The European Baroque: what's outside Italy?

The Drunken Hercules by Rubens

Despite various wars, the Baroque was the style of the seventeenth-century Europe.


The Baroque was passionate, energetic and exciting. Church and palace ceilings were replaced by painted illusions of limitless space, often extravagant and ostentatious, such as the Triumph of Divine Providence for the Palazzo Barberini by Pietro da Cortona.

Sculpture and paintings expand spatially: they evoke emotions and feelings!


The Baroque style took shape in Rome, attracted artists all over Italy, such as collectors and connoisseurs from everywhere, so what was the situation outside Italy?


Come to next series of lectures at New Farm State School during the last term for 2011.


Lessons start on:
Thursday 13th October at 6.30pm.


A presto!


Simona

Questioning Pietro da Cortona in the Johnston Collection?

The Johnston Collection is a secret place  in the east side of Melbourne.


If you decide to visit this place in order to prevent disturbing the neighborhood, a tour parties come to collect you at a Melbourne hotel and you are transported to the house where the Collection is on show, in a bus that belongs to the Johnston Collection.


The Collection is the work of one man, William Johnston, who died in 1986, leaving everything to a Trust, who delegate professional staff looking after the Collection.

Pietro da Cortona (in the manner)
Presentation of Christ Child , 1635
The Johnston Collection

The Collection is made up of paintings, antiques, curiosities and several different pieces that represent the various passions of this man, who loved beautiful things ad collected them.

   
Between these works there is a painting, subject of my lecture in late May and now an article recently published on The World of Antiques & Art (Issue 81). 


In the past this work was attributed to Pietro da Cortona, but I have my doubts! 
So if you want to know more, get the magazine and go on page 84.


Note: If you like Pietro da Cortona and you want to see some of his most famous ceiling works, go to visit Palazzo Barberini in Rome and Palazzo Pitti in Florence.


Buona lettura!!


A presto!


Simona

Renaissance at the National Gallery of Australia

Giovan Battista Moroni
Bambina della Famiglia Redetti, 1566-70

Next December a new exhibition will be on display at the National Gallery of Australia: "Renaissance: Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Bellini". 


The works of these artists and other eminent artists executed by Italian artists between the 15th and 16th century will come to Australia for the first time.


These works, now part of the collection of the Accademia Carra, where once own by the merchant and collector Giacomo Carrara, who died in 1796. Until recently the collection was looked after by a Trust, to then pass under the jurisdiction of the city of Bergamo, that amplified the collection, thanks to gifts and donations of other private collectors.


Today in the Collection is possible to count more than 1,800 artworks, including masterworks by Giovanni Bellini, Titian, Botticelli and Raphael.

Titian,
Madonna with Child, 1510

                                                                                     Due to restructuring/maintenance of the Accademia Carrara, around seventy artworks will be borrowed by the National Gallery of Australia and they will be on display for the first time on the Australian sole. 


This occasion will be a wonderful opportunity for art lovers, researchers and public, who will see with their own eyes works that hardly leave Italy due their fragility, value and conservation concern. 


Between the many works, there will also be the "Madonna and Child" by Titian, which will travel so far to come to Australia in December for about 4 months. 


Don't miss this occasion... go and enjoy this event! 



A presto!!
Simona

Another Italian masterpiece at the National Gallery of Victoria

Correggio at the NGV

This year the National Gallery of Victoria celebrates its 150th anniversary. What a magnificent present for all the art lovers... another wonderful Italian masterpiece has been added to the collection...that is fantastic!!

I will certainly take the time to go and have a look to this work!

Regarded as one of the prominent artists of the High Renaissance together with Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael, Correggio is well re-known for the fresco ceiling he decorated in Parma, such as the Assumption of the Virgin for the Cathedral.

Assumption of the Virgin by Correggio

This work was clearly a catalyst and inspirational example for the sotto in su technique later used by the painters of the Baroque period, such as Lanfranco's Assumption in Santa Andrea della Valle in Rome.

Correggio was a precursor and innovative artist, an example for many other artists, so well done Melbourne!

A presto!

Il Banchetto di Cleopatra

The Banquet of Cleopatra by Tiepolo at the NGV (part.)
image by Simona 

   

It is the work which for excellence represent the good life, the passion for beautiful things and the joy for life!!! The Banquet of Cleopatra by Tiepolo at the National Gallery of Victoria is there for everyone....so next time you are in Melbourne go, enjoy and admire this work, as many other beautiful artworks in the gallery!!

Connect with Italy - there at the NGV!!!

A presto!!

Where is your home? Do you know?

Where is home?

When you have moved around for a long time you don't really know where your home is....
or maybe you have doubts! What do you think?

Maybe at certain point of your life you have to go back where you belong.....

Brisbane: Benvenuti nel Queensland

Brisbane's Treasury Casino by Simona Albanese

Queensland....a beautiful place where to live in Australia...an article published yesterday for Nati con la valigia

This is the link:

Brisbane: Benvenuti nel Queensland

Vite Italiane - Italian lives

Many Italians have migrated to Western Australia, becoming part of this big Australian community, therefore if you are considering to go on holiday in the next few weeks in Western Australia do not miss the exhibition at the 

State Library of Western Australia on "Vite Italiane":

Migrants disembarking at Fremantle 005096d (SLWA copyright)

Vite Italiane - Italian Lives

21 October 2010 - 30 January 2011

Vite Italiane – Italian Lives, explores the history and legacy of Italian migrants in Western Australia. Italy has been the most prolific source of non-English speaking migrants to Western Australia. Between the turn of the century and the 1970s, around 60,000 Italians came to WA in search of opportunity. Today, while the number of people claiming Italian ancestry in Western Australia grows (100,000 according to the latest census), the Italian-born population is ageing and rapidly diminishing. What Italian presence will remain in Western Australia, if any, beyond the lives of the migrant generation?

The exhibition will contain a rich assortment of artefacts, photographs, and historical documents. The items evoke the complexity of Italian lives in Western Australia and show how Italian migrants have left an indelible impression on the state’s social, cultural and geographic landscapes.

(information provided by SLWA)

Claudio Baglioni's concert

Claudio Baglioni at the State Theatre by Simona Albanese

Claudio Baglioni is on tour around the world.... Last night he has performed at the State Theatre of Sydney after Perth and Melbourne....Sydney was his last stop over in Australia.

This was is first concert on this part of the world!!

The concert was in a beautiful art-deco building in the centre of Sydney, so that made this event even more spectacular. Claudio has been really amazing and I have really enjoyed my evening there!!...plus I have had a fantastic afternoon in Sydney...

His tour will continue around the world to conclude in Rome on the night of the 31st of December.