Dürer e l’Italia

Today I’d like to suggest you a beatiful exhibition, in vicinity of the school where I teach Italian for foreigners. I’m talking about “Dürer e l’Italia”, that is at the Scuderie del Quirinale’s Gallery.

It’s in a wonderful location of Rome, in front of the Palazzo del Quirinale (Quirinal Palace – official residence of the President of the Italian Republic) and near the Palazzo della Consulta. The three buildings, with the facing spacious square, where is an ancient obelisk, together make up a stunning urban space, with an amazing view on Rome’s roofs. 

The Scuderie del Quirinale was built over ten years, from 1722 to 1732, and it covers approximately 3000 square meters, over several floors. Wide-open spaces on the second and third floors house the exhibitions. A cafeteria is situated on the mezzanine level and a bookstore, a giftshop and special areas dedicated to exhibition-related initiatives are all on the ground floor.

The exhibition, Dürer e l’Italia (Dürer and Italy), curated by Kristina Herrmann Fiore, is the first to engage in an in-depth investigation of this extraordinary german artist’s complex relationship with Italy – a relationship marked by a profound, reciprocal influence.On one side, the show considers how much Dürer was deeply affected by the great Italian art, as demonstrated by his painting exhibited alongside works by Leonardo, Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Pollaiolo….On the other side, it shows how Italian artists in turn felt his influence: Pontormo, Raffaello, the Carracci, Caravaggio and his followers.

The exhibition will run until June 10th.