Best Rocky Ruggiero Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 362 - Vatican Museums - The Pinacoteca 24:04

Play Pause

1d ago24:04

24:04

While more than 7 million people visit the Vatican Museums each year, few of them realize there is much more to this extraordinary collection than just the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. The Pinacoteca, or "painting gallery," of the Vatican Museums opened in 1932 and includes masterpieces by Giotto, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, an…

1
Episode 361 - Rome - The National Gallery of Ancient Art in the Barberini Palace 19:32

8d ago19:32

19:32

Located in the beautiful Baroque Barberini Palace, the National Gallery of Ancient Art contains works of art produced before the year 1800. It includes masterpieces by Andrea del Sarto, Bronzino, Canaletto, Titian, and Tintoretto. But the collection's most important works are Caravaggio's "Judith and Holofernes," Bernini's "Bust of Pope Urban VIII,…

1
Episode 360 - Rome - The Borghese Gallery (Part IV) 22:04

15d ago22:04

22:04

This 4th and final episode dedicated to extraordinary art collection in the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy, focuses on the painting collection on the second floor of the museum, which includes masterpieces by Raphael, Correggio, and Titian.

1
Episode 359 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery (Part III) 24:27

22d ago24:27

24:27

This episode takes you through the 1st-floor rooms of the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy. It discusses the breathtaking early statues by Gian Lorenzo Bernini - "Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius," "Pluto and Persephone," "Apollo and Daphne," and "David," as well as Antonio Canova's sublime Neoclassical "Paolina Bonaparte as Venus Victrix."…

1
Episode 358 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery (Part II) 26:34

29d ago26:34

26:34

This podcast takes you into the extraordinary building and collection of the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy. From the great hall with its beautiful ceiling fresco, ancient Roman floor mosaics depicting gladiators and beast hunters, and ancient/Baroque statue of "Marcus Curtius," to the adjoining Caravaggio room which houses six paintings by the gr…

1
Episode 357 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery I 23:58

1M ago23:58

23:58

Shortly after his election, Pope Paul V Borghese decided to transform his land outside the Porta Pinciana in Rome, Italy, into the city's greatest villa complex. The result was one of the most beautiful and majestic examples of traditional and landscape architecture. The building, today known as the Borghese Gallery, as well as the surrounding gard…

1
Episode 356 - Answers to Open Questions XXVI 32:23

1M ago32:23

32:23

From my opinion on the recently discovered paintings attributed to Caravaggio, to the influence of Hadrian's Villa on Borromini's architecture, to a possible connection between Caravaggio's "Burial of St. Lucy" and the movie "Schindler's List," to why Michelangelo's "David" is more famous than Bernini's, and much, much more - this episode answers t…

1
Episode 355 - Rome - The Doria Pamphilj Gallery 20:51

2M ago20:51

20:51

Located in the Doria Pamphilj Palace (where the Doria Pamphilj family still resides) on the Via del Corso in the heart of Rome, Italy, the gallery houses one of Italy's most important art collections. It includes portraits of Pope Innocent X by Velasquez and Bernini, as well as two of Caravaggio's earliest paintings – the "Penitent Magdalene" and t…

1
Episode 354 - Rome - The Capitoline Museums 30:16

2M ago30:16

30:16

The Capitoline Museums are a group of art and archaeological museums located on top of the Capitoline Hill, which was the political and religious center of ancient Rome. Their collections focus on the history of Rome and include masterpieces such as the "Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius," the "Capitoline Wolf, " the "Dying Gaul, " but also late…

1
Episode 353 - Milan: The Ambrosian Art Gallery 21:32

2M ago21:32

21:32

Part of the Ambrosian Library in Milan, Italy, the Ambrosian Art Gallery was founded along with the library by the celebrated Cardinal Federico Borromini in 1609 to house his extensive collection of manuscripts, books, and paintings. The collection today includes "The Portrait of a Musician" attributed by many to Leonardo da Vinci, the "Cartoon for…

1
Episode 352 - Milan - The Brera Gallery Part II 22:50

2M ago22:50

22:50

Located in Milan, Italy, and inaugurated on Napoleon's birthday on August 15, 1812, the Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery) contains one of the world's most important collections of Italian Renaissance painting. This second episode explores masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, Raphael, and Caravaggio.…

1
Episode 351 - Milan - The Brera Art Gallery (Part I) 26:25

3M ago26:25

26:25

Located in Milan, Italy, and inaugurated on Napoleon's birthday on August 15, 1812, the Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery) contains one of the world's most important collections of Italian Renaissance painting. This first episode explores masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini, Andrea Mantegna, Tintoretto. Paolo Veronese, and Vittore Carpaccio.…

1
Episode 350 - Siena: The National Painting Gallery 22:02

3M ago22:02

22:02

The National Painting Gallery in Siena, Italy, known locally as the "Pinacoteca Nazionale," houses one of the world's most important collections of medieval and Renaissance Sienese paintings. It includes two rare paintings by Duccio di Buoninsegna, as well as masterpieces by Simone Martini, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Il Sodoma and Domenico Beccafumi.…

1
Episode 349 - Siena - The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) 24:00

3M ago24:00

24:00

The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses some of medieval Siena's most important masterpieces. Works such as Duccio's "Maestà" and stained-glass window, Giovanni Pisano's 13th-century facade sculptures, and Donatello's "Madonna del Perdono" are but a few of those masterpieces.

1
Episode 348 - Florence - The Accademia Gallery 24:44

3M ago24:44

24:44

While most people visit the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy, to see Michelangelo's great statue of "David," there is much more to this museum. The Accademia is also home to masterpieces by Botticelli, Lippi, Giambologna, Perugino, Andrea del Sarto and Pontormo, as well as Michelangelo's unfinished "Slaves."…

1
Episode 347 - Florence - Museum of Orsanmichele 22:58

4M ago22:58

22:58

Built in the 14th century, the Museum of Orsanmichele was originally a grain market, but later turned into a church. The museum is housed inside of this church and includes a beautiful "Madonna and Child by Bernardo Daddi and a magnificent Gothic "Tabernacle" by Orcagna on the ground floor, as well as many sculptural masterpieces by Donatello, Ghib…

1
Episode 346 - Florence - The Casa Buonarroti Museum 23:24

4M ago23:24

23:24

Once a property owned and lived in by Michelangelo, the Casa Buonarroti Museum was created by the famous artist's nephew to celebrate the legacy of his famous uncle. The museum contains Michelangelo's two earliest known sculptures - "The Madonna of the Stairs" and "The Battle of the Centaurs," his spectacular wooden model for the facade of San Lore…

1
Episode 345 - Florence – The Bargello Museum Part III 24:03

4M ago24:03

24:03

The collection of sculptures on the ground floor of the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, contains one of the world's most important collections of 16th-century sculptures, including Michelangelo's "Bacchus" and "Pitti Tondo," Giambologna's "Mercury" and "Florence Triumphing over Pisa," and Cellini's wax bozzetto (or small model) for his "Perseus…

1
Episode 344 - Florence – The Bargello Museum Part II 29:33

4M ago29:33

29:33

The collection of sculptures in the great hall of the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, located on the second floor, contains one of the world's most important collections of sculptures, including Ghiberti's and Brunelleschi's "Competition Panels," Donatello's marble and bronze "Davids" and "St. George," and Verrocchio's bronze "David."…

1
Episode 343 - Florence: The Bargello Museum - Part I 24:15

5M ago24:15

24:15

The building that houses the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, is the earliest example of civic architecture in Florence, built in 1255. Today it houses one of the world's greatest collections of Renaissance sculpture, including works by Donatello, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, Giambologna, and Bernini.…

1
Episode 342 - Florence: Museo dell"Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 4 20:37

5M ago20:37

20:37

This podcast explores the extraordinary artwork found on the second floor (Primo Piano) of the Cathedral Museum of Florence, including the beautiful belltower sculptures by Donatello, the "Cantorie" by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, and the Neo-Gothic façade proposals.

1
Episode 341 - Florence – Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part III 25:49

5M ago25:49

25:49

This podcast examines two of the greatest sculptures of all time – Donatello's "Penitent Magdalene" and Michelangelo's "Florence Pietà" – which are part of amazing collection of the Museo dell"Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy.

1
Episode 340 - Florence: Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 2 23:18

5M ago23:18

23:18

The Cathedral Museum of Florence, Italy, contains the three original bronze doors from Florence Baptistry by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti. This podcast analyzes history, style, and influence of all three masterpieces.

1
Episode 339 - Florence – Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 1 25:51

5M ago25:51

25:51

The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence is one of the world's premier sculpture museums with works by Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo. This podcast examines the history of the museum and its spectacular reconstruction of the original early 14th-century façade of Florence Cathedral.

1
Episode 338 - Answers to Open Questions XXV 31:52

6M ago31:52

31:52

From Leonardo making marzipan sculptures and his "Madonna of the Yarnwinder," to whether Jesus died of cardiogenic shock or asphyxiation, to the recently discovered "Judith and Holofernes" and "Ecce Homo" attributed to Caravaggio, to how to transfer panel paintings to canvas, to how to recognize a Michelangelo, to whether being familiar with histor…

1
Episode 337 - Canova's "Three Graces" 21:56

6M ago21:56

21:56

Antonio's Canova's statue of the "Three Graces" is considered a benchmark of beauty. It's elegantly erotic representation of the Three Graces huddled in an intimate composition is a fitting final representation of the subject born in the ancient Greco-Roman world and later revived in the Renaissance.…

1
Episode 336 - Canova's "Paolina Bonaparte as Venus Victrix" 20:18

6M ago20:18

20:18

Napoleon's younger sister, Paolina Bonaparte, married Prince Camillo Borghese in 1803. One year later the prince commissioned Antonio Canova to carve his new wife as the mythological goddess of chastity, Diana. The licentious Paolina laughed off the suggestion claiming that no one would be believe her a virgin and chose to be represented scandalous…

1
Episode 335 - Canova's "Perseus Triumphant" 21:58

6M ago21:58

21:58

Carved in only a few months between 1800-1801, Canova's "Perseus Triumphant" is one of history's great sculptures. It exists in several versions, the most important of which are in the Vatican and Metropolitan Museums. Clearly inspired by Cellini's earlier version, Canova also depicts the Greek hero as he contemplates his victory over the Gorgon as…

1
Episode 334 - Canova's "Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker" 19:09

7M ago19:09

19:09

In 1802, Napoleon courted Antonio Canova to go to Paris to make a bust of him. Four years later, Canova instead completed an 11ft. (3.5m) free-standing idealized nude statue depicting Napoleon as the Roman god of war, Mars. Surprisingly, Napoleon was not pleased with the sculpture, describing it as "too athletic."…

1
Episode 333 - Canova's "Cupid and Psyche" 23:20

7M ago23:20

23:20

Carved by Antonio Canova in 1787 and today located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Neoclassical sculpture of "Cupid and Psyche" is one of history's most beautiful and popular sculptures. The romantic sculpture depicts Cupid cradling the head of his lover after reviving her from a supernatural slumber, while she reaches up to him preparing to rec…

1
Episode 332 - The Life of Antonio Canova 22:11

7M ago22:11

22:11

Antonio Canova was Europe's most famous artist round the year 1800. His sublime Neoclassical style sculptures – such as "Cupid and Psyche," ""Perseus with the Head of Medusa," and the "The Venus Victrix (Paolina Bonaparte)" - are some of the most beautiful in the history of art. This podcast will explore the life and career of the great Italian scu…

1
Episode 331 - The Ceiling Fresco of Sant'Ignazio in Rome 18:47

7M ago18:47

18:47

One of Rome's most spectacular works of art is the illusionistic fresco that covers the ceiling of the church Sant'Ignazio. It was painted in 1685, covers nearly 40m of ceiling surface and depicts the "Glorification of St. Ignatius of Loyola" in an extraordinary example of trompe-l'oeil perspectival painting.…

1
Episode 330 - Rome: The Capuchin Crypt 19:10

8M ago19:10

19:10

Located on the famous Via Veneto in Rome, Italy, the 17th-century Capuchin Crypt is one of the world's most unique examples of funerary decoration. It consists of a series of rooms decorated with human bones! Each room has a different theme based on the type of bone used – skulls, pelvises, leg bones, etc., resulting in an absolutely fascinating – …

1
Episode 329 - The Spanish Steps 16:19

8M ago16:19

16:19

Built between 1723 and 1725, the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy, are one of the most famous staircases in the world. Consisting of 135 stairs spread over different levels, the steps were immortalized in the famous movie "Roman Holiday" and today are one of the most popular destinations of the "eternal City."…

1
Episode 328 - The Trevi Fountain (Rome) 20:33

8M ago20:33

20:33

The Trevi Fountain is arguably the world's most famous fountain! It was designed in 1732 by the Roman architect Nicola Salvi for a competition staged by Pope Clement XII. Rushing water passes through massive allegorical sculptures and blocks of stones into a massive stone basin in a uniquely dramatic fashion.…

1
Episode 327 - Answers to Open Questions XXIV 33:08

8M ago33:08

33:08

From how many paintings Caravaggio produced, to visiting Florence at Easter time, to how form and color were applied in Renaissance painting, to an overlooked equestrian monument, to finding the wooden beams in Brunelleschi's dome, to the model used by Leonardo da Vinci in three of his most famous paintings, and much, much more - this episode answe…

1
Episode 326 - Borromini's Sant'Agnese in Agone (Piazza Navona) 23:55

9M ago23:55

23:55

In 1653, Borromini was asked by Pope Innocent X to take over the building of his family church of Sant'Agnese in Agone in Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. The result was a revolutionary façade design that tragically was not realized according to Borromini's plans.

1
Episode 325 - Borromini's Church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza 19:45

9M ago19:45

19:45

Borromini began construction on another of his architectural masterpieces, the church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza in Rome, Italy, in 1642 for Pope Urban VIII. His curvilinear façade, bulging drum, and spiraling lantern are all eye-popping aspects of his design. But it is the extraordinary floor plan of the church which makes it unique – an equilatera…

1
Episode 324 - Borromini's Oratory of the Filippini 20:38

9M ago20:38

20:38

In 1637, Francesco Borromini designed and began building an oratory – a place for public worship and musical performances – for the followers of St. Phillip Neri, known as the "Filippini." The façade of this oratory is another of Borromini's visionary architectural projects with its curved plan and unorthodox sculptural elements.…

1
Episode 323 - Borromini's Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (Part II) 19:36

9M ago19:36

19:36

The cloister and façade of the church complex San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (better known in Rome as "San Carlino") are two of the most beautiful and revolutionary aspects of Borromini's design for this project.

1
Episode 322 - Borromini's Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane 25:54

9M ago25:54

25:54

The church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (1634) - better known to the Romans as San Carlino ("little St. Charles") due to its small size - is one of the most revolutionary in the history of art and introduces the new architectural vision of a Baroque genius named Francesco Borromini.

1
Episode 321 - The Life of Francesco Borromini 21:41

10M ago21:41

21:41

Francesco Borromini is celebrated as the greatest architectural genius of the Baroque age. This podcast shall examine his life, career, and rivalry with the great Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

1
Episode 320 - The Death and Legacy of Gian Lorenzo Bernini 21:00

10M ago21:00

21:00

On November 28, 1680, the 82-year-old Bernini passed away. His spectacular career was nearly 70 years long, during which he worked for 8 different popes. Only Michelangelo surpassed him in terms of lifespan and papal patrons! This podcast looks back on Bernini's career, his rather surprisingly modest tomb, and the great legacy that he left behind.…

1
Episode 319 - Bernini's "Tomb of Pope Alexander VII" 21:39

10M ago21:39

21:39

In 1672, Gian Lorenzo began the creation of the most spectacular papal tomb monument in St. Peter's Basilica – the "Tomb of Pope Alexander VII." Located in the southern transept arm of the church, the monument depicts a pious figure of the pope kneeling in prayer, surrounded by four massive marble statues representing the virtues of Charity, Truth,…

1
Episode 318 - Bernini's "Blessed Ludovica Albertoni" 15:39

10M ago15:39

15:39

Carved in the last decade of Bernini's life, the monument to Blessed Ludovica Albertoni shows that Bernini had not lost his touch in his later years. As sensual and beautiful as his more celebrated earlier works such as "Apollo and Daphne" or "Ecstasy of St. Teresa," the "Blassed Ludovica Albertoni" depicts the mystic in an ecstatic state of union …

1
Episode 317 – Bernini's Bridge of Angels 16:22

11M ago16:22

16:22

In 1669, at the age of 71, Gian Lorenzo Bernini was commissioned by Pope Clemet IX to renovate the most important pilgrimage bridge in Rome, the Ponte Sant'Angelo. Bernini planned on installing 10 spectacular statues of angels holding the instruments of the passion, only two of which were ultimately carved by Bernini.…

1
Episode 316 - Bernini's "Elephant" 18:29

11M ago18:29

18:29

Completed in 1667 and located in front of the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome, Italy, Bernini's "Elephant" is a powerful symbol combining Egyptian lore and Roman power. The elephant was designed as an imaginative base for the ancient Egyptian obelisk from the 6th century BCE.

1
Episode 315 - Answers to Open Questions XXIII 35:18

11M ago35:18

35:18

From why the façade of San Lorenzo was never completed, to the use of the "golden ratio" in the Medici Palace, to the speed of Caravaggio's painting technique and his use of the camera obscura, to future podcasts on Sofonisba Anguissola and Artemisia Gentileschi, to why Bramante is considered the first High Renaissance architect, and much, much mor…

1
Episode 314 - Bernini's "Equestrian Monument of King Louis XIV" 17:31

11M ago17:31

17:31

Although commissioned while Bernini was in Paris in 1665, Bernini did not work on the statue until he returned to Rome. When it was finally delivered to Paris 20 years later, it was immediately rejected by the king, who vowed to destroy it!

1
Episode 313 - Bernini and King Louis XIV 18:30

12M ago18:30

18:30

In April of 1665, Gian Lorenzo Bernini was sent by Pope Alexander VII to the court of King Louis XIV in Paris as a gesture of goodwill between monarchs. Although Bernini's main project was the design of the east façade of the Palace of the Louvre (which was eventually rejected, perhaps out of jealousy), the only work of art he created while in Pari…