Etruscan enchantement

It 's time of Etruscan art. In addition to the exhibition in Rome dedicated to the Etruscans of Cerveteri, in Cortona is scheduled until July 31, another important initiative. Cortona is a beautiful town in Tuscany, a few kilometers from Umbria and Lake Trasimeno. For this exhibition the British Museum has lent many pieces Etruscans.

Etruscan enchantement 

the landscape and the lake Trasimeno, photo a.p. 2011

M.a.e.c  museum in Cortona, photo a.p. 2011

Cortona is a town of Etruscan origins and many objects are visible in the MAEC museum and the ancient Etruscan Academy. In the district of Camucia there are also some Etruscan tombs.

Etruscan tomb in an old photo 

In 1840, some residents discovered a famous and big chandelier in bronze.

Sometimes in museums Cortona tourists can see works of Etruscan art that have long been in foreign countries. This time, visitors can see nice objects from the British Museum.
Many works of Etruscan civilization were purchased  three hundred years ago by Thomas Coke during his stay in Florence and Rome. In the exhibition are also documented studies that  Thomas Dempster reported, ​​on behalf of Lord Coke, with the book very rare and precious De Etruria Regali.

Askos, duck. From the British Museum

                                            photo by the press office of the exhibition

Etruscan statue of a young man, from the British Museum

photo by the press office of the exhibition

The Etruscans loved music and dance
Stone tablet from the British Museum
photo by the press office of the exhibition

De Etruria Regali, written by Thomas Dempster in Pisa between 1616 and 1619,
 but published in Florence  between 1720 and 1726
Photo by the press office of the exhibition

To read more: Etruscan Enchantement Maec Cortona

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Tourists love very Cortona and the many works of Renaissance art that can be seen in museums and churches.

tourists in a museum of art-photo a.p. 2011

Some great artists were born in Cortona. But many tourists admire a large painting by Fra Angelico. For more, see article and some photos (Cortona art ) 

For some time tourists arrive in Tuscany with low-cost flights arriving in Pisa or other cities. Some trains stop at stations Cortona-Camucia or Terontola-Cortona but the town is in the high position. So you have to take a bus or book a taxi.
For those who love the Etruscan history are other important destinations in Volterra, Tarquinia, Perugia, Vatican museums, Orvieto, many Etruscan sites in Lazio, etc

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Summer in Rome and surroundings

On June 21, with a concert at the Capitol (Campidoglio) began the Summer Festival of the Municipality of Rome.

In the program there will be concerts, outdoor movie screenings, cultural events, special openings of monuments, art exhibitions and so on.
In every district of Rome are organized events and the detailed program is very extensive.

until July 20, however, continues the great exhibition on the Etruscans of Cerveteri

 Exhibition Palace Via Nazionale 

until September 14: exhibition of works by Michelangelo in the Capitoline Museums

Tourists sometimes can get into the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel in the evening. 

In the summer, many inhabitants of Rome are moved to the nearby seaside towns: Circeo, Sperlonga, Santa Marinella, Terracina, Nettuno, Tarquinia Lido etc. Some also go to the nearby island of Ponza. Those who have little time prefer the beaches of Ostia. So many events and activities are organized in these places by different municipalities. Tourists can then choose between a lot of fun.
In many places in the Lazio region there are archaeological evidence, medieval castles and works of art.

Many tourists in the summer are very fond of gardens and beautiful fountains of Tivoli(about 30 kilometres east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river)

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Raphael and Bramante in a church in Rome

Not far from the famous Piazza Navona is situated the church of Santa Maria della Pace. In this place, tourists can see many works of art.

baroque facade of Pietro da Cortona
to the side of the church entrance to the spaces of the Cloister of Bramante

detail of a fresco by Raphael in the Chigi Chapel

Cloister of Bramante
the cloister was completed around the year 1504

old decorations in the cloister


entrance to an exhibition in the Cloister of Bramante

Inside the church there are several frescoes but the most popular are the Sibyls of Raphael. The famous painter worked in this church on behalf of the banker Chigi. Other painters who painted in this church are Baldassare Peruzzi, Rosso Fiorentino, etc..
Next to the church is the beautiful cloister built by Bramante. In the annex to the cloister are often temporary exhibitions of art. And some of these events are very popular among the inhabitants of Rome who love art or history.
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When the church is closed people can see the Sibyls of Raphael from the top floor of the cloister.
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For more info and other photos, see the article: Santa Maria della Pace e chiostro del Bramante
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The photos above are by alpav 2012
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Florence and collectors

At the "Galleria dell'Accademia" in Florence from June 24 to August 12 the exihibition "The fortunes of the Primitives" (la fortuna dei Primitivi).

It proposes to offer a critical-bibliographic picture of the important cultural phenomenon concerning the history of taste and collecting in Italy.
The exhibition shows paintings, statues and other art objects collected in a systematic way by many collectors. And many of these works come from Tuscany.
Privitali Giovanni was the first person who became interested in the serious collector of Italian art.
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To read more: art treasures from italian collections

The Veneto of Paolo Veronese

To celebrate the painter Paolo Veronese, from July 5, 2014 until January 19, 2015 art exhibition will be open to Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Castelfranco Veneto, Bassano del Grappa and other places in the Veneto.
The major exhibition “Paolo Veronese. The Illusion of Reality” hovewer will be in the Palazzo della Gran Guardia (Verona) from 5 July to 5 October 2014.
Few artists have captured the colours of the Renaissance Veneto, its luminous spaces and sumptuous architecture, as effectively as Paolo Veronese. In Verona, Vicenza and elsewhere will be exposed paintings of different foreign museums. So it is a very good initiative for art lovers.

frescoes in the Villa Barbaro-Maser

allegories of navigation, painting from Los Angeles-Museum of Art

allegories of love, painting from the National Gallery-London

Paolo Caliari, known as Paolo Veronese ( Verona 1528 – Venice 1588) was a painter based in Venice Republic, famous for large history paintings of both religious and mythological subjects.

Art experts are hoping that in the course of the exhibition is completed the restoration of a famous painting preserved in Venice: the Feast in the House of Levi

photos by Studio Esseci
website of the exhibition of Verona °°°

Paolo Veronese was a citizen of the Republic of Venice and in his hometown  sometimes there are commemorations of the ancient republic. The artist was tried by the Inquisition Tribunal for the aristocratic style of the painting  Last Supper of Jesus, but was sentenced only to change the title of the work. And now we know the big picture as  the Feast in the House of Levi
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Siena, Lux in Nocte 2014

On June 21, 2014, Saturday, the day of the summer solstice, the monumental complex of the Cathedral of Siena presents the third edition of the Night of the Opera with a special opening of the Cathedral, the Piccolomini library, the "Crypt", the Museum of the Cathedral, the Baptistery etc..

In addition to lights and music are also organized tours to many works of art of Siena.
Tourists among other things will occasionaly see the painting "Madonna del Latte" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
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However, any occasion is good to visit a beautiful city like Siena. And then there is the famous Palio. The next dates of the famous event on July 2 and August 16.

Siena, the cathedral

Siena, Piazza del Campo in the night-photo alpav

parade of a "contrada"-photo alpav

exercise of flag-wavers,  waiting for the Palio-photo alpav

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Art in Trastevere, old neighborhood of Rome

In ancient times it was a very popular district and there were people from all over the Roman Empire. In Trastevere there are archaeological evidence like an ancient barracks of the fire, a temple of Syrians living in Rome etc..
Even Christianity spread very quickly in this part of Rome. Some private homes (domus) initially functioned as churches.
Over the centuries in the same places they were built beautiful churches with many works of art.
The most famous churches in the district are the basilica of Santa Maria, the churchs of Santa Cecilia and San Crisogono.
In the basements of the churches of Santa Cecilia and San Grisogono, visitors can see the remains of the houses used by the earliest Christians.
All three churches in Trastevere are really nice and tourists are always very happy to visit them.

S.Cecilia church, ciborium by Arnolfo di Cambio -photo ap

S.Cecilia church-statue Cecilia by Stefano Maderno-photo ap

In convent next to the church is a beautiful fragment of a fresco by Cavallini

Santa Maria in Trastevere, facade-photo by wikipedia

Santa Maria in Trastevere, mosaics (some by Cavallini)-photo a.p

San Crisogono, facade- photo a.p.

In Trastevere you can also visit Villa Farnesina and a famous fresco by Raphael. But in 1879 in the gardens of the villa were found archaeological remains of an ancient building. The beautiful frescos that were discovered can be seen in a museum . 

Galatea by Raphael and other frescos

Even the residents of other neighborhoods like Trastevere. Many go for walks or to buy crafts. All in good weather enjoy alfresco dining in the restaurants .
The neighborhood in the summer also organizes a famous festival ( Festa de Noantri).
In the area there is much interest in the ancient folk traditions.

In an important square of Trastevere is the monument to poet Gioacchino Belli. His poems were written in the typical Roman dialect.

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A part of the district borders the River Tiber (Tevere).
This is a very old picture, but the Vatican is not far 

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Florence, Palazzo Davanzati

In Florence there are some historic homes. One of these old houses is in the Palazzo Davanzati. This palace was erected in the second half of the 14th century by the family Davizzi. In 1578 the building was purchased by Bernard Davanzati.

Davanzati palace, photos by alb.pv. 2013

In the palace, now converted into a museum, are visible some frescoed halls. Tourists can see  the rooms of peacocks and parrots, some bedrooms, a dining room, a study room.
In the rooms of the building are visible even antique furniture and a large collection of lace.

detail of a painting by Lo Scheggia, image from wikipedia

To read more: Museum of Palazzo Davanzati.
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Other important ancient houses in Florence are those of the Buonarroti family museum, Casa Martelli, Horne Museum etc.
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The Medici villa at Poggio a Caiano

The beautiful villa- not far from Prato and Florence- was commissioned by Lorenzo de 'Medici  around the year 1480.

the architect of the villa was Giuliano da Sangallo

photo © alpv 2012

The villa's gardens are very beautiful and inside the building are preserved several works of art.
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The villa can be visited also the small theater that was built by Marguerite Louise d'Orléans (the wife of a duke of Tuscany) and the apartment of Bianca Cappello, who died here in 1587.
In the large hall are visible frescoes by Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo, Franciabigio, Alessandro Allori etc.
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The villa was also used by the King of Italy, then some of the furniture and decorations are the nineteenth century.
Other villas belonged to the historic Medici family are visited by tourists. Also Villa of Petraia is interesting.

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If you choose a hotel in Prato can obviously also the beautiful cathedral and many beautiful monuments.

Agostino di Duccio: renaissance sculpture

Agostino di Duccio (1418 – c. 1481) was born in Tuscany, but after the first experiences with the famous Donatello, he worked particularly in Umbria and Emilia-Romagna.

Perugia, San Bernardino-sculptures on the facade-picture © ap

Modena, cathedral -sculptures on the facade minor-picture © ap

But the most important sculptures by Agostino are in the Malatesta Temple (Tempio Malatestiano) in Rimini. In this city of Romagna, the sculptor created the famous reliefs of zodiacal  and mythological figures.
The beaches of Rimini are famous but tourists in the historical center can also see important works of art and archaeological evidence.
In Rimini hotels are numerous and the trip can also be done with air flights low cost (also from Russia).
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Sculptures by Agostino di Duccio are also in the Louvre and other European museums.

Madonna d'Auvillers, Louvre-by wikimedia (Sailko)

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Read more, italian article: sculptor Agostino di Duccio

Florence, ancient and contemporary art

From June 10 to November 2 in Florence at the Silver Museum, people will see the beautiful decorations of the chapel of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany realized in the years 1550-1620 about.
In this chapel were kept important relics and decorations were made by some artists.

The exhibition is titled "Sacri splendori, il tesoro della Cappella delle Reliquie"

An important section of the exhibition concerns what was collected by Mary Magdalene von Habsburg.

one of the precious works of the exhibition at the Museum of Silver

picture by "un anno ad arte" /Civita

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The Silver Museum is housed in a wing of the Palazzo Pitti. In the permanent collections of the museum are preserved antique silver objects, jewelry, antique cameos, fine china etc..

Palazzo Pitti and gardens -picture by wikipedia (Deror avi)

After the visit to the exhibition obviously should also see the beautiful Boboli gardens.

view of Florence-picture ap

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In Florence, from July 5 to September 5, in the Boboli Gardens and the Forte di Belvedere is also scheduled "vegetable Perspective" by Giuseppe Penone.
The intent of this exhibition is to combine art and nature. The sculptor Penone is originally from Turin.

image © Paolo Frullini

image © Paolo Frullini

work of  Giuseppe Penone-image © Paolo Frullini

Giuseppe Penone -Forte Belvedere

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a few photos are edited by Civita