The Eye of Rome Jacopo Ripanda lived a life that felt deeply connected to the stones and shadows of ancient Rome. Though he was born in Bologna, his heart belonged to the ruins of the imperial past. Very little is known about his early years or the specific moments that shaped his youth, but he emerged from the artistic circles of his home city, learning under masters like Ercole Grandi and Lorenzo Costa. These teachers provided him with a foundation in the Emilian tradition, yet Ripanda sought something more than the devotional subjects common to his peers. He looked toward the weathered ma…