Italian

Today in the Middle Ages: May 3, 1469

Submitted by Ursula on Wed, 2006-05-03 15:24
On May 3, 1469, Niccolo Machiavelli, Florentine political theorist, was born.

Travel in Sardinia

Submitted by Vallawulf on Tue, 2006-05-02 20:44
Travel writer John Clarke writes about Sardinia. Along the way, visit ancient towns and medieval castles that "cling to mountain tops," the nuraghi (stone-built conical towers dating back to the 1500s), the neolithic necropolis of Bonorvo which dates back to 3500-2700 B.C. and the Spanish ruins of Burgos.

Today in the Middle Ages: April 25, c. 451

Submitted by Ursula on Tue, 2006-04-25 10:29
April 25 is both the traditional date for the founding of Venice and the holy day of St. Mark, the city's patron saint.

Today in the Middle Ages: April 18, 1480

Submitted by Ursula on Tue, 2006-04-18 11:09
Lucrezia Borgia, the daughter of a future Pope and his mistress, was born on April 18, 1480.

Today in the Middle Ages: April 16, 1209

Submitted by Ursula on Sun, 2006-04-16 13:04
Traditionally, April 16, 1209 is regarded as the day Pope Innocent III gave oral permission of St. Francis of Assisi to found the Franciscan order.

Cultural Icons Among Most Endangered Wonders

Submitted by Ursula on Sat, 2006-04-15 17:18
Newsweek has listed three iconic medieval structures among the Seven Most Endangered Wonders of the World.

Today in the Middle Ages: April 15, 1452

Submitted by Ursula on Sat, 2006-04-15 12:11
Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452. He became the prototype of the "Renaissance Man."

Today in the Middle Ages: April 12, 1334

Submitted by Ursula on Wed, 2006-04-12 12:33
Giotto di Bondone was appointed Chief Architect of Florence Cathedral on April 12, 1334. He designed a bell tower for the Cathedral, but it was not finished until after his death.

Today in the Middle Ages: April 8, 1492

Submitted by Ursula on Sat, 2006-04-08 14:32
Today marks the anniversary of the death of Lorenzo de Medici, called "The Magnificent."

Columbus mystery nearly solved 500 yrs after death

Submitted by lilli on Mon, 2006-03-20 19:43
Debate about origins and final resting place of Columbus has raged for over a century, with historians questioning the traditional theory that he hails from Genoa, Italy. Some say he was a Spanish Jew, a Greek, a Basque or Portuguese.

Crossing the Tiber: the Bridges of Rome

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2006-02-19 19:59
The famous bridges of Rome were more than a way to cross a river, they were a way to control a population. This short essay looks at the city's bridges and their importance to Roman life.

Renaissance Allegories on Display at the Frick

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2006-02-15 19:33
A pair of allegorical paintings by Renaissance artist Paolo Veronese will be the centerpiece of Veronese's Allegories: Virtue, Love and Exploration in Renaissance Venice, a small exhibit at the Frick Gallery in New York City beginning April 11, 2006.

Transporting Masterpieces a Delicate Job

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2006-02-13 20:23
Laurence B. Kanter, organizer for the Fra Angelico exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was faced with the extremely delicate job of transporting and unpacking the priceless, and sometimes crumbling, works of art for "the exhibition of a lifetime."

Vatican Debates Recognition of Veronica's Veil

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2006-01-08 16:25
A mysterious Christian icon known as Veronica's Veil is being considered for recognition by the Catholic Church. The veil is purported to carry the imprint of Christ's face and resides in a remote monastery in Italy's Abruzzi region.

Mona Lisa Mostly Happy

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2006-01-04 16:56
A team of Dutch scientists has determined that the expression of the face of Da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa is "83 percent happy, 9 percent disgusted."

Michael of Rhodes Website Online

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2006-01-03 15:30
15th century Venetian sailor Michael of Rhodes is the subject of a website which chronicles his works on astrology, navigation and calendrical computations.

Painted-Over Italian Fresco Restored

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2006-01-02 11:58
"The Separation of Night and Day," a rare Italian fresco by Guido Reni, has had the coat of paint removed that has hidden the work from view for 150 years.

Fra Angelico One Step Closer to Sainthood

Submitted by Vallawulf on Sun, 2005-12-25 10:08
Fra Angelico was the model of a self-effacing medieval monk whose art was an expression of religion. Pope John Paul II beatified the 14th century monk, bringing him one step closer to sainthood, and his name and his genius are still celebrated 550 years later.

First Nativity Scene to be Restored

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2005-12-21 19:22
A 13th century marble nativity scene by sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio in the oratory of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome is scheduled to be removed from the church for restoration.

Antonello on display at the Met

Submitted by Karen on Sun, 2005-12-18 15:25
"Antonello da Messina: Sicily's Renaissance Master" will be on display in the European Paintings Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art through March 5.

New exhibit of North Italian Renaissance drawings at the Getty

Submitted by Karen on Wed, 2005-12-07 13:44
"Drawings from Leonardo to Titian: A North Italian Itinerary" will be on display at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, though February 26.

13th Century Frescoes Being Restored in Italy

Submitted by Vallawulf on Tue, 2005-12-06 00:23
In Italy, 13th century frescoes in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, which were damaged in a 1997 earthquake and thought to be irreparable, are now being restored with the help of computers.

Italian Leader Hopes to Reopen Pilgrim Road

Submitted by Vallawulf on Sun, 2005-12-04 15:31
Former European Commission president Romano Prodi, who is running for election as Italy's prime minister next year, says if elected he will try to revive the 1,200-mile Via Francigena, a medieval pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome dating back to the 10th century.

Labor of Love Restores Medici Tapestry

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2005-11-21 18:06
Four restoration specialists at New York's Metropolitan Museum have taken on the backbreaking effort of restoring "The Gathering of Manna," a 16th century Medici tapestry, one stitch at a time.

Crumbling Roman Walls May Affect Italian Tourism

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2005-11-20 09:53
The collapse of a wall in the ancient Forum in Rome has travelers concerned for their safety. The incident happened at the time when the Italian government is considering cuts to cultural programs.

Borgia Family Topic of New Film

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2005-11-13 15:05
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Farrell have been signed to star in a new theatrical film set in 15th century Rome which covers the internal struggles of Italy's Borgia family.

Cardinals Ask Pope to Save Latin

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2005-11-08 12:27
Latin has fallen into such disuse in the Roman Catholic Church that many of the church fathers no longer understand the language. Now members of the College of Cardinals have asked Pope Benedict XVI to make Latin the "universal language" by using it at international events.

Caravaggio's painting exhales perfume

Submitted by Zabava on Mon, 2005-11-07 10:52
For two weeks in the State Hermitage Museum, Russia, every visitor will have a chance to enjoy the scents of the flowers and fruits that are depicted on Caravaggio’s famous painting “The Lute-Player

The Met hosts major exhibition of the work of Fra Angelico

Submitted by Karen on Fri, 2005-10-28 15:47
The Fra Angelico exhibit will be on display in the Robert Lehman Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art through January 29.

Italian Renaissance manuscripts on display at the Walters

Submitted by Karen on Wed, 2005-10-26 15:37
"Dressed in Gold: Books of the Italian Renaissance" is on display at the Walters Museum of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, through January 8.