - even those who could even afford such a marker! So many "ann XX" and "ann XVII" etc. So many female names at that age, possibly death during childbirth. 😭The second one - and the one I really would like to be left alone with for a day or two, with a forklift and a waiting truck - was the room full of breathtakingly detailed animal statuary as shown in the video. Normally roped off to keep the hordes at a distance, we were allowed to get up close. I wanted to take them all with me!

[@8pelagic610]

I laughed with delight all through this wonderful work, from the traumatic Vatican entrance experience (nailed it!) through to the conclusion. What a gem. Thank you.

[@alessandrogallo2870]

10 years ago, we went to Rome for a school's trip and we had the Luck that the museum was quite empty. It was delightful to have the Time to stop and watch. Plus the explication of the guide if i recall correctly. It was nice.

[@spef7396]

I find your description of moving through the thr crowd very amusing, it wasn't as bad as the photos you show when I visited but my main memory of thr whole event was the crowd! Great vids keep it up 🤙

[@donaldauguston9740]

I loved this. Thank you for posting! DA from Vancouver, WA

[@basmeisters3]

Thanks! Given the crowd, I think I enjoy these statues more in your video than in real life. You missed one of my favorites. Thedeath of the Gaul, I think I saw it in the octogon in you overview, but for a brief few seconds only. I saw this statue on a picture when I was 15 years old and couldn't keep my eyes of it.

[@ladysylvia4018]

You crack me up!😂Roman garden gnomes! You are what I wished my history teachers were! I will binge on your videos and buy your book!!

[@walkaboutnewyork3413]

Excellent guide: informative & entertaining. Have visited Musei Vaticani three times. Always eager to see & learn more about this treasure trove of beauty. Thanks!

[@toldinstone]

I'm very glad you enjoyed it!

[@dorothyannsimpson1808]

Interesting vid! But I think you should tell people that they can buy tickets at the Vatican Post Office and skip the line. 😁

[@toldinstone]

Yes, that's definitely the way to go

[@twiley3530]

I did that and mailed to friends and myself. It was fun!

[@L-mo]

or just buy them on line

[@apostolibroadcasting5120]

The long line usually is on every 3rd Sunday of the month when entrance is free. I tried once

[@L-mo]

@@apostolibroadcasting5120 no there’s pretty much permanently a long line.

[@patjohn775]

Thank you sir for helping all of us continue learning post university. We appreciate you!

[@josephlloyd9636]

Thank you so much. I enjoy your videos immensely!🤩 Wonderful detail!! Amazing and I wish only for more more more & longer videos..ty!

[@peterrodgers2048]

What a wonderful series. Subscribed.

[@angrykatrants]

bless this channel, i could listen to you for hourssssss

[@robdoubleyou4918]

Thanks for the guided tour of these treasures! Gratias tibi!

[@toldinstone]

My pleasure!

[@ms.donaldson2533]

That was AWESOME! Thank YOU for producing :)

[@toldinstone]

You're very welcome!

[@lalaLAX219]

I paid for a group tour of the Vatican with a guide, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience! It’s a bit surprising for me to hear that others have such a nightmarish experience-I honestly had no idea the lines are so bad because we were able to mostly avoid the longest ones. I’ll try to do that again if I go back!

[@kevinhouse7143]

I was at the Vatican Museum in May 2022. We got our tickets online and basically walked right in. We did the "march of death to the sistine chapel" but it wasn't as bad as your photo suggests. My only regret is that we weren't allowed to take photos in the sistine chapel... we then toured the Basilica and made our way, by foot, up to the top of the dome. The views were amazing.

[@MechanicalFrog]

When we went into the Sistine Chapel, after being told at least six times not to take our our phones, someone from the group ahead of us took his out and snapped a photo. The guards were on him very quickly. They made him delete the photo and then kicked him out.

[@kevinhouse7143]

@@MechanicalFrog Whoa! Yeah I got the sense that they weren't fooling around. It would be very hard to get any decent photo of the ceiling normally as you'd need to get a proper setup and lighting to really see anything. Buying a souvenoir photo book would be a better way to go.

[@orchidorio]

Thank you so much for posting this video! I've been to the Vatican. Now I want to go to Rome and see these things for myself! (4/16/21)

[@toldinstone]

Glad to hear it! Making this video made me want to go back to Rome myself.

[@Benjaminwolf]

I have been to the Vatican Museums, 1998. Line wasn't too long. Crowds not too bad. I remember having to ask and ask again to find the laocaoon statue. Looking forward to your video of the National Museum in Istanbul. I visited it in 1973. I remember it being crowded and musty, with many beautiful items displayed outside on the grounds.

[@toldinstone]

Yes, the Istanbul Museum is a wonderful place. The last two times I visited, unfortunately, many of the rooms were closed for earthquake-proofing (of all things). Hopefully I'll be able to do a proper tour the next time around.

[@chillinvibin6057]

I must’ve went on a great day. Almost no line and very light crowd all the way through (besides the chapel). I loved my experience there

[@pelicanus2197]

Enjoyed the video. You should consider doing one abt the Palazzo Altemps. Beautiful building and collection and best of all, no crowds.

[@goagsie]

Love your videos 👍 also, love this one particularly because I was one of those fatigued tourists 😳

[@toldinstone]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marcmalki734]

The best original Greek sculptures ( although often fragmentary ) are in another special beautiful modern gallery that is not shown here.

[@jannovak6987]

awesome video thank you

[@0nier0s]

Great vid. Keep these up!

[@Hmfirestormz]

i was blessed to go in the winter.. it was empty. no line.. go during christmas and new year. the weather is great and the lines are almost nonexistent.

[@gharqad]

I wish I'd been able to see this video - and this wonderful channel - prior to suffering the Vatican death-march myself. It was exactly as you describe, and by the time we were herded into the Sistine Chapel the idiocy of the crowd and the rudeness of the staff left me wanting only to get the hell out of the Vatican, and as a result I saw none of these remarkable rooms.

[@Tannerislegend]

what I remember best about the Sistine Chapel: an angry Italian shouting incessantly into a microphone, “SILENCIO, NO PHOTOGRAPH, NO VIDEO” really takes you out of the moment of witnessing perhaps the most legendary art ever created

[@jamesmarkey5946]

It's such a treat not to do any walking I'm enjoy your private tour

[@andydufresne8034]

The great thing about youtube is I can visit the tourist traps virtually and yet get a better tour and figure out in advance to spare myself the trip. Like youtube has helped me realize I don't actually want a Lamborghini Countach after all, or any other money pit classic car.

[@richardcleveland8549]

Fascinating . . . and quirkily appropriate that so many tributes to pagans and pagan gods should end up in the holy of holies of Roman Christendom. Well done.

[@paulcapaccio9905]

Another fantastic video. BRAVO

[@toldinstone]

Thank you!

[@Peter-lm3ic]

There is no doubt that if visiting Rome the Vatican Museum is a must see!

[@dompedroii4656]

Great vídeo my friend

[@Wosiewose]

"a rather underutilized cloak slung from one shoulder"... that's classic :D

[@geliicaaa]

Thank you for this video! I really love this ♥️

[@toldinstone]

You're very welcome

[@billiamtrillion]

I'm not sure if you're one for any early 2010's video games Dr. Ryan, but Assassin's Creed Brotherhood has a fairly accurate recreation (for the time (2010)) of Old St Peter's Basilica, Colosseum, Parthenon, some of Rome, and The Vatican circa 1500 AD. A lot of the game is more strange and set in fiction but it was always fun for me to get to run around through a fairly accurate recreation of an older Rome with a mix of its different eras. There are plenty of videos on KZbin of the game that show it off really well. Cheers and thanks for all of the amazing videos

[@icedteacatfish]

WHAT?! Can we please get a follow up on Augustus’ gator farm? I’m VERY intrigued

[@MakQeen]

This was great! Do more!!

[@TucanSam75]

They should start building "virtual vacations" into history class curriculum for kids. Such a great way to introduce kids to history when their imaginations are already bussin'.

[@henderson01993]

Great video 👍

[@toldinstone]

Thanks!

[@rickkigorman1556]

great video

[@jimgordon6629]

I was there last week. Nowhere near the aforementioned crowds, including at the Sistine Chapel. Journey to the Sistine Chapel is, alas! Indeed a Death March! There is no mercy shown at the Vatican to the old or infirm, or indeed practically anywhere in Italy! The first time I saw a handicapped parking spot on Rome was, I think, the last time. But compensated for by a wonderful Friday pm buffet at the Vatican. Strongly recommend all to the hale and hearty!

[@worldcitizeng6507]

I was lucky when I visited the Vatican Museum during my second visit to Rome many years ago, it not overly crowded and I didn't have to waited too long for my ticket. The guard was even happy to help me took some pics :) This brings back sweet memories. Do you also have videos on the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, which is full of sculptures & statues spilling over the garden, it's usually not notice by visitors after a long day at the Topkapi Place. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is another great museum to learn in details.

[@toldinstone]

I do have a collection of photos from the Istanbul Archaeological Museum (I've always liked that garden), and I may make a video with them sometime this summer. Stay tuned...

[@kamion53]

must been with the mobile, a gadget not as widespread when I visited the Vatican and the guards in the Sistine Chapel were constant hissing: NO PICTURES!!.

[@ThefamousZozo]

Hello Toldinstone, I love your content! Can you tell me who the artist of your title card is? They ewoke so much antiquity and richness, I want to put one in my home.

[@irenebecker4815]

Love the wry comments. Thanks for this series :D

[@mzbeabout]

Roman statues: high-class garden gnomes...learn something new everyday.🙂

[@LostCylon]

As most do, I thought I had seen most famous statues. Happily, I was wrong, Thank you :)

[@toldinstone]

My pleasure!

[@blauwzakjecrack]

9:35 Making file out of a solid marble colums just so you can make 2 new colums that look alike.

[@gailhowes9398]

Oh my, I would never go there! You are the best solution as well as full of information !

[@toldinstone]

Glad to hear it!

[@Tmanaz480]

Did you study narration under Chef John? :-) You even riffed oh his closing tag: "and as always..."

[@toldinstone]

I was his first and greatest pupil.

[@MikeS29]

I almost typed the same thing! I said aloud, "...enjoy!" when he said "as always."

[@lablackzed]

To truly see all of Rome and the Vatican museums would take a life time.

[@paulcapaccio9905]

It would take longer

[@Misses-Hippy]

I went there in '91 with SATO, a tour company catering to the US military. Everything went just fine, not at all like your experience. And if I remember right, I was there for xmas. Saw the pope twice, xmas mass and all - fwiw.

[@lilacseason5187]

I enjoyed this video.

[@toldinstone]

Glad to hear it!

[@_VICK_]

For those complaining about the speed: There is this nifty feature in YT called playback speed. Yeah you can control the speed of the video and the narration. Cool right? Just go to the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner, hit playback speed and slow it down to 0.75x and waaaallaaa! Problem solved. You’re welcome.

[@toldinstone]

Much appreciated...

[@theorixlux]

5:55 Laocoon ? I remember reading it was a preistesse named Cassandra or something like that that got murked by two snakes.

[@chaughten]

This is better than going, I hate lines and getting COVID

[@theylivewesleep4570]

Statue reminded me of the old resident evil game

[@rabbithole9555]

😅 Exactly 😂 Me Too ✌️

[@danielt.3152]

Prof, Garrett your doing a great job. Your videos are fun,interesting and intelligent I am also concerned that the statues and busts at the Vatican as they are at risk of earthquakes because they could fall off of their positions

[@toldinstone]

Thank you! I'm very glad to hear it. Most of the statues are affixed to their bases with dowel rods; in the event of a serious earthquake, they would be in more danger of being crushed by debris than anything else.

[@danielt.3152]

@@toldinstone I have another idea for a video. The UK museum has parts of the Parthenon and Germany has a bust of Nefertiti and there are other national treasures that could be repatriated. One one hand many people can see them without travel to far away places, and probably this has protected these from looting,destruction during instability of those countries governments. On another note, it seems like the property ownership issue is clear. How could this be resolved in a way that helps all concerned and protects these things. I thing exact replicas is an option, but I also can see that the replica is just that not the real thing. I have been thinking about some sharing models as well. Maybe you have some thoughts or opinions

[@toldinstone]

@@danielt.3152 Thank you for the suggestion. Repatriation is a fascinating issue - and a deeply controversial one. Some cases are clear cut (recently looted treasures, for example). Others are at least as much about nationalism and contemporary politics as they are about rightful ownership. I hope to tackle this at some point, though I'll be focusing on Rome itself (where the provenance of most antiquities is fairly straightforward) in the short term.

[@Rvscito]

Rome is not a sismic zone Don't worry, it's all safe :)

[@professorsogol5824]

Is this portion of the museum much less crowded than others? I noticed only one clip that shows any other visitors, at 13:44 showing the Porphyry Basin. And surely you mean the block of porphyry imported at great expense from far-off Egypt and from which this basin was carved was brought UP (not down) the Tiber from Ostia to Rome?

[@BUDDHAZE]

If you have a young child you skip the line too and walk straight in, we were pleasantly surprised after preparing ourselves for a long wait lol

[@leonardodavid2842]

I went to the Vatican museums multiple times (even during the lockdown). I always managed to get when it is somewhat empty (add the lockdown to that, I was completly alone at times, I went a week before it was closed to the public). I suggest going late evening, in special occasions. Usually one cannot enter when this “special” occasions come out, and they are totally random (always in very low seasons, so working days in winter, last time I went in summer) and much more expensive than usual. However I highly suggested trying to see if tickets are available. Apparently nuns (and they can bring groups or friends) are prioritized during this periods and pay the normal price if anything. + Apparently there have been possibility to go even at night or very early morning. However this are very special occasions.

[@dyinggaul8365]

He’s right. I need more told in stone!

[@toldinstone]

Stay tuned...

[@timog7358]

wonderful

[@sforbesgocka]

3:40 A student of Lysippos later went on to design the Colossus of Rhodes

[@afeeser]

The old gods usurped by the new gods. These are beautiful. Thanks for the tour.

[@jakemcguinness9989]

Great video. Was wondering where the title etching is from?

[@Paramonos]

Superb - thanks!

[@toldinstone]

You're very welcome!

[@truecerium4924]

Reminds me of the Uffici in Florence which are also full of Roman gypsum copies of Greek statues

[@prkp7248]

It's quite weird that sarcophagus of Helena is in Vatican Museums and not in St. Peter Basilica or other place of worship, as she is recognised as a saint in catholic and orthodox church. It would be understandable that this sarcophagus would be see as a reliquary.

[@MrAchile13]

I keep seeing that some ancient marble statues display what looks like peg slots, where the missing limbs are (for example Apolo Belvedere - right hand). What is the explanation for this? Were the arms actually created separately and attached to these slots?

[@toldinstone]

Some statues were designed with removable parts. Statues of the emperors, for example, often had replaceable heads. But in the Vatican museums, those parts usually reflect restorations that were later removed.

[@JerryFisher]

In the case of the Apollo Belvedere, those peg slots were drilled in for Renaissance-era prosthetics. While much of the original right hand had survived, it lacked the fingers. There was a strut that connected the right arm to the figure as a support. The left hand was missing outright. As restoration became de rigueur, the right arm was amputated and a marble replacement took its place. Probably because there was an objection based on aesthetics, the support strut was also removed. To support the new right arm, the tree stump below it was extended upwards. The left hand was simply recreated in marble. All the old restorations were removed when the statue was cleaned and conserved in the early 1980s. The change in appearance was radical to visitors who'd grown up seeing it with hands and at some point a partial restoration of the old restorations was done. Hence the appearance of the statue today. Note this circa 1500 drawing of the statue before it was restored: www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1946-0713-1262 and also this engraving (a mirror image of the original drawing): picryl.com/media/speculum-romanae-magnificentiae-apollo-belvedere-eaf8b7 and also this drawing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art circa 1510-27: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/342605 and finally this view of the statue without the restorations: depts.washington.edu/hrome/Authors/heberj/AncientInflucesonRenaissanceArt/18/19/20/apollobelvedere-full.jpg.1

[@2Sugarbears]

2:45 A replica of the pineal gland.

[@scars4all834]

I hope I can go there some day, but thank you for this (:

[@jamesmarkey5946]

I couldn't wait to get out of there myself

[@choff01]

"...under utilized cloak..." Comedy gold sir!