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21 January 1881 — Rome | |
Friday. 21st January [1881]. At 9.30 I was starting for the Villa Campana to have my first lesson in modelling from Mr Warrington Wood when Alessandro Castellani came so I left him with Henry & went off in a cab. Mr Wood arranged a place for me in a little room at the back of his show studio & I saw the whole process—of putting up a stake & on it sticking a quantity of wet clay. He hung up a small head in plaister from Trajan’s column & I set to work—very awkwardly & stuck on bits of clay to form the head in relief. Amelia & Mrs Hamilton came & talked to me & Mr Wood came & went from time to time. The time soon flew by & 12 o’cl came when I had to get a cab & returned to the hotel. Dressed & then walked with Henry to 33 Via Gregoriana to lunch with our American friends Mr & Mrs J. W. Field. They have a pleasant appartment high up—with beautiful sun to brighten it. We met Signor & Mme Lanciani. She is an American Lady & he a distinguished man director of the excavations at Rome. The dining room was only large eno’ to admit of our being 6 at table. It was a very pleasant little party. After taking coffee Henry took me to Castellani’s house & I went to a shop with Mme C. to buy some silks for work & then walked back to the hotel. Henry joined me later. We had a visit from M. Obédénare the Roumelian secy of Legation who had been at one time with us at Consple. He is a learned man & talked in a very interesting manner of the Walachian Greek & other races on wh subject he has written a book. He was decidedly anti Greek. Henry gave him a note of introduction to Mr Trollope who lives here. We walked to the Castellani’s house at 7 to dine there. Met Mr Field & Mr Morgan—a very pleasant little party– Mr Castellani’s son Guglio & his wife joined us in the eveng. Mme Castellani showed us 4 books of Venetian patterns of the 16th & 17th centuries wh they had bought. Very interesting & beautiful in design & colour. She also showed & put on various ancient costumes that she has– We walked home abt 11. | |
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