u/socks

In 2017, Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi shocked the world when it sold for $450.3 million. Yet behind its record-breaking price lies a centuries-old mystery: the crystal orb held by Christ. If the orb were solid, basic optics suggest that the robes behind it should appear distorted. Instead, they remain strangely undisturbed. Was Leonardo making a scientific mistake, or was there something more deliberate at work? Three major theories emerged, from divine symbolism and Renaissance artistic conventions to modern computer simulations. The final theory suggests Leonardo may have painted a hollow glass sphere with astonishing optical accuracy—possibly proving that the “mistake” was actually genius.

Villa Borghese’s paths are lined with busts of artists, scientists and historical figures. The three in these photos are Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo and Archimedes.

I love stopping to look at the faces and read the names. Some you recognise from school; others leave you wondering who they were.

The first busts were commissioned by the Roman Republic in 1849, with additions continuing into the twentieth century. The city lists 229, though some are badly damaged or missing altogether.

I photographed all the recognisable ones I could find, 181 in total, and wrote about each person. The photos and biographies are on my website, Villa Borghese Guide.

It’s completely free to use. If you’re walking around the park and wondering who someone was, you can look them up as you go. You can also browse from home. Thought a few fellow Rome enthusiasts here might enjoy it.