Late last night the rain returned, sometimes very heavy. In the morning, it rained off and on including some claps of thunder so loud that car alarms were going off. It was a good morning to stay inside and do homework.

I eventually ventured out to go to Palazzo Sciarra Colonna, one of the museo del corso, which seem to be museums owned and run by the City of Rome. I had seen posters for an exhibition about Saint Francis of Assisi. 2027 is the 800th anniversary of his death. The poster looked like it included a Caravaggio painting of St Francis that I had never seen in person. Entrance was free so going to visit was a no brainer.

It was indeed Caravaggio’s Saint Francis in Meditation that is usually housed in Cremona, a city I have never visited but was on my list of places to go to see Caravaggio.

It’s considered an important painting because of the still life arrangement of skull, Bible and crucifix in front of St Francis which was an innovative change from the standard depictions and which increased the symbolic meaning and interpretations possible for a painting of the saint.

Hard to believe it was available to view for free. In 2025 there was a big Caravaggio exhibition at Palazzo Barberini in Rome, which was definitely not free, and was written about in numerous media sites.

This exhibition included other works ranging from medieval mosaics to contemporary. One was a late Titian:

A small El Greco

The exhibition was not large in its number of works but I was surprised that I did not see it on any list of exhibitions to see in Rome. The posters don’t even say there is a Caravaggio included. This viewing was an unexpected bonus for me.

The permanent collection was not bad but nothing worth pulling out my phone to snap a photo.

After salad for lunch, I stopped at Gelateria del Teatro for a nocciola and cioccolato pur, both excellent!

After class, I saw the courtyard to Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza was open. I couldn’t venture in because of an “evento privato” but the woman at the entrance let me take a photo of the courtyard lit up with coloured lights.

She was watching so I didn’t try to snag any of the glasses of wine being carried around.

I wonder if the event was related to the announcement that Sant’Ivo will reopen October 27 and every morning that week. I don’t know if this is permanent but I’m hoping to find out.