North Park has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School鈥檚 global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we鈥檝e learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don鈥檛 see what you鈥檙e looking for on our website, please contact us directly!
North Park offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.
North Park Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.
The Office of Alumni Engagement fosters lifelong connections by engaging alumni with the university and one another in activities, programs, and services that support the university鈥檚 mission and alumni needs.
This summer, North Park will be hard at work with new and returning students taking summer classes, high schoolers participating in the annual Summer Science Academy, and hosting this year’s Kids College.
Summer at North Park
After graduation day, 萝莉社 doesn’t come to a complete stop for the year. This summer, North Park will be hard at work with new and returning students taking summer classes, high schoolers participating in the annual Summer Science Academy, and hosting this year’s Kids College.
Summer Sessions
Registration for summer courses at 萝莉社 is now open! There are four sessions over the summer, in May, June, and July. All students are welcome. You don鈥檛 have to be a North Parker to take summer classes at the University. Registering for classes is easy, and a great way to earn some college credits, test out different subjects, and acquire knowledge. Registering as current North Park student can be done through WebAdvisor. Summer classes offered are College Physics, General Chemistry, and Spanish as well as a variety of Biblical Studies courses.
鈥淚 had an incredible experience at the North Park largely due to the warm and friendly environment of the faculty members and students. I learned a tremendous amount of information this summer and honestly loved every minute of the course.鈥� 鈥� Student, New York University, Chem 1150-1160.
Summer Science Academy is a unique hands-on learning experience for high school juniors and seniors taught by expert North Park science faculty. Students have the opportunity to explore North Park鈥檚 state-of-the-art facilities at the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life and delve into topics ranging from the human body and parasites to food and animal behavior. In addition, students will interact with and receive insight from current North Park science majors serving as mentors. Summer Science Academy begins on July 10聽and runs through August 3. Tuition credit is available for those students who choose to resume their education at 萝莉社.
鈥淢y husband and I were so impressed by all that our daughter experienced and accomplished . . . As a CPS teacher, I would recommend these classes to students.鈥� 鈥� Sandy, parent
North Park has partnered with Covenant Youth Collision and Ravenswood Covenant Church to bring Kids College to life. Kids College is an affordable athletic and academic summer camp, introducing kids to the Christian faith in a fun and safe environment. Some North Park students are also participating in making this camp happen as counselors and staff for the duration of this six-week program.
This is a student blog post submitted by Melanie Lofgren, C鈥�18. Melanie is a psychology major, with a biblical and theological studies minor. She spent her spring break in Italy with a group of 12 students and two professors. On the trip, students considered the continuity between the life of the earliest Christians in their cities and present-day Christians in the city of Chicago.
This is a student blog post submitted by Melanie Lofgren, C鈥�18. Melanie is a psychology major, with a biblical and theological studies minor. She spent her spring break in Italy with a group of 12 students and two professors. On the trip, students considered the continuity between the life of the earliest Christians in their cities and present-day Christians in the city of Chicago.
Today I’ll share about something I鈥檓 not very knowledgeable about, and yet find incredibly interesting and thought-provoking.
Rome and art.
I鈥檒l start at the Vatican. We went to the Vatican museum on Tuesday and spent the day in our groups viewing, listening, and reading. Everything was simply beautiful. The artworks expressed feelings, depicted moments or a series of moments in time, or the feeling of multiple emotions, history, and so much more!
I want to focus on the Sistine Chapel. No pictures were allowed, as I was sternly told by a clearly aggravated Italian man shaking his hand at me. So, sorry, I don鈥檛 have any photos. The effort and thoroughness Michelangelo used to paint the chapel are insane to think about, not mention painful with the method he had to use. He depicts the final judgment, stories of Moses, moments in Jesus鈥檚 life, prophets, the book of Genesis, the apostles, and more. The amount of Christian history and significance in that room is incredible. Couple that with the one who painted it, and where . . . I was standing in one of the most significant places for Christians, and I鈥檓 Protestant.
As I stood in front of piece after piece in different museums, I felt something like what I like to believe the artists were feeling. It鈥檚 all subjective and can be interpreted differently, and yet each piece is timeless and has a story. Most Roman art we saw conveyed a historical event or religious belief.
Take the painting by Pietro Aquila, for instance. Located in the Room of Triumphs in
the Capitoline Museum, the battle scene depicts the victory of Alexander over Darius (ca. 1650鈥�92). I am initially frightened because I am extremely uncomfortable, afraid, and disapproving of the violence. However, as I take a closer look I see a deeper message. This is not simply a battle between Alexander the Great and the ultimate defeat of Darius, but it elevates Alexander to a higher level than previously. The sky is clear and bright revealing that this is a good scene. The bird flying overhead could be a scavenger waiting for a meal, a symbol for the inevitability of death. There are faces full of terror and ones of absolute confidence and power.
Before I go, I want to share my favorite painting with you; it鈥檚 the fresco of the riot between Pompeiians and Nucerians, 59 A.D., Pompei, Volume IV, plate XXXII by Fausto and Felice Niccolini. This is an illustration of a riot that occurred outside of the amphitheater in Pompeii in 59 CE, speculated to have been between organizations from different towns. It鈥檚 distinctive because the artist decided to paint this event rather than a gladiatorial fight, which was the most common use of the amphitheater. They鈥檙e also what you鈥檇 assume people would want to remember in a painting. It may be that the artist was connected to the riot somehow. The piece takes a bird鈥檚 eye perspective which removes the artist from the scene, whether that be to distance themselves to not be triggered by the event or because they were not there, I cannot say. It also is very spread out; each brawl and element are separated from each other, this is very different from the other art we saw during this time and that made it even more interesting. It is just so cool!
Interested in traveling with BTS next spring break?
Next year鈥檚 Spring Break Rome-Pompeii tour course,聽Christian Origins from the City Center, is accepting applications now.
How does 4 credit hours and 10 days in Rome and Pompeii over Spring Break 2018 (March 9-19, 2018) sound?
The BTS department invites students to join them for an experience that they鈥檒l never forget while also getting their second BTS Core course.
Reserve a聽spot on the tour before they’re all gone! Program leaders: Drs. Joel Willitts & Mary Veeneman.
FOR MORE INFO & TO APPLY: 萝莉社.BTS.ROME@GMAIL.COM
NON-REFUND DEPOSIT DUE: September 12, 2017
Dwight Perry has been called to be the new dean of faculty at North Park Theological Seminary.
Dr. Perry to begin July 1, 2017.
CHICAGO, IL (April 20, 2017) 鈥� Rev. Dr. Dwight Perry has been called to be the new dean of faculty at North Park Theological Seminary, as well as professor of homiletics and leadership.
Starting July 1st 2017, Rev. Dr. Perry will serve as Dean of Faculty and Professor of Homiletics and Leadership. 鈥淒r. Perry is an exceptional choice, he comes with extensive pastoral experience, denominational leadership, and academic administration experience,鈥� says Rev. Dr. David Kersten, vice president for church relations and dean of the Seminary. 鈥淩ev. Dr. Perry wants to make a significant legacy contribution to the community of pastors and feels particularly called to NPTS and the ECC,鈥� adds Kersten.
Both scholar and practitioner, this rare combination fills a need in theological education. Rev. Dr. Perry is ready to, 鈥渟erve in academic leadership within an evangelical seminary that is urban in its context, biblical at its foundation, and seeks to equip men and women for the work of the gospel,鈥� notes Rev. Dr. Perry as his career objective. As the first African American to graduate with a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, Rev. Dr. Perry has persevered across many barriers on race and diversity.
Prior to joining NPTS, Rev. Dr. Perry served as regional president/executive minister of Converge Great Lakes where he was known for his straight-talk approach to ministry. He also served as a professor of pastoral studies at the Moody Bible Institute, as a denominational executive with the Baptist General Conference, and as a senior pastor and associate pastor in several churches in Illinois. He is a sought-after national speaker and is passionate about proclaiming God’s Word. As a pastor and teacher in homiletics, he is one of the premier expository preachers in the U.S.A. He has spoken across the country in the area of diversity and inclusion, homiletics, organizational and systems development especially within a not for profit setting along with strategic planning and leadership development.
Rev. Dr. Perry and his wife Dr. Cynthia Perry, a tenured professor in the College of Education at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin have four adult children and five grandchildren.
Read about this news on Covenant Companion News.
Look for more on Dr. Perry when he begins his new role in July 2017.
Katie Brehmer C鈥�17, art education student, shares about her North Park experience.
Katie Brehmer C鈥�17, art education student, shares about her North Park experience.
Why did you choose North Park?
I grew up in the northwest suburbs, and I chose North Park because it was small, close to home, and had easy access to the city鈥攁 very nice combination.
What鈥檚 the Art Education program like?
The program in Art Education is a lot more challenging than most people think. The classes are rigorous and you need to be able to push yourself to be successful in both the education and art classes. You must have a passion for teaching and for art, not just one or the other. I am very proud that within my time at North Park I will have gained a double major with certifications in teaching both Special Education Students and English Language Learners. I鈥檝e also been able to gain a great deal of knowledge from the individuals I鈥檝e worked with while student teaching; my cooperating teacher at Foreman High School in Chicago has been such a wonderful mentor with a vast wealth of knowledge.
What do you do when you鈥檙e not in class?
I am quite busy with creating artwork for my senior solo show and working on the EdTPA for my license. I am also an RA on campus. This is my second year, and I have loved it. While working with Residence Life and Housing I have gained so many friends and have been able to develop my leadership skills. Juggling being a full-time student working toward getting my license to teach, creating a solo art show, working a full-time job student teaching, and being a Resident Assistant on campus has been challenging, but very fulfilling. I wouldn鈥檛 change this past years鈥� outcome.
What inspires you about Art Education?
Communication is so essential in life. Art is just another form of communication. It is a beautiful form that allows us to view the world in a different way, to make up the world we wish to see or to expose it for its realities. As one develops as an artist, it is easier to see the details in life鈥攖he specifics鈥攖hat one might miss had they not analyzed life as a whole and in its parts. It allows the beauty of life to be uncovered and explored. As an art teacher, I hope that I can show young adults the importance of art in our society and that it isn鈥檛 just the paintings or sculptures in a museum, but the world around us, like the ad on a billboard or the arrangement of flowers and foliage on a front lawn.
Why鈥檇 you decide to study Art Education?
I had the most amazing art teachers in high school. Throughout North Parks education program, you will find that most of us have had an inspiring teacher that helped us realize we also wanted to teach. At Maine East High School, the Fine Arts Department Chair set such a strong example of leadership and dedication. I also had three wonderful teachers who helped me realize that I wanted to be just like them; they are very strong, intellectual, and caring women who have left a lasting mark on my character and how I teach.
The Office of Advancement announces North Park鈥檚 second annual Giving Day on May 3.
The Office of Advancement announces North Park鈥檚 second annual Giving Day on May 3.
On #萝莉社BlueandGoldDay we invite the entire North Park community to Wear It. Give It. Share It. all in support of student scholarships and the University we love!
Here is how you can be a part of #萝莉社BlueandGoldDay:
WEAR IT! Show your North Park pride by wearing blue and gold. GIVE IT! Make a gift to the North Park Fund in support of our students. SHARE IT! Post on social media using #萝莉社BlueandGoldDay.
We look forward to celebrating #萝莉社BlueandGoldDay with you on May 3 and please encourage your North Park friends and family to join us on this special day.
A testament to 萝莉社鈥檚 distinct Christian identity and Professor Alice Iverson
This is a staff blog post written by Andy Meyer, C鈥�06. Andy graduated from North Park in 2006 with degrees in math and biblical and theological studies. He鈥檚 currently Head of Electronic Resources and ILL at Brandel Library.
A testament to 萝莉社鈥檚 distinct Christian identity and to Professor Alice Iverson
萝莉社 recently hosted Dr. Chris Gehrz from Bethel University to deliver a lecture titled The Pietist Option for (Current and Former) Evangelicals. In this lecture, Dr. Gehrz reflected on how pietism, a historical movement and ethos central to the Evangelical Covenant Church, could renew Evangelical Christianity.
This lecture inspired me to look back at my own experiences as a 萝莉社 undergraduate to see how this unique aspect of North Park鈥檚 Christian identity shaped my experience as a student. And in my reflecting, my thoughts have coalesced around a particular moment in the classroom that I see as embodying the Pietist ideals for higher education that define North Park鈥檚 mission.
As an undergraduate, I double-majored in mathematics and biblical and theology studies and eventually became interested in the intersection between the two fields. For some, the connections between mathematics and theology might seem laughable or even highly suspect. However, many Christian colleges and universities take these connections seriously. Within this realm, integrating faith and learning might look like understanding how Christian beliefs relate to mathematical axioms and truths. Another general approach would ask how Christian beliefs might guide the eventual application of this study鈥攖oward what end are you doing math? These are critical and important questions at Christian institutions. They are questions that I wrestled with as a North Park student. But, as I hope this story will illustrate, my experience as a student moved beyond these standard approaches and offered something unique.
The class was Real Analysis鈥攁 class that focused on abstract concepts and proofs. We started with a few simple axioms and progressed until we proved the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. I remember one class period toward the end of the semester when the entire board was covered in what I thought to be a mess of unconnected thoughts. Then, in a powerful moment of surprise, Professor Alice Iverson connected the dots and I understood this otherwise incomprehensible mess.
I remember a profound feeling of awe and even gratitude that鈥檚 hard to put into words. In that moment, I remember Professor Iverson putting the cap back on the marker and telling us: 鈥淪omewhere it is written: 鈥榳hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable鈥攊f anything is excellent or praiseworthy鈥攖hink about such things.鈥欌�� And then, while gesturing to the board, she said: 鈥淎nd this is True. And this is Beautiful. And we should think about such things.鈥�
At stake here was not our intellectual understanding of the subject matter or the proof on the board. The real lesson was that we should pursue the true and the beautiful in all areas of life. In this moment I was transfixed and transformed. Or, to borrow from language the Pietists, I was converted and reborn. This is a distinctive of North Park鈥檚 Christian identity. North Park focuses not only on forming correct opinions or on providing a Christian approach within a given discipline but also focuses on building a lifelong orientation toward the good, true, and beautiful.
And Professor Iverson鈥檚 concluding remark that 鈥渨e should think about such things鈥� was not a command from a teacher to a student. It was an exhortation that applied to us all鈥攖eacher and students鈥攅qually. Friendships with fellow math majors and my relationship with Professor Iverson embodied North Park鈥檚 focus on community-based Christian higher education.
This memory stays with me. The verses that Professor Iverson recited that day were read at my wedding and encapsulate much of what I learned as a student at North Park. In my current role in the Brandel Library, I work to support this educational missional by serving a community of students, faculty, and staff engaged not only in learning but also in transformation.
Over my spring break, I traveled with a group of students and professors to Italy.
This is a student blog post submitted by Melanie Lofgren, C’18. Melanie is a psychology major, with a biblical and theological studies minor. She spent her spring break in Italy with a group of 12 students and two professors. On the trip, students considered the continuity between the life of the earliest Christians in their cities and present-day Christians in the city of Chicago.
Over my spring break, I traveled with a group of 11 other students and two professors, all of us ranging in academic and professional disciplines . . . and in prior knowledge of Rome and Christian history. Despite being a Junior and a BTS minor, I actually haven鈥檛 taken many Bible or theology classes. I also never learned much of Roman history in junior high or high school, so this trip was going to be a whole new world and wealth of knowledge for me. Before the trip we read some books to brush up, or in my case learn about Christian and Roman history (it was a lot of information that did not care to remain in my brain during the trip).
As soon as we arrived, we were herded to our first three sights of the trip: The Pantheon, the Church of the Gesu, and the Ara Pacis. It鈥檚 important to note 鈥渉erding鈥� is a very appropriate term. We walked everywhere, led (or shall I say shepherded) by our two professors; we probably looked like a herd of unusual American tourists, and this is exactly what we were.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is one of the greatest gifts God has given us and that we can give to God.
Professors Willitts and Veeneman know how to travel. If there鈥檚 one thing I took away, it was how to be a traveler. We had free audio guides (courtesy of Rick Steve), and guide books that had enough information to spark conversation while not overwhelming us. I loved all the walking, and I chose to walk when given the option, even going on a mini 鈥減ilgrimage.鈥� Walking is a great way to see the city. Walking through Rome made me take in more of the city, see the neighborhoods and their aesthetics change, experience the interactions between people, not look like a tourist (a huge plus for me), get great exercise (and not feel guilty about all the pizza and pasta I consumed!), and it helped me navigate and understand the city. Although taking a bus everywhere may have been less tiring, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to grasp the immensity, extravagance, and culture nearly as well.
Let鈥檚 get back to what we did though. Every day we saw a few different places of significance to the Christian faith, to the Roman Empire, to western theology, and any combination of these. In this blog series, I鈥檒l talk about the places that I found to be the most intriguing, the knowledge and relationships I gained, and the topics that still lurk in my mind all while relating it to my life back in Chicago.
Before I wrap up this first post, I want to encourage anyone reading this to a) continue to read the rest of my series, b) study abroad or travel to other countries, and c) go on this trip! Traveling and experiencing a new culture is daunting and nerve-wracking. It is a humbling experience if you let it be (please let it!), and although the cons may seem to outweigh the pros in foresight, you will never regret the experience in hindsight, no matter how unplanned, disorganized, chaotic, and scary it may turn it out be.聽You still learn things years afterward, and stepping outside of your comfort zone is one of the greatest gifts God has given us and that we can give to God.
Interested in traveling with BTS next spring break?
I am so excited for everyone on campus to see the best poems, prose, paintings, drawings, and photography that the North Park student body has to offer.
This is a student blog post submitted by Kelsey Wilp聽C’17. Kelsey is聽an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing. She is the Senior Editor of the North Branch Literary and Fine Arts Journal.
North Branch senior staff: Jonathan Love, Zoe Larson, and聽Kelsey Wilp.
Greetings from the Wilson Hall Computer Lab!
My name is Kelsey Wilp and I am the Senior Editor of the North Branch Literary and Fine Arts Journal. You may have seen me at one of our two incredible on campus events earlier this school year. I read alongside my fellow staff members from my cringe-worthy high school diary at 鈥淢ortified 萝莉社鈥� and read a piece detailing my hatred for Middle School dances at our Anti-Valentine鈥檚 Day Extravaganza 鈥淪tupid Cupid!鈥� We like to laugh at our pain here at the North Branch.
This is my second and final year working on the recently-revived literary and fine arts journal and I have to brag that the North Branch has gone through a lot of changes. Since last year, our staff has grown from four to twenty-four and the number of submissions received was at an all-time high. We have been working hard to forge a stronger bond between the English and Art departments by including more art majors on staff and collaborating with our events and in the process of selecting pieces for the journal. There are also students from other majors on staff whose different perspectives and talents are welcomed.
Spring semester is the busiest time for the North Branch. We began advertising for submissions in the fall and Senior Lit Editor, Jonathan Love, and I made promotional videos that Professor Reinhold Dooley gave 鈥淭wo thumbs way up!!!!鈥� Those short films can be found on the North Branch Facebook page. We celebrated the end of the submissions process with our 鈥淪tupid Cupid!鈥� event which drew a large crowd of lonely souls who needed a place to haunt on Valentine鈥檚 Day.
The literature admissions process began the week of February 20th and was directed by Jonathan Love. He kept the staff on track and was able to get us through the process in three evening meetings. The staff met on the second floor of Brandel Library and read each individual written piece aloud and took a vote on what should be included in the journal this year. The next week, the art admissions process began, directed by Senior Art Editor Zoe Larson who got us through one single meeting in Brandel to choose the artwork that will be included in this year鈥檚 journal.
Now that the admissions process is complete, my staff and I are beginning the process of designing the journal, which will be sent off to the printer soon. Zoe and Jonathan worked together to weave the art and literature in one cohesive order so that thematic elements of both will complement each other.
Once the copies return to campus, we will have a distribution celebration in the form of our highly-anticipated release party! Like last year, there will be readings, live music, snacks, laughs, and good times. Be there!
I am so excited for everyone on campus to see the best poems, prose, paintings, drawings, and photography that the North Park student body has to offer.
鈥淵ou have an incredible opportunity to be a platform of change. That鈥檚 all I am. God is using me as His platform in here, but you can be a platform for the people on the outside.鈥�
This is a student blog post submitted by Thomas Cellilli, C’17. Thomas is a Biblical & Theological Studies major.
鈥淵ou have an incredible opportunity to be a platform of change. That鈥檚 all I am. God is using me as His platform in here, but you can be a platform for the people on the outside.鈥�
I shook his hand at least four times during our short conversation after the North Park Gospel Choir sang for and with the men of Stateville Correctional Center. He was sitting down, and I stood hunched over to hear his raspy voice through the roar of dialogues going on around us. He poured his heart out to me, and we laughed at our little connection鈥攈is middle name is the same as my first name, Thomas. We didn鈥檛 talk about why he was in prison, or how long he had previously waited on death-row. We simply looked each other in the eye as human being to human being鈥攏o walls or prison bars separating us鈥攁nd basked in the joy of connectedness we have in Jesus Christ our Lord who turns our Thomas-doubt into belief. He encouraged me with this: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter where you start, even if its doubting. It only matters where you end up.鈥�
This was my second visit to Stateville Correctional Center with the Gospel Choir, and I have been infinitely blessed by the love and encouragement of the inmates to which we have ministered. North Park鈥檚 Gospel Choir has visited the prison three times to sing for the inmates: once with the Touring Ensemble and twice with the larger choir. The Gospel Choir鈥檚 relationship with Stateville is largely indebted to the continued work of Dr. Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom who has been teaching classes to undergrads, graduate students, and inmates inside of the prison. Her class, Peace, Justice, and Restoration, 鈥渆xplores the theological and ethical foundations of justice ministries鈥and] probes the grounds of the claim that 鈥榡ustice is central to biblical religion.鈥欌��
Thanks to the efforts of the North Park faculty, the Gospel Choir has been allowed to interact and sing with the inmates on multiple occasions. I am no singer, nor do I claim to be, but singing praises to our God with those who are in prison has been one of the most powerful experiences in my Christian walk to this day. Both last semester and this semester, I was moved to tears on several occasions as God鈥檚 Presence filled the theater at Stateville while we proclaimed the miracles and wonders of our One God.
I implore my brothers and sisters in Christ who had seen firsthand what powerful works God is doing behind bars and those who have been moved by this witness to continue praying for the men of Stateville. Hebrews 13:3 commands us, 鈥淩emember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body鈥� (ESV). Neither walls, nor bars, nor cells, fences, chains, nor isolation can divide the body of Christ. It is our job as brothers and sisters to use what platforms God has given us to speak out against injustice and pray for Heaven to come down to earth.
Completely updated interior, with re-configurations of practice rooms and faculty studios, as well as an impressive vaulted concept in Hanson Hall 23.
In May through December of 2017, 萝莉社鈥檚 beloved music facility, Hanson Hall, will undergo a comprehensive renovation, and re-open for the spring semester 2018.
In addition to a completely updated interior, with re-configurations of practice rooms and faculty studios, as well as an impressive vaulted concept in Hanson Hall 23 (soon to be Hanson Hall 202), the project will include three key features:
climate control,
acoustical treatment of all rooms,
and an elevator, creating 100% accessibility for our students, faculty, staff, and guests.
The lead architect, Bill Ketchum of Stantec, also led the design efforts for North Park鈥檚 Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, as well as for the new building project at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago鈥檚 Lincoln Square neighborhood. He and his colleagues are bringing a breadth of expertise and creativity to the project. Carl Balsam, North Park鈥檚 Executive Vice President, is leading the project for the institution.
Craig Johnson, Dean of the School of Music, Art, and Theatre, states that the project will be a 鈥渉uge boost for the music program, as well as recognition of the historical importance of music and the arts in the North Park community.鈥�
In early spring 2018, a special event will take place to celebrate the Hanson re-opening.
Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Stories
Take the painting by Pietro Aquila, for instance. Located in the Room of Triumphs in
Before I go, I want to share my favorite painting with you; it鈥檚 the fresco of the riot between Pompeiians and Nucerians, 59 A.D., Pompei, Volume IV, plate XXXII by Fausto and Felice Niccolini. This is an illustration of a riot that occurred outside of the amphitheater in Pompeii in 59 CE, speculated to have been between organizations from different towns. It鈥檚 distinctive because the artist decided to paint this event rather than a gladiatorial fight, which was the most common use of the amphitheater. They鈥檙e also what you鈥檇 assume people would want to remember in a painting. It may be that the artist was connected to the riot somehow. The piece takes a bird鈥檚 eye perspective which removes the artist from the scene, whether that be to distance themselves to not be triggered by the event or because they were not there, I cannot say. It also is very spread out; each brawl and element are separated from each other, this is very different from the other art we saw during this time and that made it even more interesting. It is just so cool!
