A Tapestry of Influence: Rome’s Museums as Inspiration for Art and Design

Museums and Travel

Nov 16

Two women at the steps of the Capitoline Museum

The eternal city: so many literal and figurative layers

Rome, a city that breathes history, provided much inspiration for my art when I last visited it in 2019. I’ll soon be heading there again and am reflecting on how to glean more inspiration from the eternal city.

A rich mix of the ancient and contemporary

The city’s mix of ancient and contemporary art and design is so aligned with my art practice. The museums within Rome’s ancient walls are not merely repositories of artifacts; they are catalysts for ideas and design inspiration.

Collecting and gathering inspiration

On my last visit, I spent time studying patterns–on walls, tiles, gates, cathedrals, and more. This time my focus might be on color; how it’s infused in contemporary Rome as well as historical Rome. Seeing examples of ancient painting is always a treat and I'll be seeking them out and hopefully making another visit to the luminous Villa of Livia at the Palazzo Massimo Museum. I’ll also be looking for unexpected details and moments of visual delight, which can be found in the Vatican Museums, the Borghese Gallery, and so many of the smaller museums sprinkled throughout the city.

As always, I will take a lot of photos to use as a springboard of inspiration for future work. I also hope to find some time to sit with my sketchbook and draw.

It’s so important to keep an archive of inspiration at the ready and I’m looking forward to this round of collecting!