From Scapegoat to Masterpiece : The History of the Vatican
- Amanda Jones
- Jun 3, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 4, 2023
By: Amanda Jones
Art is not in the eyes of the beholder. It is in the minds and hearts of those that came before. Throughout centuries, these passions and manifestations of beliefs central to the individual have been used to create a visual history that connects us to the breaths to those that came before. It is no doubt that Italy is a central figure in this concept, its vast and powerful history churning out art, architecture, ideas, inventions, and philosophies that will be cherished for generations to come. Arguably most prominent in weaving the string of life on one string; collecting the characters that grace the headlines of the past, inserting them into one storyline, is the Vatican - the Country within Rome. The Vatican City Is the home of the Popes, the head of the Catholic religion. It represents one of the strongest underdog stories of history; Where the circus of the tortured, killed and scapegoated grew to become one of the world’s most jaw-dropping masterpieces of history.
Roman Origins
Ever since the founding of Rome in 800 BC, the hill on the west bank of the Tiber River was known as Ager Vaticanus. For this reason, The Romans called this area the Vaticanum. It became the desired destination for the rich and famous to build their gardens and villas. It should be noted that at this time, villas were even more grand as those pictured today. They had farmland, a courtyard and other residential buildings fashioned in a grandiose way. Soon a circus was erected in the area, most likely for racing horses.
In 64 A.D, There was a large fire that destroyed nearly all of Rome. It burned for six full days. Though fires were common at that time, this particular one caused significant damage, burning down 10 of the 14 districts in Rome. The emperor at the time, Emperor Nero, blamed the Christians as scapegoats.
Christianity at the time was not as it is today. It was more of a small group with a somewhat extremist view. Nero executed christians in the previously mentioned circus. Among those christians was st. Peter, the “head” of the twelve apostles and the world’s first pope. With st. Peter’s final moments and burial in this location, it became a sacred spot.
The Rise of Catholicism
Despite this martyrdom, Christians continued to be prosecuted until emperor Constantine came into power
in 324 AD. He had begun to realize the religion had spread so far that even his mother and sister were Christians. Therefore, he initiated the 313 CE of the Edict of Milan, ceasing all christian persecution by the Roman government. Constantine then began building a basilica over St. Peter's tomb. The rise of Catholicism had begun.
Over the following centuries, Popes added to both St. Peter’s basically and its surrounding structures. Pope Leo IV added a 39-foot wall, while Pope Symmachus built a home for himself next to the basilica. Eugene III and Innocent III expanded these structures, creating passageways between them. Despite these improvements, the Vatican City as it was was abandoned in 1277, as easier walking routes were created and there was much political unrest in Italy. Without popes nor upkeep, the city set into a period of despair.
When the Catholic Region rose to prominence once again in 1377, the top most item on the clergy’s agenda was to return the city to its previous glory. Nicholas V Circa initiated the addition of the Apostolic Palace, which became the home of the many future popes. He also began the collection of books that became the Vatican Library.
The Renaissance
The 1400s and the Renaissance, brought the renovations that make the Vatican City truly world renowned. Pope Sixtus IV began to commission art of the Sistine Chapel, featuring renowned artists like Bounatelli. However, it was Pope Julius II that made the Vatican the pinnacle of artistic masterpiece it is today. In the early 1500s, Julius commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel and architect Donato Bramante to design the Belvedere Courtyard. It was also during his time as Pope that the decision was made to build a new basilica for St. Peter, tearing down the 1,200-year-old structure.
It wasn’t until 1547, however, that the project started as it took decades to decide on a new design. In 1590, Giacomo della Porta completed St. Peter’s dome, with an architectural art and integrity that would be used as an architectural inspiration for centuries to come. It took almost forty years to finish this structure, which was an enormous feat when looking at the mere size of it. The new Basilica measured 452 feet tall and encompassed 5.7 acres.
This made new St. Peter’s, the heart of the Vatican, the largest church in the world (until 1989 when the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace took the title). In addition to new architecture, new art was constantly being added to the surrounding structures of the Basilica. This included ancient relics and statues that the church bought from archeological projects. This was especially prominent with Greek cultures, though this depended on the leniency of the Pope at the time.
Photo Captions (Left to Right)
Photo 1: Each piece of a room within the Vatican are usually a combination of commissions by different Popes over different generations
Photo 2: All popes have coats of arms, such as a dragon, that are used to label the art they commissioned
Photo 3: Most of the ceiling art in the Vatican contain scenes of the Bible
Michelangelo and the Vatican
Part of the Vatican's History is undoubtedly rooted in the art of Michelangelo. His work there cemented his place in history, as well as that of the Vatican. Michelangelo’s first piece that rose to fame was the Our Lady of Piety. Which he created in just his early twenties.
After he spent time in Florence, with his most famous work during that time being The David, Pope Julius II called him back to Rome. The pope had asked Michelangelo to create another piece of art for the Vatican, with the implication that Michaelangelo would be sculpting marble. However, upon arriving to work Michelangelo discovered he was to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo refused immediately. He was not a Painter and did not enjoy art. However, Pope Julius II was remarkably persistent, a trait that follows him until today.
At thirty-three years old, Michelangelo began his painting. He was offered a team of extremely skilled artists, but refused every one as he believed they would ruin the piece. After for years, the ceiling was finished and how astonishing it was. With over one hundred figures, all in different poses, the work was clearly done by a sculptor. The detail in each vein and muscle create a three dimensional effect that had never been seen in art before. The scene depicts the stories of genes, from the creation of the world to Noah starting anew after the great flood.
Michaelangelo continued to be a prominent presence in the growth of the Vatican, given the duty of overseeing the design and building of the new Basilica by Pope Julius II. As a deep admirer of Greek sculptures, Michelangelo was able to convince Popes of the importance of buying newly found Ancient Greek pieces, most of which can still be seen in the Vatican Museum today. His favorite is said to be the torso of a man in which he based his final Vatican painting on.
The final impact Michelangelo made to the Vatican was painting the fresco behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. At this time, he was living in Florence but was commissioned by Pope Clement VII to add another picture of his artistic genius to the sacred room. Michelangelo was good friends with this pope and was in fact happy to respond to the commission. Pope Clement VII gave the artist full creative freedom in the design and creation, which many were angered by in the end. Michelangelo created a scene depicting the end of times, when Jesus was to come down from heaven to judge the living and the dead. The art is brightly colored, yet very grim in theme. The book of hell is large and dramatic while the book of heaven is depicted as small.
The controversy in this art, however, was that besides Jesus and Mary, every character was depicted in the nude. Many found this disrespectful, so much so that in later decades, Popes commissioned for clothes to be painted over the characters. Michaelangelo understood the hatred towards his piece, even depicting it in his art. Being held over the river of hell, he created a self portrait of himself: A skinned corpse to reflect his tormented feelings. There is no doubt that the history of art within the Vatican would not be the same without the influence of Michelangelo, as his pieces set the Vatican’s artistic wonders in stone but also inspired future artists.
The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums didn’t arise until over one hundred years later. However, it was clear that there was enough art and history involved in the city that a museum was absolutely necessary. It was Julius II, even two centuries later, that continued to inspire such important additions to the Vatican. His collection of art started off the gallery that is lined today with paintings that span centuries. The first gallery open to the public was headed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773.
As time went on, Popes continued to add to the collection of art the Vatican held. New museums were added for different art eras, cultures, and styles such as Egyptian and Contemporary. When visiting today, this
collection of art by different personalities and mindsets is clear. It is unlike anything seen before, seamlessly melding past and present through these images.
“The Vatican museums have everything from mummies to sarcophagus. The art here can be beautiful… yet brutal. It’s interesting to see how things were added overtime, influencing culture and history. Even though I didn’t read all their stories, all the popes added their mark in some way,” explains Ellen Whiteman, visiting from California with her family.
Gaining Sovereignty
Popes, as the head of the Catholic Church, held power over the Vatican City from the start. However, up until 1870, they also traditionally held power over Papal states throughout Italy. However, in 1870 the newly unified Italian government declared that all land outside of the Vatican’s city walls belonged to them. It took sixty years for the Italian Government and the Vatican to come to a compromise.
With the Lateran Pacts in February 1929, The Vatican was established as its own sovereign entity. The government also issued the church an equivalent of about $92 million to compensate for the Papal States. This established the Vatican as the smallest country in the world.
The Vatican Today
Today, the Vatican is still a prominent and stunning beacon of all that came before it. No where else in the world does history, mindsets, and the views of leaders throughout centuries shine through as prominently. No matter where one walks within these walls, wonder meets the eyes. Within the main structures, every inch is
now covered in art; marble designs on the floor, frescos on the walls, and mosaics on the ceilings. St. Peter’s
basilica still has masses throughout the day. The sound of the choirs echoing throughout the gold encrusted domes and solemn tombs below the ground seem to connect visitors to the past.
“It’s such a wealth to know about the past… to know what’s been going on,” explains Vatican tour guide Antonia Meunier, “It’s such an investment to study history. Besides the physical pleasure and joy to your senses when you see something beautiful, but to learn what happened and to know what led to this… it can help you face the present, no doubt. It makes me incredibly happy when I learn what happened in the past and I think it can be somehow recycled in the present life. I don’t know exactly why or when or how but I think it can be recycled… it will be useful one day or another.”
By learning about all that came before, it both cautions against the dark of the past, and lights the passions of the future. There is no better place than to experience walking into history than the Vatican - once the site of massacre, now a stunningly unique, artistic world (well, country) of its own.
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