On 6 April 1520 Raffaello Sanzio, one of the geniuses of the Renaissance, died in Rome.
On occasion five hundredth anniversary of his death, while waiting for the places of culture to reopen and for live works of art to be seen again, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Network of Italian Cultural Institutes around the world celebrate the Master through numerous multimedia initiatives accessible online.
A collection of in-depth videos dedicated to the figure of the Renaissance Master is now available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs YouTube channel: “Raphael 500: Universal Master”.
In this collection, it will be possible to view the trailers of the two travelling exhibitions “Raffaello Opera Omnia” and “Magister Raffaello”; ten “video pills” by Raphael scholars and experts dedicated to lesser-known aspects of the Master; three virtual visits graciously granted by the Scuderie del Quirinale, dedicated to Villa Madama, to the walk-in the exhibition Raffaello 1520-1483 set up at the Scuderie del Quirinale Museum and a video narrating its genesis and objectives, in the words of Mario De Simoni, Chairman and CEO of Ales and President of the Scuderie del Quirinale.
To view the playlist on YouTube
Share using the hashtag #Raffaello500 and #Raffaello2020
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The exhibitions: Raffaello Opera Omnia and Magister Raffaello
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with RaiCom, has promoted the creation of three virtual exhibitions of reproductions of the Urbino master’s paintings in high definition entitled Raffaello Opera Omnia, with the scientific advice of Professor Antonio Paolucci.
The first exhibition, entitled “Raffaello e le sue madonne (Raphael and his madonnas) – reflections of heaven on earth”, brings together reproductions of 19 works including “La Madonna del Cardellino (Madonna of the Goldfinch)” (Uffizi) and “La Trasfigurazione (The Transfiguration)” (Pinacoteca Vaticana).
The second, “Raffaello ritrattista (Raphael portrait painter)”, retraces Raphael’s production of portraits thanks to 14 reproductions, including the “Portrait of Baldassarre Castiglione”, (Louvre), and the “Ritartto di dama con liocorno (Portrait of a Lady with Unicorn)” (Borghese Gallery).
A third module of the exhibition, including the 36 reproductions of both artistic productions, will be exhibited on the Asian continent.
The exhibitions were inaugurated between February and March by the Italian Cultural Institutes of Tunis and Moscow. They will continue their world tour in 2020 and 2021.
Magister Raffaello is an itinerant exhibition that winds along an exhibition path made up of multiple cognitive, visual and auditory apparatuses. Six of Raffaello’s major works are enshrined in an excellent unitary narration that allows understanding the deep meaning of the Maestro’s work and its relevance in the history of universal art.
The exhibition is produced by Magister Artand promoted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and curated by the art historian Claudio Strinati with the support of Federico Strinati and a Scientific Committee of international scope within Raphael’s studies. It is among the main cultural proposals that will be promoted through the network of Embassies, Consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes in the world.
Magister Raffaello will travel from country to country thanks to modular, flexible and remotely coordinated installations. All the contents of the exhibition will also be accessible through a unique app available in 5 languages, as well as in two separate paths, one dedicated to adults and one to children.
A lesson with Raffaello
Ten video pills to learn more about the work, the character and the importance of Raphael as a universal artist still able to influence and fascinate the whole world.
While waiting to offer a calendar of conferences and meetings in the foreign network of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scholars and experts of Raphael enrich the schedule of the day through short videos in which we are invited to discover even lesser-known aspects of the Master.
In-depth studies and contributions by Barbara Jatta (Director of the Vatican Museums), Cecilia Frosinini (Director of the Department of Restoration of Wall Paintings, Drawings and Prints of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence), Luigi Bravi (President of the Accademia Raffaello in Urbino), Marcello Fagiolo (Historian of Architecture), Marzia Faietti and Matteo Lafranconi (Curators of the exhibition Raffaello 1520-1483 at the Scuderie del Quirinale), Claudio Strinati (Art Historian), Arnold Nesselrath (Art Historian), Gabriele Barucca (Superintendent of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Cremona, Lodi and Mantua) and Silvia Ginzburg (Art Historian, University of Roma Tre) are available on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (link).
Raphael at Villa Madama
Thanks to the collaboration with the Scuderie del Quirinale, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes an exclusive video dedicated to Villa Madama made by the National Gallery in London on the occasion of the great exhibition Raphael 1520-1483. Considered to be one of Raphael’s most significant architectural achievements and designed in 1516-17 on behalf of Pope Leo X, Villa Madama is now the representative seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Again courtesy of the Scuderie del Quirinale, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes available online a virtual visit to the exhibition Raphael 1520-1483 and a video narrating its genesis and objectives, in the words of Mario De Simoni, President and CEO of Alese, President of the Scuderie del Quirinale.