--- title: "Inside JCU’s MA in Art History: Exploring Roman Craftsmanship With Artist Stefano Prisco" description: Discover how JCU’s MA in Art History students explored Roman craftsmanship and contemporary sculpture during a workshop with artist Stefano Prisco. image: https://blog.johncabot.edu/hubfs/AH%20Fabricating%20Rome.jpg --- [![JCULogo1](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/JCULogo1.png?width=300&height=80&name=JCULogo1.png "JCULogo1")](https://blog.johncabot.edu/blog?hsLang=en) [![JCULogo2](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/JCULogo2.png?width=300&height=82&name=JCULogo2.png "JCULogo2")](https://blog.johncabot.edu/blog?hsLang=en) - [Undergraduate](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/undergraduate) - [Graduate](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/graduate) - [Study Abroad](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/study-abroad) - [Italian](https://blog.johncabot.edu/it/blog) - [Website](https://www.johncabot.edu/) - Filter By Topics - Scegli Il Topic - [All](https://blog.johncabot.edu) - [Academics](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/academics) - 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Fabricating Rome Fall 2026](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hubfs/Email%20Signature%20Headshots%20(Desktop%20version)/JCU%20Circular%20Logo.png) Written By [JCU MA Students - Fabricating Rome Fall 2026](https://blog.johncabot.edu/author/jcu-ma-students-fabricating-rome-fall-2026) Topic [Academics](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/academics), [Graduate](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/graduate), [Class Review](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/class-review), [Art History](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/art-history), [University in Rome](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/university-in-rome) What can the study of art history reveal about the relationship between artistic traditions and contemporary creative practice? In Rome, where centuries of art remain part of the city’s cultural landscape, students have the opportunity to explore this relationship not only through historical works of art, but also through the people and techniques that continue to shape the city’s artistic life. [John Cabot University’s Master of Arts in Art History](https://www.johncabot.edu/master-art-history/) is designed around the study of art in its historical, cultural, and material contexts. The program emphasizes student research, methodological innovation, and faculty mentorship. Through engagement with artworks, cultural sites, and primary sources, students investigate artistic traditions spanning antiquity to the present. One example is ***Fabricating Rome*** (AH 672), a graduate course taught by **Professor Cornelia Lauf** that explores the connections between contemporary artistic practices and Rome’s artisanal heritage. On September 10, 2026, **Roman artisan and artist Stefano Prisco** visited the class for a workshop, demonstrating how he transforms everyday materials into sculptures inspired by classical traditions. In the following article, students from the Fall 2026 *Fabricating Rome* class share their experience meeting Prisco and learning about his artistic process, inspirations, and approach to sculpture. ## **Meeting Artist Stefano Prisco** Within the opening weeks of the fall semester, on September 10, 2026, Professor Cornelia Lauf invited **artist Stefano Prisco** to her class, ***Fabricating Rome***, for a collaborative artisanal workshop focused on the artist and his technical practice. Dr. Lauf’s graduate seminar focuses on local artists and craft artisans based in Rome, exploring a historical continuum between contemporary practice and heritage traditions in Italy. Prisco creates sculptures from everyday objects and replicates classical sculptures displayed at the Galleria Borghese. Prisco is a sculptor who primarily works with paper, cardboard, and clay. In class, he showed part of his process by demonstrating how he sculpts a hand. First, he folds a small piece of cardboard in half and glues it down. He uses leftover cardboard from anything he can find, particularly cereal boxes from the cereal his brother likes to eat. He cuts out the shape of a thumb. He then folds a larger piece of cardboard in half, cuts a slit in the center of the fold, and slides the thumb through. The cardboard is glued shut to secure the thumb within it, and the shapes of the four fingers are drawn and cut out around it. As the glue dries, Prisco shapes the hand and fingers into whatever position he chooses. For this workshop, the hand was positioned as if holding another hand. Prisco used to work in wood and iron, but found that paper was more expressive, “With paper, you can do anything—there are no limits.” It is also more forgiving. His process is one he created himself, and he uses paper, clay, stucco, and other natural materials such as woolen yarn. He takes pride in being “eco-sustainable.”  He conceives of paper as the skeleton of the sculpture, clay as the flesh, and stucco as the skin. His sculptures are inspired by antiquity, the Renaissance, and the Baroque. His particular role model is Bernini, but he loves figurative art in general. ![AH Fabricating Rome 2](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/AH%20Fabricating%20Rome%202.jpg?width=770&height=505&name=AH%20Fabricating%20Rome%202.jpg) ### Reinterpreting Classical Sculpture Through Everyday Materials The sculptures Prisco makes are *his* interpretations of these artistic movements and styles. He coined the term “*Meo*classical” to describe his approach. One example he brought to class is a sculpture of a young man lounging next to a dog, titled *Nomad*. The sculpture has a classically idealized body and modest drapery, drawing on the typology of a Roman river god, yet it departs from this tradition by being named specifically after those who have no home. Another piece he brought to class is a miniature replica of a classical Greek helmet, accompanied by a stand and pedestal. Entirely made of paper, it nevertheless has the texture and green patina associated with ancient bronze. Prisco has always been fascinated by antiquity and particularly enjoys archaeology, incorporating these interests into his work. ### The Relationship Between Materials and the Human Body In expressing his personal connection to building his sculptures, Prisco shared that “Working on a piece for months, I build a connection with the form.” He showed the class a miniature sculpture of a chair with a pair of pants, a button on a shirt, and a backpack on the chair, with a pair of shoes on the floor next to it. The small-scale scene is made entirely of paper on a cardboard platform he built. With the thinness of the paper, he can delicately shape it to look worn by making slight folds and wrinkles. In relation to the sculpture, he expressed, “When you take your clothes off it still has the form of your body.” ![AH Fabricating Rome 4](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/AH%20Fabricating%20Rome%204.jpg?width=770&height=481&name=AH%20Fabricating%20Rome%204.jpg) ### Sculpture, Accessibility, and Human Connection Prisco has worked in art restoration and woodworking and is currently working with the Galleria Borghese to build replicas of the Galleria’s sculptures, with the purpose of allowing visually impaired visitors to touch the replicas and thus “see” the artefacts. He is also using his artistic practice as a form of art therapy. He believes that, through his art, he is most capable of transmitting his humanity, and thus is able to genuinely connect with others. By being his authentic self, he can help others find themselves as well. The workshop was an opportunity for the class to meet an artist who utilizes his creative background to form a unique experience for those who are visually impaired visiting the museum. Prisco’s sculptures were featured in his exhibition *Meoclassico* at the Museo di Arte Contemporanea e del Novecento in September 2024. You can find more information about Stefano Prisco on his Instagram page, @stefano.prisco.338, and on Facebook, where he posts his recent sculptures. ### A Collaborative Reflection on Art and Craftsmanship The class is grateful to have shared this experience and to have learned about a Roman artist firsthand. The students thank Stefano Prisco for sharing his time and techniques. The students thank Dr. Stefania Vannini at Galleria Borghese for the kind support of the workshop. This article is a group effort by Professor Cornelia Lauf’s Fall 2026 master’s class, *Fabricating Rome*, at John Cabot University. **Contributors:** - Micaela Caimares —Interviewer and Writer - Ana Teoh — Writer - Olivia De Laura — Translator - Lucia Catino and Heather Swanson-Cusimano — Photographers - Prathibha Rathnam Srinivasa and Gabrielle Nagle — Editors ### Exploring Art History at JCU Stefano Prisco’s workshop offered students a closer look at how artistic traditions continue to inspire contemporary creative practice. By exploring his techniques, materials, and approach to sculpture, the *Fabricating Rome* class experienced firsthand how the study of art history can extend beyond historical works to include the artists and artisans shaping Rome’s cultural landscape today. At John Cabot University, the MA in Art History gives students the opportunity to explore the artistic traditions of Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean through research, faculty mentorship, and engagement with the city’s rich cultural heritage. ### FAQs About JCU’s MA in Art History What is JCU’s MA in Art History? JCU's Master of Arts in Art History is a graduate program based in Rome that explores the arts of Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean, from antiquity to the present. The program emphasizes art-historical research, methodological approaches, and faculty mentorship. What makes studying art history in Rome unique? Studying in Rome gives students opportunities to engage directly with artworks, historic buildings, museums, archaeological sites, churches, archives, and other cultural resources. JCU’s courses connect the study of art history with the city’s rich artistic heritage. Do JCU’s MA in Art History students gain practical experience? The program includes a Professional Experience component, which students can complete through an internship at a museum, gallery, foundation, research institute, or JCU. This offers opportunities to explore professional interests in areas such as curation, research, and teaching. What can you do with an MA in Art History? An MA in Art History can provide a foundation for careers in museums, galleries, cultural heritage, publishing, and research, among other fields. It can also support students interested in pursuing further academic study. --- Interested in studying art history in Rome? Discover [JCU’s MA in Art History](https://www.johncabot.edu/master-art-history/) and explore the program’s curriculum, faculty, and opportunities to study art in one of the world’s most historically significant artistic centers. 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