Professor Raffaello Palumbo Mosca visited the University of Denver, Wednesday, to give students, faculty and visitors a lecture on the depictions of Rome in the media. This lecture, two years in the making, was repeatedly rescheduled due to Covid-19 conflicts, so organizers were not shy in sharing their excitement about the event’s occurrence.
Born in Turin, Italy, Mosca holds doctorate degrees from both the University of Turin and the University of Chicago, and now works at the University of Kent where he has produced multiple publications on the side.
The inspiration for Wednesday’s lecture came from a series of publications titled ‘Paper Cities’, each of which explores a different European city. When asked to write the book on Rome, Mosca explored how literature and film have represented the city from the 20th century to present day.
“What is the distance between the self and the projection of the self and the character, is in short, minimal, life and art are inextricably linked,” said Mosca, in discussing the impact media has on individuals.
Mosca drew a comparison between art and culture, stating “Rome is the spirit of the city of Berlin, and Caravaggio of Raphael”.
Drawing on the history of the city and the impact artists, philosophers, and others had on such richly historic locations, Mosca made claims on how Rome gained its reputation as a majestic and romantic destination.
He claimed it is important that one understands the history of the city in order to understand the impact of modern literature, as they draw on individuals, stories and ideas from the past.
“It is exactly the beauty of these two elements,” said Mosca, in discussing the impact of Rome. “Culture and nature contribute to the volume [at which] men can be happy”.
Mosca shared a clip from the 2013 film La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty), where he pointed out the director’s choice to intentionally show a famous monument without its outer circle, which was destroyed by earthquakes in 1634 and 1703.
He stated that this choice was “a clear metaphor of that ongoing oblique leading to destruction of an action and dignified past.”
The lecture was held on the fourth floor of Sturm Hall, and light refreshments were available prior to the scheduled meeting. The lecture hall held around 40 listeners, a majority were students, but many professors and administrators in the DU language department were also present.
Multiple audience members were taking notes on Mosca’s teachings and appeared to be focussed on the slideshow that accompanied his voice. While hard to pick up on the consistent transitions between English and Italian, much of the audience appeared confused and overwhelmed with the material being presented.
“I really enjoyed the visuals of Professor Mosca’s presentation,” said Jamie O’Malley, a sophomore who takes Italian classes at DU. “But, it was really hard to follow what he was saying and understand the claims he was making.”
The majority of Mosca’s lecture was read directly from notes that sat on the table before him. Looking up briefly from his papers to make small sarcastic comments or crack jokes, Mosca received a few laughs from the crowd.
Following the presentation the audience had the opportunity to ask Mosca questions regarding his work, career, and life in Italy. During this time he acknowledged how grateful he was for the DU community supporting him throughout his few days in Denver.
The completion of Wednesday’s lecture was met with applause and further conversation amongst small groups.
“Someone before us helped to create and preserve,” concluded Mosca, emphasizing the ways in which the audience can interpret the information presented in their own lives. “That is, in a way to be able to see the gap and to pass the baton to us, here and now.”
MFJS Reporter Spring 2022 