Big Picture, Little Details

When you first arrive in Rome, the beauty of the historic city will overtake you. No matter where you look, there is always something to marvel at and appreciate.

Upon exploring the city, I’ve learned that in order to fully appreciate Rome’s treasures, you have to look deeper than a first glance. If you look further, you will find intricate patterns, deliberate messages and a new level to art.

Even as you walk down the cobblestone streets, there are aspects of the city design that one wouldn’t even think about. From the lamp posts to the graffiti, the details of the city are what make it so beautiful.

Yesterday, we crossed the Ponte Sisto bridge, and I was taken aback by the picturesque environment surrounding me. As the sunlight glistened off the flowing Tiber River, I found myself completely immersed in the fast-paced world around me. Later that afternoon, our tour guide, Giorgio, shared something interesting. He told us about how an artist, William Kentridge, created an art piece on the walls of the bank of the river. He did reverse-graffiti, otherwise known as “grime writing,” the process of cleaning street surfaces covered in dirt to create a unique image. The art was not the only thing I took away from this story – I realized that I needed to look deeper to appreciate the city. The overwhelming chaos in any major city can sometimes create a tunnel vision, preventing you from fully understanding the surrounding world. After closely observing for several minutes, I was able to notice distinctive art I knew I would never see anywhere else. Rome is a time capsule that allows us to get a glimpse of a world hundreds of years ago. While there are countless historical sites to visit all over the world, Rome feels special to me because of the details. Taking the time to think about the creation of this art, the brilliant minds that were behind it, and the work that was put into bringing it to life, makes it easy to appreciate all of Rome’s creations.