Art and Travel

(ANSA) - Arezzo, October 23 - Plans by a private owner to sell the archives of Renaissance art chronicler Giorgio Vasari to Russian businessmen may not go through, judicial sources said Friday.

Rome prosecutors are looking into the sale of Vasari's sketches, notes and letters, including correspondence with Michelangelo and contemporary popes, to Russian firm Ross Engineering for 150 million euros.

(ANSA) - Rome, October 23 - An extensive selection of the colourful mobiles, installations, sculptures and toys that made 20th-century American artist Alexander Calder famous opened in Rome on Friday.

The retrospective at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni features more than 150 works by Calder (1898-1976) spanning his entire career.

Curated by Calder's grandson, Alexander Rower, who heads up the New York-based Calder Foundation, the exhibition is the largest showing of the artist's work in Italy for three decades.

(ANSA) - Arezzo, October 22 - A Russian holding company offering millions for the archives of Renaissance art chronicler Giorgio Vassari are willing to leave them in Tuscany, lawyers said Friday.

Representing the family of the archives' late owner, Guido Cosulicj said managers at Russian firm Ross Engineering, who have offered 150 million euros for Vasari's sketches, notes and letters, have ''no problem'' with a statute binding them to the 16th century artist's historic home in Arezzo.

(ANSA) - Rome, October 23 - The following is a city-by-city guide to some of Italy's art exhibitions:

BOLZANO - Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige: Iceman joined by more than 60 mummies from Ancient Egypt, Asia, South America and Oceania; until October 25.

BRESCIA - Museo di Santa Giulia: Inca, Origins and Mysteries of the Civilisation of Gold; 250 artefacts, December 4-June 27.

(ANSA) - Arezzo, October 22 - The archives of 16th century art biographer Giorgio Vasari have been purchased by an undisclosed Russian buyer, Arezzo city officials said Thursday.

The archives, which contain correspondence with Renaissance legend Michelangelo in addition to contemporary popes, was sold for 150 million euros by its owner, Giovanni Festari, who inherited them from his aunt.

A special legal clause requires the archives to be kept in Vassari's historic home in Arezzo, but Mayor Giuseppe Fanfani said he wasn't reassured.

(ANSA) - Parma, October 22 - A fire which ripped though the top of the Gothic bell tower of this city's cathedral caused extensive damage but also revealed an important artistic discovery, the nature of the spire's original roof, officials said here.

The fire broke out early Thursday morning hours when the 13th century tower was struck by lightning during a violent storm.

(ANSA) - Venice, October 22 - The first high water of the autumn hit Venice Thursday but sirens did not blare across the lagoon city as the 'acqua alta' was lower than the 110 cm above sea level at which citizens are alerted to the phenomenon.

The water level was measured at 107 above sea level, a measure at which 8-9% of the city centre is flooded.

The last acqua alta was in June at 105 cm.

The sea level has been above 110 cm seven times this year. photo: flooding hits 115 cm last winter

(ANSA) - Parma, October 22 - The bell tower of Parma's cathedral was struck by lightning during the early hours of Thursday morning igniting a fire which has threatened its spire, fire department officials said.

The lightning bolt apparently hit and travelled down the metal cross held by a statue on top of the 13th century tower, the 'Angiol d'Or' (Golden Angel), the thunder from which was heard throughout this northern Italian city.

(ANSA) - Grosseto, October 21 - An Ancient Roman temple unearthed north of Rome is evidence of a major and hitherto unknown imperial port that served the whole of the Mediterranean, Italian archaeologists said Wednesday.

The temple, built in classic 'opus testaceum' brickwork and clad in marble, was found in the Maremma National Park near the border between Lazio and Tuscany.

Dating back to the fourth century AD, the archaeologists said it ''points to a major Roman settlement''.

(ANSA) - Padua, October 21 - Paintings by leading Macchiaiolo artist Telemaco Signorini are set against works by his top European contemporaries in a new exhibition in this northern Italian city.

Over 100 paintings are on display, examining Signorini's output in the context of work by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

The exhibition aims to compare Signorini with the most famous painters from northern Europe, gradually drawing out similar themes, ideas and acquaintances.

(ANSA) - Forli, October 20 - An upcoming exhibition in this eastern Italian town will chart three centuries of art through a variety of blossoms, blooms and floral fantasies.

The San Domenico Museum in Forli will host an entire show devoted to depictions of flowers, including paintings by a host of masters from the 1500s to the early 20th century.

Work by Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Caravaggio, Claude Monet, Paul Ce'zanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Giovanni Boldini and Giuseppe De Nittis will be among those featured.

(ANSA) - Rome, October 19 - The architectural vision of Renaissance genius Michelangelo is spotlighted in a new exhibition in the Italian capital.

Over 100 designs are on show in a museum on Rome's Capitol Hill, whose famous piazza was created by Michelangelo in the 1530s.

The exhibition focuses on the artist's work in Rome, where he designed and contributed to a string of key structures, most notably St Peter's Basilica.

(ANSA)- Rome, October 14 - One of the largest exhibitions ever staged on Dadaism and Surrealism has opened its doors in the Italian capital, with over 500 artworks from around the world.

The show at the Vittoriano, providing a comprehensive overview of both movements, features oils, sculptures, readymades, collages, drawings and installations by dozens of artists.

''This is an almost unprecedented event,'' said Rome Culture Councillor Umberto Croppi. ''It's been decades since an exhibit of this scope has been staged anywhere in Italy''.

(ANSA) - Rome, October 14 - The following is a city-by-city guide to some of Italy's art exhibitions:

BOLZANO - Museo Archeologico dell'Alto Adige: Iceman joined by more than 60 mummies from Ancient Egypt, Asia, South America and Oceania; until October 25.

BRESCIA - Museo di Santa Giulia: Inca, Origins and Mysteries of the Civilisation of Gold; 250 artefacts, December 4-June 27.

(ANSA) - Milan, October 14 - A secret period in the life of 20th-century Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani is spotlighted in an exhibition here in Milan.

The show is centred on a portrait of Simone Thirioux, a young French-Canadian doctor with whom Modigliani had a brief, intense affair.

The painting, entitled Jeune femme a' la guimpe blanche (Young Woman with a White Collar), was completed during their time together at the end of 1916.