Campidoglio:: Michelangelo's Roman Capital

The Campidoglio, the Roman Capitol, stands on the peak of the smallest of Rome's seven hills. The epicenter of the Roman Empire, it was transformed by Michelangelo into one of the most imposing architectural compositions of all time, grand environment for the political life of a great city. Michelangelo's design for the Piazza del Campidoglio was one of the first efforts to make a public space in which all the elements function as a whole. At the center of a trapezoidal area, flanked by three palaces, was the ancient Roman equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the second-century ruler who presided over the waning clays of the empire. Alexander Liberman has photographed the statue and its environs in all kinds of light and from all angles over a period of years. The result is a stunning photographic essay on one of the most dramatic monuments ever constructed.

"Of all the Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius gets the best press," Joseph Brodsky writes in the witty and profound essay that accompanies Liberman's photographs. "Historians love him, and so do philosophers." He was the model philosopher-king, remembered now mostly for his Meditations, writings on morality, virtue, and rationality. "If that book hasn't civilized us, what will?" Brodsky notes. A supplementary text on the art and architecture of the Campidoglio formed by Michelangelo into one of the most imposing architectural compositions of all time, a grand environment for the political life of a great city. Michelangelo's design for the Piazza del Campidoglio was one of the first efforts to make a public space in which all the elements function as a whole. At the center of a trapezoidal area, flanked by three palaces, was the ancient Roman equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the second-century ruler who presided over the waning days of the empire. Alexander Liberman has photographed the statue and its environs in all kinds of light and from all angles over a period of years. The result is a stunning photographic essay on one of the most dramatic public monuments ever constructed.

"Of all the Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius gets the best press," Joseph Brodsky writes in the witty and profound essay that accompanies Liberman's photographs. "Historians love him, and so do philosophers." He was the model philosopher-king, remembered now mostly for his Meditations, writings on morality, virtue, and rationality. "If that book hasn't civilized us, what will?" Brodsky notes. A supplementary text on the art and architecture of the Campidoglio has been contributed by Diane Kelder.