Born in the Paleolithic, Professor Lauren Golden has studied Art History... forever, and is still the 鈥楨ternal Student鈥� with a passion for all things Rome - where the saying 鈥榥on basta una vita鈥� (one life is not enough) is absolutely true.
Developing a specialization in Raphael (and, after 7 years, still intermittingly writing a biography of the artist!), Professor Golden eventually became entangled in the tentacles of the Renaissance that reach back to Ancient Rome and then forward to the Baroque. This led to reading nothing but factual books about Rome for over 20 years!
For 10 years, she taught students on annual trips to Italy and then, finally, fulfilled her dream of moving to this, "the city of my heart".
The courses that Professor Golden teaches reflect her life-long passion for the art and history of Rome. 鈥楽acred Space: Religious Architecture of Rome鈥�, 鈥楢rt, Power, and Propaganda鈥�, and the soon to be launched 鈥楢rt of the Romantic Imagination鈥� all include material and aspects Rome spanning the ancient to the modern.
"For me, the joy of teaching is everything and these courses allow me to pass on to students an understanding of the eternal influence of this magnificent city, where through our study together we experience the 鈥榚ternal return鈥� of Mircea Eliade. But then, in the words of T. S. Eliot, at 鈥渢he end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.鈥�
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Q. When were you happiest?
Every trip I made to Rome before moving to Rome.
Q. What is your computer and/or phone wallpaper?
Laptop wallpaper 鈥� A photo of a sign to 鈥楤ase Camp Everest鈥�.
Q. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A poet or an artist
Q. Which word of phrase do you most overuse?
"Nothing is is ever obvious."
Q. What is the worst job you鈥檝e ever done?
A cleaner for private residences as a student to earn money.
Q. If you weren鈥檛 a professor, what would you be?
A mountaineer or an astronaut
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Q. What trait do you most dislike in yourself?
I don鈥檛 do enough house cleaning!
Q. What trait do you most dislike in others?
Lying
Q. What鈥檚 your guilty pleasure?
Reading Fiction that takes place in Rome 鈥� any period.
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Q. If you could travel back in time just once, where and when would you go?
Tricky! Either Late Republican Rome or Rome c.1511
Q. How do you relax?
Drawing, painting and playing guitar.
Q. What is the most important lesson that life has taught you?
Ad astra per aspera - Keep going!
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Q. If you could bring something extinct or a deceased historic figure back to life, what/who would it be?
Raphael
Q. Tell us a secret鈥�
Many, many years ago, I once illegally climbed onto the Palatine Hill at night!
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If you'd like to know more about Professor Golden, read her academic biography here.