The Stun Ray Trick

[spacedlaw]

Last weekend was pretty miserable in the line of soggy with a side of frigid and would have been perfect to stay at home, tucked in bed with a book, a pot of tea and the usual feline complement.
Alas, this wasn’t to be.
However, if you have to surrender domestic bliss, you have to do it in style and what better excuse for venturing out in the cold and wet than a chance to gape at Proserpina’s thigh followed by culinary delights at my favourite restaurant?
None.
Trust me on this.

The event was organised by Tavole Romane, a previously anonymous food tasting organism I had been following from some time now and which finally showed its face that day. Two faces, in fact, those of Silvia and Gabriele.
The exceptional visit we were invited to join was a guided tour of Galleria Borghese – featuring most heart bracingly the famous thigh of Proserpina – followed by culinary bondage in the guise of a set menu degustation at Metamorfosi.
How could I ever resist such an offer?
You’re right. I didn’t.

So last Saturday, I roped in the Love and my favourite mother in law in tow and offed to Villa Borghese.
Tavole Romane had organised one visit in Italian and one in English and the two groups proceeded to move in en block to the Galleria.



Now it is really a shame that the Galleria Borghese enforces a strict no photo policy.
Ehm.



Because that will deprive you from the heart stopping detail of Pluto’s hand on Proserpina’s thigh as she struggles in his arms.
Have a shot at his firm butt instead.



What you cannot see is that his fingers make the slightest indentation into the flesh of her thigh. And at her waist too but it’s really the thigh that gets me every time.
Actually, if you enlarge this picture you can actually see it a little:



And every time I look at this statue, or even the even more spectacular Apollo and Daphne, I cannot help but think that Gian Lorenzo Bernini must have sold his soul – or rather that of his patron, Scipio Borghese, little loss really – to the devil in exchange for a stun ray gun and a good supply of polymer resin.
Then all he had to do was to find models, let them strike a pose, stun them before spraying the bodies with a layer of polymer and rolling them in marble dust, as if they were mere chocolate truffles.
Of course, that wouldn’t quite do away with the polishing task and all, but then again he should have written better contract clauses.



Because there is no way that any human being could actually sculpt anything like Apollo and Daphne out of marble. In one piece.
NO. WAY.
But then again, maybe Bernini wasn’t human at all to start with… [insert favourite elder god theory there]

So after an hour or so – which was really too short for such a place – after marvelling at the paintings, the Roman empire era antiques...



... and stared open-mouthed at the statues, it was time to make our way to the second venue of the day, aka my favourite restaurant in Rome, Metamorfosi.
And since Apollo and Daphne was the last statue we looked at, it felt like a perfectly appropriate segue.

We arrive at about one o’clock and the thing was supposed to last one or two hours.
We had twelve dishes to taste – barely more than a bite each – four wines, a couple of interviews of the chef and sous-chef.
How much longer could it take?
Right?












I do believe we left shortly before five…
(the team at Metamorfosi had to prepare the restaurant for the evening service – I do believe we robbed them of a most needed afternoon rest)

 



A well spent day and a bunch of well spent us too.
Many thanks to Silvia and Gabriele of Tavole Romane for a great event!