A visit by the Northwest Chapter of the Patron of the Arts in the Vatican Museums

Art, Beauty, History and Faith inspire hope

 “On this Vatican hill, we recall the great men, women and children who gave their life for their faith in Jesus, Son of God”, said Msgr. Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Office for Relations with Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, during his homily at a Eucharistic celebration on Wednesday afternoon, 29 January, in the Church of Mary, Mother of the Family in the Vatican. The Mass was attended by Lisa and Rick Altig, their son Andy, and a group of members of the Northwest Chapter of the Patrons.

Msgr. Hogan highlighted that these witnesses of Christ “lived for their faith and for hope because they knew, as we do today, that hope sustains us and gives us a reason to live”. Indeed, he added, “God created each of us and loves us no matter who we are”, in the hope “that we may love one another, as he loved us”. In this sense, “art, beauty, history and faith continue to help us keep this hope alive”, Msgr. Hogan noted.

The group then visited the colossal bronze statue of Ercole Mastai, in the Sala Rotonda of the Pio Clementino Museum in the Vatican Museums. The work was recently restored thanks to the generous contribution of Rick and Lisa Altig of the Northwest Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. Almost four metres tall, the impressive gilded bronze statue (390-370 B.C) is in an excellent state of preservation, thanks to the restoration carried out by the Vatican Museums’ Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, the Metals and Ceramics Restoration Laboratory and the Cabinet of Scientific Research.

During their visit to the Ercole Mastai statue, the delegation of the Northwest Chapter was accompanied by Ms. Barbara Jatta, Director of Museums and Cultural Heritage, and by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, who greeted Chapter members, in particular Lisa and Rick Altig and their son Andy, who is currently seeking to create a group of young people who are passionate about art and faith and who wish to join the Patrons, continuing the mission of their parents.

Another work that was restored thanks to the generous contribution of the Northwest Chapter is the colossal head of Plotina. The face depicts the features of Pompeia Plotina, beloved wife of Emperor Trajan (98-117 A.D.).

 The head was part of the Mattei collection and was mounted on another bust in Villa Celimontana. According to sources of the time, Plotina was a learned, intelligent and modest woman, who was devoted to her husband. She was given the title of Augusta by the Senate in 105, and was declared Diva by Emperor Hadrian, her adopted son, in 129 A.D. a few years after her death (121-122 A.D.).

The Northwest Chapter also funded the restoration of the marble statue of Hermes, dating back to the time of Hadrian (1-II century) displayed in the Cortile Ottagono of the Belvedere, and the marble statue of Perseus, by Antonio Canova, dating back to 1800-1801.