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From October 5, at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome you can see the exhibition, Filippino Lippi e Sandro Botticelli nella Firenze del ’400 (Lippi and Botticelli in Florence in the fifteenth century). The exhibition will be open to the public until January 15, 2012 and is curated by Alessandro Cecchi, director of the Palatine Gallery in Florence.

This exhibition aims to present to the public nearly 34 years of incessant activity of the master Filippino Lippi between Prato, Florence and Rome. He was a successful painter even in the dark time of Savonarola, the inquisitor. He stands out for the amount and quality of his works, despite being initially overshadowed his master, Botticelli.

Organised via the collaboration of the Polo Museale Fiorentino, and the Fondo Edifici di Culto, together with private associations such as “Friends of Florence”, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the masterpieces of these two great Tuscan painters. These paintings are vital parts of both human and artistic history and they offer a unique opportunity for comparing some of the great works by these two geniuses. The exhibition analyzes the relationship between the two masters in the context of the time and place in which they lived and worked: Florence in 1500, a city that was buzzing with artistic zeal and innovation.

Filippino Lippi was born in Prato, near Florence in 1457. His parents were a monk and a nun. He was named Filippino to distinguish himself from his father, Fra Filippo Lippi, who was a famous and well-respected painter in his time.

Botticelli was born in Florence in 1445, and began as an apprentice in the workshop of Fra Filippo Lippi, from whom he learned a great deal. In fact, many of Botticelli’s early works have been attributed to his teacher. Years later Botticelli would become teacher to Filippino, who worked in his studio. In turn, his early works closely resemble those of Botticelli and are usually attributed to the pseudonym “Friend of Sandro.”

The exhibition revolves mainly around the works of these 2 artists, although some other painters of the time are also included, such as Raffaellino Del Garbo, Piero Di Cosimo and Filippo Lippi.

The exhibition also includes the final period of Lippi’s artistic life, when he worked in Rome and painted the Caraza Chapel cycle. It was during this time that the Grotesque style began to have an influence, making for paintings that were mysterious, fantastic and disturbing, linked to the dark atmosphere that Savoranola’s inquisition had brought about.

Among the masterpieces that you can see in this exhibition are “La Madonna col Bambino e storie di Sant’Anna” (1452-53) by Lippi’s father, taken from the Palatine Gallery in Florence; “Madonna en Adorazione del bambino”, (1478), by Filippino Lippi and provided by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence; “L’Apparizione della Vergine a san Bernardo“, (1486), now in the Badia Fiorentina in Florence or “Madonna Strozzi” (1485) from the Metropolitan in New York.

Another highlight is Botticelli’s “Adorazione dei Magi” (1475-76) which is also provided by the Uffizi Gallery.

Ara

If you come to Rome before January 15 don’t forget to come to this extraordinary exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale. Afterwards you can return to your comfortable rented apartments in Rome and talk about renaissance art until the wee small hours of the night.

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Translated by: Ben Palmer
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Throughout the summer, Rome holds many cultural events of great value in the beautiful “Scuderie del Quirinale. Among other things, there is a very interesting exhibition: this is an exhibition of 100 photographs that takes us into the past, to the Second World War, to the Normandy landings, etc. This exhibition brings together works by two of great International Photographers: The Italian-American Tony Vaccaro and the brilliant photographer Lee Miller. Until August 30th Rome will be the capital of Photography!

Lee Miller’s pictures are symbols of the war fought by the Americans. The photographer went with the allied troops to capture the hard times of the war such as the Siege of St. Malo, the liberation of Paris, etc. Then she settled in France for some time thanks to some of her friends, like the painter Pablo Picasso.

In the exhibition we will see pictures of the entrance of the allies in Germany, the taking of Monaco and Hitler’s home in a state of abandonment. These shots have great historical importance: she took pictures of common life during the war, of soldiers, of nurses and of the wounded by war in a human way but always with a cold, objective and professional perspective to show the people the horrors caused in this terrible conflict.

The pictures of the Italo-American artist Tony Vaccaro are on the same line. He tries to open our eyes to the conflict, but especially on the hard times after the war: the life after the conflict, the hunger, the solidarity among people, the constant proximity of death, but also focusing on hope. Vaccaro joined the U.S. Army looking for humanity in a shocking conflict. We can define him as a restless and curious artist.

These are two different points of view: she, a woman who took part of the Surrealists and lived in Paris; he, as an American soldier and the Army official photographer. In short, they are stories of images and sensations.

Don’t you want to visit these beautiful photographic exhibitions? They are two of the most popular artists of the 20th century. They show pictures of a recent past with great emotion and an ability to tell the tragic story of a war. In addition to these exhibitions, you can admire the beauty of a great city full of life with its many entertainments. Rent the best apartments in Rome and enjoy unforgettable moments in one of the most beautiful cities of Italy.