Cavalleria Rusticana, the Opera that Made Pietro Mascagni
In the history of the Opera tradition, many genres developed over the centuries. The post-Romantic Verismo (Italian for realism) tradition stood apart for its naturalism and for focusing on the lives of the average contemporary people, subjects considered until then too poor and unfit to be protagonists of such pieces. In the Verismo movement, the […]
The Vatican Museums: A Testimony to Humankind’s Art
Visiting the Vatican Museums is a unique experience that combines centuries of art history in a journey that leaves art-lovers speechless. The museums combine roughly 20,000 works of art collected by the catholic church over the centuries , displayed in 54 museums, made of 1,400 rooms, chapels and galleries. If not well prepared, visiting the […]
The Roman Gods in Western Art: Minerva, Neptune, Pluto and Proserpina.
The Romans included most of the Greek myths in their mythology, which often involved deities quarrelling over the world of the mortals. One of those disputes is the naming of the city of Athens. René-Antoine Houasse depicts this mythological event in his 1689 painting ‘Dispute between Minerva and Neptune over the Naming of the City […]
The Roman Gods in Western Art: Jupiter, Juno, Venus and Mars
Absorbed from the Greek Pantheon and possibly dating back to the pre-Hellenistic period, the Roman Pagan Gods have inspired western artists throughout the ages. Countless pieces have been produced depicting those deities of ancient times, and here are three examples of such paintings. Heinrich Friedrich Füger painted ‘Jupiter Enthroned’ around the turn of the 19th […]
Italian Opera Houses, from South to North: San Carlo, Verdi and Scala theaters
Born in Italy in the 17th century, opera has enchanted the whole world with its mixture of theater, dance and dramatic music, a combination of performing arts that leave all viewers intensely thrilled. The Italian tradition is the original and remains one of the most prestigious and breath-taking operas to witness. For all fans, a […]
The Uffizi Gallery: A Temple of Art and Beauty
With more than two million visitors per year, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most renowned and beloved Italian museums. A true jewel, the gallery is remarkable for its immense collection of paintings and sculptures, dating from the Middle Ages to modern times. However, the Uffizi’s heart can be found in its priceless collection […]
From Florida to Rome, Baroque Art Shows Expel the Pandemic Blues
As visitors are roaming the floors of art museums once again, two unique expositions an ocean away have brought the dramatic lights of the Baroque to center stage. In Saint Petersburg’s Museum of Fine Arts (Florida), ‘Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia’ was exhibited between February 12th till May 8th. […]