Thursday, July 28, 2011

Who Is She?


Don't ask my why, but I saw the picture of this woman while walking through the Vatican Museum, and now I am obsessed. Her face, among many in the famous painting by Raphael, The School of Athens, I zoomed right in on. Barely focusing on the tour guide's narrative through my whisperer ear piece, I stared into her eyes. Who is she? Why does she captivate me in this way? I snapped a picture of her, forgetting to take in the entire canvas of beauty, and we made our way out of the room. I caught a tidbit about how the "recent movie" had made this "heretic" famous. Her name? Well, with a heavy Italian accent, I could swear the guide said, "Ipstatia" or something like that. Now, after coming home and finding I am still preoccupied with this woman, I have learned her name is Hypatia.

Why do such things grip us unexpectedly?

Who is Hypatia? Who is the historical figure? Better yet, who is the woman modeling for Raphael?

To be continued...

2 comments:

  1. Sally, I hope you're writing about her! Do keep us posted....

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  2. I'm reading about her now called FLOW DOWN LIKE SILVER by Ki Longfellow. Her name is Hypatia. She was a pagan mathematician killed by monks in the 4th century. I believe having her in the painting was controversial because the history of her death was so brutal and damning to the church, but the pope at the time allowed her to stay. :)

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