Saturday, 19 March 2016

Floors of medieval churches in Rome

After the end of the Roman Empire, Rome often continued to decorate the floors with beautiful mosaics. Many precious marbles were often found among the ruins of ancient Rome.
In the Middle Ages, however, there were several stages. In later times the workshops of Cosmati were particularly appreciated.
In an initial period craftsmen create simple floor mosaics, then some important workshops built more complex mosaics.
The artistic workshops of Cosmati and Vassalletto families also work in different towns around Rome.

floor in the basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano -photo L.B.


floor in San Crisogono church-photo a.p.

floor in Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls-photo a.p.

To read more:
Cosmati and Vassalletto  (italian)
Floors in Middles Ages    (italian)
Mosaics in Rome              (english)

°°°


view of the floor in Santa Maria in Cosmedin 

°°°

Monday, 14 March 2016

Florence, antique wooden sculptures

In Florence at the Uffizi Museum from 22 March to 18 August 2016 there will be an exhibition on the colored wooden sculpture of the  fifteenth century.


exibition in Florence: Fece di scoltura di legname e colori
Scultura del quattrocento in legno dipinto a Firenze


At the event it will be exhibited over 40 sculptures by different artists. In the Renaissance period also important sculptors realized these works of art. Often the sculptures were devotional.

a wooden angel exhibited in Florence
photo by Opera Laboratori Fiorentini-Civita

At the end of the fifteenth century some great art workshops, stimulated by the demands of the market, specialized in the realization of crucifixes in churches, convents and private homes.
In this sculptural field were many active: the brothers Giuliano and Benedetto da Maiano, the Sangallo, the Del Tasso and Baccio da Montelupo.
At that time, other artists, however, considered important only marble sculptures. In fact, in Florence were very relevant examples of marble sculptures.

Uffizi museum and other old buldings in Florence

°°°



Friday, 11 March 2016

Show Macchiaioli painting in Rome

The Macchiaioli were a group of painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Now in Rome the exhibition "The Macchiaioli. The Collections Revealed " opens at the Chiostro del Bramante from 16 March to 4 September 2016.


The tourists and art lovers can see more than 110 paintings from various collections.
This exhibition includes nine sections based on the provenance of works of art.
°°°
List of sections:
Section I – Cristiano Banti's "private gallery". The Macchiaioli in the mirror
Section II - Diego Martelli, between the Macchiaioli and the Impressionists: a testimony of art and life
Section III – The Rinaldo Carnielo Collection
Section IV – An entrepreneur in love with beauty: the Edoardo Bruno Collection
Section V – The Sforni House: the treasure trove of a Florentine patron of the arts
Section VI – Mario Galli, “the most perceptive and refined connoisseur of the Macchiaioli
Section VII – Enrico Checcucci collection
Section VIII – Not only Macchiaioli, the Camillo Giussani Collection
Section IX – Remembering Mario Borgiotti, champion of the Macchiaioli

Visitors will see paintings by Giovanni Fattori, Telemaco Signorini, Federico Zandomeneghi, Giuseppe De Nittis, Oscar Ghiglia, Cristiano Banti etc.


paint by Silvestro Lega (visita in villa)-copyright

paint by Telemaco Signorini (ponte vecchio a Firenze)-copyright

paint by Oscar Ghiglia ( bambina con fiocco rosso)-copyright


paint by Vincenzo Cabianca (la filatrice)-copyright-

ALL IMAGES BY ARTHEMISIA GROUP
°°°



Chiostro Bramante in Rome-photo ap

to read more about the places: Raphael and Bramante in Rome

°°°
°°°

books sold by Barnes and Noble and other stores
Some books in Lulu.com


Wednesday, 9 March 2016

A painting by Caravaggio in Monza

From March 16th to April 17th, 2016 visitors to the Royal Palace in Monza, will also see a beautiful painting by Caravaggio.
It is the painting "The Flagellation of Christ" which is preserved in Naples.




Obviously in Monza there are so many other interesting things to see: the cathedral and the museum with many exhibits of the Lombard period, the villa of kings and the beautiful park etc.
At the center of Monza tourists also come traveling with one of the frequent trains departing from two stations of Milan. To see the Royal Palace you need to take a taxi or a city bus.

Cathedral entrance-photo ap



park of Royal Palace-photo ap



Arengario in historic centre-old photo

°°°°