Exhibitions

Information about exhibitions (mostre)

Dolci: sweet name, icy brush

Dolci: sweet name, icy brush

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Carlo Dolci a patient technique

Carlo Dolci, said Carlino, a beloved and acclaimed artist by the critics of his time, considered the greatest Florentine painter of the seventeenth century, contended by European nobility (although he almost never left the Tuscan territory), is now back in the spotlight thanks to the monographic exhibition running until November 15 at the Galleria Palatina of Palazzo Pitti in Florence. The exhibition brings together works from numerous European museums: the British Museum in London, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Staatliche Museen in Berlin, the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, the Alte Pinakothek of Monaco Bavaria, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, theAshmolean Museum in Oxford, the Burghley House in Stamford, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Brest, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum in Madrid and the British Royal Collection, reflecting the international scope of his works.

Interior of the exhibition ” Io, Carlo Dolci “, Galleria Palatina, Palazzo Pitti, Florence

The exhibition brings together nearly 100 paintings, of which seventy of Dolci, and the remainings by his contemporaries, to facilitate comparisons and show connections, in a sort of compendium of his descriptive style, rigorous and meticulously attentive to detail, smooth, icy but sensual, which has been called “hyperrealist” before its time. His almost obsessive rendering of details is exemplary: from the soft and almost palpable fabrics of the robes, to the splendid jewels, which, quoting the biographer Filippo Baldinucci, were “imitated in such a gorgeous (and realistic) fashion, that, as much as one touched and retouched the canvas to make sure they were painted, the eye was left in doubt.”
This exhibition has been a precious opportunity to kick off a major campaign of restoration and overhaul of 33 works of the Master, also important for the study of the unique painting technique used, which involved innovative wits to reach the coveted mimesis. Moreover, radiographic analyses have allowed to add completely unexpected insights to the knowledge also of well-known paintings of Dolci’s catalogue, such as in the case of the diagnostic tests on the “Madonna with Child” of the Palatine Gallery (performed by Art-Test, not yet published), which revealed substantial changes to the composition.

“Madonna with the Child”, Carlo Dolci, Galleria Palatina, Palazzo Pitti, Florence

When technique matters: extraordinary effects, extraordinary losses.

When technique matters: extraordinary effects, extraordinary losses.

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Piero di Cosimo

On show this summer in Florence the monographic exhibition “Piero di Cosimo eccentric painter between Renaissance and Mannerism” (Uffizi, until 27/9), following the one recently concluded at National Gallery of Art in Washington.
Lent to Washington and now worth a visit in Florence, among others the extraordinary “Liberation of Andromeda“, as according to Vasari: “Piero never made a lovelier or more highly finished picture than this one“, (diagnostics by Art-Test, not yet published)

In the Florentine exhibition, paintings and drawings by Piero relate with works by artists such as Filippino Lippi, Fra Bartolomeo and Lorenzo di Credi, to highlight how the pupil di Cosimo stands out as an original painter, whose style was said to be more Flemish (or Venetian), rather than Florentine, as his paintings were more relying on color values ​​rather than on the preparatory drawing. But is this what emerges from the investigation?

A solitary painter, he was however greatly demanded by the most prominent families of Florence (including Strozzi, Capponi, Vespucci). He was an experimenter, one of the firsts, along with Leonardo, adopting the oil painting technique. The studies conducted byE. Walmsley reveal, in fact, how Piero was also eccentric in the way he was making use of his tools, with overlapping and peculiar brushstrokes and sometimes also of fingertips. It was in fact just uncovering the use of such a particular way of working that helped to solve several cases of dubious attributions.

Attempting new ways, away from the established traditional ones, however, could also be the cause of the difficult state of conservation faced by several of his works.

For example, the great altarpiece “Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine and Saints“, alongside the high quality of the original painting, revealed also significant losses under the multiple layers of repainting (diagnostic analyses by Art-Test, not yet published). This masterpiece was unexpectedly found, resurfacing in the antiquarian market, in a private collection. On special loan for the exhibition, you can now admire it during the challenging phases of restoration. Such a unique opportunity should also not be missed!

The top part of the altarpiece was missing, but a befitting fragment displaying two angels distributing incense and jointly carrying a crown, listed as “style of Piero di Cosimo” was identified at the National Gallery in Edinburgh. When it came to Florence to undergo the necessary conservation treatments, the examinations revealed on the altarpiece, concealed by overpainting and restoration, the feet of the angels of the top. The testing (performed by Art-Test, still to be published) left no doubt! The repainting has been removed and the two parts are now joined for the display. So the angels got their feet again, but only temporarily, since after the exhibition they will be separated by over 1700 km again!

“Angels holding a crown “, before restoration, Piero di Cosimo, National Gallery of Edinburgh

 

“Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine”, before restoration, Piero di Cosimo, private collection; currently on display at the Florentine exhibition in the course of the conservation treatment

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Piero di Cosimo in America!

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For the first time the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is co-organizer of an exhibition along with another museum; we are referring to the first major retrospective of Piero di Cosimo, that the National Gallery of Art in Washington is hosting from February 1st to May 3rd, 2015: “Piero di Cosimo: The Poetry of Painting in Renaissance Florence”. There has been just one precedent case in the United States: the exhibition in New York, in 1938, of seven works at the Schaeffer Gallery, a small but important contribution to the dissemination of works of the great masters in museums that were among its clients.

Forty-four artworks are arranged along the six galleries of the West Building: altarpieces, private devotional pictures and portraits. The style of the Master distinguished by an “abstract and uneven” ingenuity, as claimed by Vasari in “Le Vite”, is traced according to the changeability that characterized him: pagan themes, divine themes, mythological and allegorical scenes. The exhibition includes paintings from Italian churches and the masterpiece of the Museo degli Innocenti “Madonna and Child Enthroned with the Saints Elizabeth of Hungary, Catherine of Alexandria, Peter and John the Evangelist with angels.”

Art-Test had the pleasure to perform diagnostic campaigns of three works by Piero di Cosimo including one of the paintings on display in Washington, the famous “Liberation of Andromeda” (about 1510-1513), chosen as the cover image of the exhibition. This work is a symbol of the imagination of the Master who expressed himself more in the subjects than the techniques, such as the sea monster pictured here, which seems to come from a bizarre bestiary. We cannot give any anticipation about the results of the analysis because they are confidential until published, but we will update you as soon as possible!

Soon you will be able to visit the exhibition in Florence, albeit in a different form. It will be the Uffizi Gallery hosting it from June 23 to September 27. Save the date!

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An image of Art-Test at work during the acquisitions on the painting by Piero di Cosimo in the laboratories of the Uffizi in Florence

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Ars Narrandi in Europe’s Gothic Age, Siena and Art-Test at the BOZAR in Bruxelles

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More than 800 people took part to the inauguration of the exhibition “Painting from Siena: Ars Narrandi in Europe’s Gothic Age”, last September 9th at the Palais de Beaux-Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels.
Also the President of the European Commission, Jose’ Manuel Barroso, joined the event, (and in his speech mentioned his love for Siena), together with the Italian Minister for Environment, Galletti, the Italian Ambassador in Belgium, Bastinelli, and the host, the BOZAR director Dujardin, welcoming the exposition and its curators: the Superintendent of Siena and Grosseto, Scalini, and the director of the Sienese Pinacoteca, Guiducci.
Art-Test produced a slide presentation describing some of the results of the analyses on about 50 of the paintings currently on show, which is not displayed within the exhibition. We are happy to hear that is was well received both by the public and the scholars.
The next 18th January a symposium, co-organized by BOZAR and UCL, on “Byzantium and the Flemish Art, Contact and Influence” will be held on the occasion of the exhibition. Both dr. Scalini, for MIUR, and dr. ing. Anna Pelagotti, for Art-Test will give a talk, focusing on the findings possible with the information available within the database.
To know more about Bozar: https://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=14090&selectiondate=2014-11-06

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The Superintender Scalini and the President of the European Commission at the opening.

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Siena for IT presidency of EU in Brussels

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Among the initiatives for the Italian Semester of Presidency of the European Union (1st July- 31st Dec 2014), the exhibition “Ars Narrandi in the Gothic Age of Europe” (9/11 2014 – 18/1 2015) will enchant visitors at the BOZAR (Centre for Fine Arts) of Bruxelles.
The collaboration between Pinacoteca di Siena and the Musée des Beaux-Artes di Rouen will present more than 60 artworks of Sienese painters working in XIII- XV century period.
A fascinating route through the stylistic evolution from the Byzantine stateliness to new spatial concepts, to unusual and vivid colors which influenced also other Italian and European schools when Italy and Siena in particular hosted the most daring modernity.
The exposition icon is the splendid Madonna dell’Umiltà by Giovanni di Paolo (in the picture), which together with other 30 artworks lend to the Belgian exposition belong to the group of paintings of the Pinacoteca of Siena which Art-Test analyzed and will be included in the 100 works database, already announced in one of our previous newsletter. At the Bozar visitors can also watch a presentation regarding the most interesting findings of the analysis performed by Art-Test on some of the paintings in the exhibition.

Further reading: http://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=14090&selectiondate=2014-09-01

 

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Coming soon! Ligozzi in Florence

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Will be inaugurated in a few days the monographic exposition of Jacopo Ligozzi “pittore universalissimo” (Verona 1547- Firenze 1627)  at Galleria Palatina in Florence (27 May – 28 September 2014) realized jointly with Gabinetto dei Disegni e Stampe of the Uffizi.
The work of such talented artist, active for many years in Florence is thoroughly illustrated in several thematic sections such as Naturalia, Portraits, Historical painting and Religiuous painting.
Art-Test investigated 16 works, among the most relevant one, with several techniques such as Multilayer analysis, IR scanner reflectograpy and ED-XRF.

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Pontormo under the skin

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You have time until the 20th of July to admire Pontormo’s restored “Sacra Conversazione”(also known as Pala Pucci) before it returns to its original venue, the Florentine church of San Michele in Visdomini. This masterpiece was highly praised by Giorgio Vasari, who wrote it was “the most notable panel ever made by Pontormo”. It was indeed a very innovative painting: the traditional scheme for this theme was disregarded, the figures scattered in all directions, creating a new balance and new strength lines.
This magnificent painting is currently in Palazzo Strozzi in the exposition “Pontormo e Rosso Fiorentino. Divergenti vie della Maniera” where one can admire, among others, Pontormo’s works and those of his friend Rosso Fiorentino.
Art-Test’s diagnostics campaign on this large panel painting was carried out in two steps, firstly scanner IR reflectography data acquisition was performed to visualize the underdrawing, then in the second phase UV fluorescence and Multilayer analysis where planned, in order to investigate the conservation state.
New insights on the life of the painting have emerged. Fluorescence analyses have revealed many interventions and changes, during previous restoration attempts. Several retouches and three coatings of varnish were applied of which the Multilayer has permitted a better, more detailed reading. Moreover, visualizing the first sketch and the pentimenti, has demonstrated how the painter had, since the very beginning, the general setting of his work well established. However, he still made numerous changes in the final phase, directly with the paintbrush.
The latest restoration, by Lisa Venerosi Pesciolini, brought it back to its original light! Visit the exposition and admire it.

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Caravaggio’s ‘Portrait of a gentleman’: new discoveries on a touchscreen display.

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With an excellent example of museum management, the Museo Civico of Montepulciano puts technology at visitors’ service offering an absolutely innovative opportunity to navigate the secrets of one of its finest pieces: the “Portrait of a Gentleman” recently investigated by Art-Test Firenze, restored by Mary Lippi, and attributed to Caravaggio by Prof. Massimo Pulini.

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Too often technical reports by art historians, diagnostics experts and conservators are stored and forgotten. To the contrary, the Fondazione Musei Senesi and the Municipality of Montepulciano have chosen an innovative way to share this information to the benefit of the visiting public.
An interactive installation, in Italian and in English, narrates the complex story of the painting, and provides additional content.
Thanks to the touchscreen display and its intuitive navigation, it is possible to deepen the knowledge on the masterpiece by flipping as through a book, scrolling and zooming as desired to see the details of most interesting images.
Of four sections, the last one is reserved to the restoration intervention. It describes both the cleaning operation of the painting surface, which allowed its readability, and the complete diagnostic investigation performed by Art-Test. In this chapter the visitor has the opportunity to learn in a simple and immediate way the wide range of diagnostic analyses performed.
The UV Fluorescence method, the exclusive Art-Test patented Multilayer image stratigraphy; the IR Reflectography; the X-radiography: they all revealed more information about the deeper structures of the painting, confirming its compatibility with Caravaggio’s period.

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The “PORTRAIT OF A CARDINAL” leaves Italy for the first time.

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In the catalog it is explained how the canvas, which is part of the Gioviana’s Series in the Uffizi, was attributed to Caravaggio by John Spike in 1995, and how it was recently confirmed in this proposal by Gianni Papi, who also recognizes in the portrait, not the Cardinal Baronius, as stated by the writing, but Benedetto Giustiniani.
Moreover, the volume allows us to read in details the outcomes of the diagnostic procedure performed by Art-Test Florence, and to discover the interesting features which came to light.
There we can read about an unusual specific weight of the artwork; about the outcomes of the analysis of pigments, thanks to the ED-XRF technique; and observe how the canvas certainly underwent extensive restoration with adjustments, in the IR reflectography and UV fluorescence images, which show such important changes.
But the most interesting observation is undoubtedly derived from the analyses performed with the patented Multilayer method. This unique technique permits to visualize the several different layers of the painting. In this case the image in Layer 5 shows the clear reading of a pre-existing text and, in Layer 7, the sketch of the Master, who clearly defined the contours of the cardinal’s robe, with a hood-style neck.
Of course, we do not wish to anticipate more about the technical data and related images, which are presented in the catalog. We wish scholars and anybody else interested in Caravaggio a good reading!

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From Brazil the great succes of Caravaggio’s exhibition contributes to update the studies on this master.

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While in Italy we keep talking about the alleged attribution to Caravaggio of a hundred drawings, Brazil welcomes with extraordinary enthusiasm the temporary exhibition “Caravaggio and his followers” that includes 6 paintings of the Master and 14 works of the “Caravaggeschi”, i.e. followers of his manner, who lived during his time and were deeply inspired by him (to know more about all the exhibited artworks, click here, under “Material Complementar “).
Extended until July 22 at Fiat Casa de Cultura in Belo Horizonte, the exhibition will then move from August 1st to September 23rd in the prestigious MASP – Art Museum of Sao Paulo – the most important art center in Latin America – and from there it will be transferred to Argentina, to the Museo Nacional in Buenos Aires on December 15th, 2012.
The prime mover of the exhibition is Rossella Vodret, one of the leading experts on Caravaggio in Italy and Head of the “Soprintendenza Speciale per il Patrimonio Storico Artistico per il Polo Museale della Città di Roma”. In Italy the curator is George Leone, and in Brazil Fabio Malgahaes. A very important cultural appointment for a country, Brazil, that actively seeks to strengthen exchange of experiences with Italy, which is among the top five countries in terms of visiting tourists.
The aim of this temporary exhibition is to highlight the revolutionary way of painting of Caravaggio and the transformations that visual art underwent in the early seventeenth century in Rome. It is a unique opportunity to see, gathered together, a series of masterpieces created in that context and otherwise not easily presented to the international public.
Furthermore, as stated in its title “Caravaggio and his followers: confirmations and problems”, the event is also an important occasion to update the overview on the scientific studies on Caravaggio and his followers.
In this perspective, we gladly highlight the extensive catalog of the exhibition, which stands as a useful and comprehensive study tool.
The volume analyzes in detail each artwork on display. It illustrates the reasons for the proposal of attribution, if still uncertain, and it offers a unique insight into how the artist worked and thought, through the diagnostic investigation carried out on the canvas and illustrated in the volume, presenting data and technical analysis of traces lost over the centuries, hidden by layers of paint or varnish, and eventually brought back to light by restoration or diagnostic tests.
Art-Test takes an active part in this, having provided a detailed contribution to the catalog. The scientific investigations on the exhibited work “Portrait of Cardinal”, from the Uffizi’s Collection, were carried out by our labs, and a summary of their interpretation is to be found in the volume.

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