Pope Francis recently elected the first woman in charge of the Vatican Museums. In this role, Barbara Jatta is officially the highest ranking woman in the Vatican. This is her story.<\/p>\n
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To say, Jatta grew up around art would be an understatement. Think Blue Bloods<\/i> but instead of growing up in a family of police officers, Barbara Jatte grew up in a family where love for art and history ran deep.<\/p>\n
Jatta\u2019s…<\/p>\n
#NBD<\/p>\n
Jatta didn\u2019t stray from the family business. She studied art history at the Sapienza University of Rome and went on to work for the national Italian museums and as a lecturer at the University of Naples.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n While doing research for an upcoming exhibition, Jatta reached out to the Vatican Library for funding. It wasn\u2019t long before she and the library cardinal developed a wonderful working relationship. Jatta remembers the cardinal saying, \u201cI like you as a student, and as a person, I like your energy.\u201d<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n The cardinal wasn\u2019t kidding about his respect and admiration for Jatta: in 1996, he invited Jatta to officially join his team.<\/p>\n And just like that Jatta began her her-torical (no, it\u2019s not a typo #herstory) career at the Vatican. She was in \u201cheaven.\u201d<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Fast forward: After 20 years of hard work in the Vatican Library, \u00a0the cardinal librarian summoned Jatta to his office on a seemingly insignificant Friday in May 2016.<\/p>\n We imagine the conversation started out something like this…<\/p>\n Cardinal (cue Godfather-esque<\/i> accent): \u201cI’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse…\u201d<\/p>\n Okay, okay, just kidding.<\/p>\n What the Cardinal actually said was: \u201cIn the Vatican state, there is an unwritten law: You never apply for a position, and you never refuse it if it\u2019s proposed to you.\u201d<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n What was that position?<\/p>\n Director of the Vatican Museums!<\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret at this point that Jatta did, in fact, accept the nomination!<\/p>\n In that moment, Jatta not only became the first female deputy director of the Vatican Museums, but the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican to date! (#makingherstory)<\/p>\n Jatta now oversees thirteen major departments, the 60 heads of those departments, some 150 restorers and conservators, 350 guards AND is responsible for 200,000 works of art spanning five millennia, from ancient Egypt to the present day.<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n When Vogue asked Jatta, \u201cHow\u2019s it going?\u201d, Jatta replied, \u00a0\u201cBusy, busy, busy: more and more. There are so many different things you have to deal with at the same time, from administration projects to restoration, conferences, lectures, meetings, exhibitions, and cultural diplomacy\u2026\u201d<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Thankfully, Jatta is more than up to the task!<\/p>\nAll Roads Lead To Rome<\/h3>\n
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility<\/h3>\n
Storied Past, Bright Future<\/h3>\n