Florence unveils 2010's top shows
Caravaggio, cameos, wine among six crowd-pullers promised
22 December, 18:39
(ANSA) - Florence, December 22 - Florence has a
host of spectacular exhibitions lined up for the coming year,
the Tuscan city's museum chief Cristina Acidini announced on
Tuesday.Unveiling exhibitions for 2010, she said six major crowd-pullers were already in the pipeline, with several more to be finalized over coming months. Palazzo Pitti will host the first top event, an unusual show devoted to the art of cameos and intaglio carving, which flourished during the Italian Renaissance. Pregio e Bellezza (Value and Beauty), which runs from March 25 until June 27, features a number of exceptional pieces, with a particular focus on items belonging to the Medici family.
The powerful Florentine family had a passion for stone carving and built up one of the most important collections in history, said Acidini. Among the treasures on show is the so-called 'Seal of Nero', an exquisite cornelian carving, admired by dozens of writers and artists over the decades, depicting the myth of Marsyas and Apollo.
On May 22, the Uffizi Gallery will open a large-scale exhibition devoted to Caravaggio, marking 400 years since his death. Over 100 important artworks by the master and his contemporaries are planned for the event, said Acidini, many of which borrowed locally. An exhibition exploring the tradition of 15th-century nuptial art in Florence opens at the Galleria dell Accademia in June.
Rare and precious paintings by masters such as Sandro Botticelli and Fra Filippo Lippi will go on display, alongside exquisitely decorated bedsteads and bridal chests. A tribute from the Medici family to Henry IV of France is the focus of an exhibition in the Medici Chapel Museum, which arrives in Florence in July after a stint in the prestigious Musee National du Chateau in Pau, southwest France. From July until November, Palazzo Pitti will host a wide-ranging exhibition celebrating the art, science and myths of wine in ancient Mediterranean civilizations. The final major event of the year is an exhibition devoted to Giovanfrancesco Rustici, the first significant overview of his work in a big museum, running from September until early 2011. The talented, yet little-known sculptor, studied under and collaborated with Leonardo da Vinci for a number of years. Acidini said details were also being ironed out for a new initiative entitled 'Florence for Family', a project aimed at promoting games and educational activities at both the city's art and science museums. photo: Madonna and child with two angels by Filippo Lippi
