The Italian Ambassador to Vienna, Giovanni Pugliese, attended the opening of the exhibition “Arcimboldo – Bassano – Bruegel. Die Zeiten der Natur” at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
The exhibition, open to the public until 29 June and organised in collaboration with the Italian Embassy, features works not only by Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Jacopo and Leandro Bassano but also by other 16th-century Italian artists, as well as the Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder. A significant number of artworks have been loaned by Italian institutions, including the Accademia Carrara and the Angelo Mai Library in Bergamo, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Castello Sforzesco and the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, the Galleria Estense in Modena, and the Biblioteca Marciana in Venice.
In his inaugural speech, Ambassador Pugliese highlighted that “the relationship between humankind and nature is a theme of particular relevance today, especially in light of the ongoing climate crisis. We are increasingly aware that we are undergoing a period of profound change, and with the help of scientists, artists, and scholars, we are reflecting on our connection with the environment around us, even reconsidering it.”
The Ambassador also emphasised the excellent and long-standing collaboration between the Italian Embassy in Vienna and the Kunsthistorisches Museum, particularly in relation to past exhibitions dedicated to great Italian masters, whose works are among the museum’s most treasured holdings. Recent exhibitions have featured artists such as Raphael, Titian, and Laurana.
