L'articolo The Eternal Duality – Là dove scorre l’acqua tra storia e rinascita – Keita Miyazaki proviene da Love Italy.

A memorandum of understanding between General Directorate of Museums of the Ministry of Culture (DG Musei), the non-profit LoveItaly, and Federalberghi Lazio, has established the “Arte Fuori Dal Museo” program whose goal is the exhibition of presently inaccessible cultural artifacts, preserved in the storerooms of state museums, with the intention of raising public awareness and knowledge.

The program envisages replicating this project across the country, connecting museum works in need of restoration to sponsor hotels in the vicinity.  The program aims to match the artifact with the destination hotel by affinity, while geographical proximity is important not only for the shared territorial history but also to facilitate visits by hotel guests through assistance provided by the receptions.

The Associazione Federalberghi Lazio, the leading organization in the tourism-accommodation sector in Italy, is supporting the pilot project in Rome and Lazio with the intention of extending it nationally. Federalberghi comprises over 27,000 hotels in Italy. Since its establishment in 1899, it has combined a mission of promoting tourism with social goals and community service. Still today the hotels perform public service roles, first and foremost, offering an accessible and safe space for citizens, even at night.

As Program Coordinator, LoveItaly assists both hotel and museum in identifying the artifact and delivers all the necessary logistical aspects. Hotels and museums in Italy that are interested in taking part should contact – ciao@loveitaly.org – for information.

The Goddess Rome (or Virtus)

On loan from Museo Nazionale Romano

Bettoja Hotel Meditteraneo

Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo, Via Cavour, Rome

Statue of the Goddess Rome or Virtus

Personification of Rome and her Empire or Roman military valor

Marble, 2nd Century AD 

In the religion of the ancient Romans, the Goddess Roma personified the city and the empire of Rome and was usually depicted in military form with features that highlight her virtus or “virtue”, in Amazonian style. Here, she wears a helmet, a short tunic (chitonisko) which leaves her right breast bare and a cloak fixed to the left shoulder with a round buckle.  The sword belt (balteus) used by Roman soldiers crosses her chest from the right shoulder to the left thigh.  She carries a spear in her left hand while her lost right hand would have held the short sword (parazonium) worn by military tribunes and high-ranking officers.  Her Greek boots (endromides) fit tightly to the leg and are laced in front.  The costume shows the influence of classical Greek tradition.  The left leg of the statue leans on a tree trunk for support.

Marble, 2nd Century

 

cista / Etruscan Toiletry Case

on loan from ETRU – Museo Nazionale Etrusco

Palazzo Dama

Palazzo Dama

Lungotevere Arnaldo da Brescia, Rome

Etruscan bronze toiletry case

Palestrina, 4th-3rd century BC (Castellani Collection)

The cylinder lid is decorated with engravings of two Nereids on marine creatures. The figures forming the handle are a satyr and a maenad, the claw-shaped feet are surmounted by winged demons.  The engraving on the side has two scenes: the departure of a warrior assisted by an old man, and young men with a woman preparing to bathe.

A cista was a container used by women to store toiletries and offered to brides as a wedding gift, so were often decorated with mythological scenes or themes dear to their users. Here, the armed man’s departure acclaims his warrior honour while the scene of the female bath alludes to their future nuptials.

On loan from National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

  

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The fresco painting in the display case is on loan as part of the Art Out of the Museum (Arte fuori dal Museo) initiative, a public-private partnership  between the Directorate-General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, Federalberghi Lazio and the non-profit association LoveItaly.

The aim of the project is to restore works of art  from the storerooms of Italy’s museums; archeological or artistic artifacts that are not currently on display because they require restoration.  Italy’s rich heritage means that there are millions of such objects.

The hotels fund the restoration work making the artifacts accessible to the public through exhibition in their lobbies with the intention of promoting the museums they belong to.

This artwork is on loan from National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

Portrait bust of Domizia Lucilla

on loan from Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

Hotel Universo

Hotel Universo, via Principe Amedeo, Rome

portrait bust of Domizia Lucilla

from Ostia Antica, found at the gyms of the Forum Baths, mid 2nd century A.D., Pentelic marble

Domizia Lucilla was born into a wealthy family, the daughter of a consul, Calvisio Tullo. She had two children from her marriage to Marcus Annius Verus, a praetor and brother to the Empress Faustina the Elder, including the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote about his mother’s virtues: her religious piety, generosity, and propensity to live a frugal, simple life, unusual for someone of her standing.

This portrait bust is on loan from the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica – the ancient port city of Rome. It was discovered during excavation of the gyms annexed to the Forum Baths and dates to Domizia Lucilla’s lifetime (mid 2 century C.E:) and is made of Pentelic marble.

On loan from the Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

 

The portrait of Domizia Lucilla is on loan as part of the Art Out of the Museum (Arte fuori dal Museo) initiative, a public-private partnership  between the Directorate-General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, Federalberghi Lazio and the non-profit association LoveItaly. The aim of the project is to restore works of art  from   the storerooms of Italy’s museums; archeological or artistic artifacts that are not currently on display because they require restoration.  Italy’s rich heritage means that there are millions such objects in  museums. The hotels fund the restoration work making the artifacts accessible to the public through exhibition in their lobbies with the intention of promoting the museums to whom they belong.

A portrait bust of her sister-in-law, the Empress Faustina the Elder,

deified by her husband Emperor Antoninus Pius,

is on display across the street in Hotel Diana.

 

 

Head of Aphrodite of Knidos

on loan from National Archeological Museum of Civitavecchia

Hotel Senato

Hotel Senato, piazza della Rotonda, Rome

head of Aphrodite of Knidos

On loan from the National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia (ROMA) – Regional Directorate of national Museums of Lazio

2nd century AD – Roman marble copy of a Greek original – found in the waters of the port area of Centumcellae

 

A Roman copy (2nd century AD) of the famous Aphrodite of Knidos (modern day Turkey) by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles created around 360 BC.

Little is known about the discovery of the head, other than that it was found in the port of Civitavecchia, ancient Centumcellae, and that it was already in the collections of the city’s first civic museum by the early 20th century. The traces of corrosion on the nape of the neck, caused by burrowing molluscs, suggest that it was recovered from an underwater environment.  It is likely that the statue, to which the head belonged, was displayed in a small temple dedicated to Aphrodite Euploia, the protector of safe navigation in the port area, this would have been located inside a larger sacred building similar to that in Knidos.

Ancient sources note that the original statue was the first depiction of a nude female deity, causing a huge stir at the time. The goddess is depicted modestly covering herself as she emerges from the water: a gesture that combines naturalness and sensuality, accentuated by the refined realism of her face and a languid gaze turned to the horizon. The extraordinary beauty of the statue gave rise to ancient legends about young travelers falling madly in love with the image of the goddess.

The Colonna Venus, in the Vatican Museums, is probably the most faithful copy of the original.

There is also a copy at Palazzo Altemps, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano:

Conserved at the National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia (ROMA), the head of Aphrodite is on loan to Albergo del Senato as part of the Art Out of the Museum project, re-establishing a dialogue with places of hospitality and travel and renewing the profound connection between beauty, the sea, and travel.

Art Out of the Museum (Arte fuori dal Museo) is a public-private partnership  between the Directorate-General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, Federalberghi Lazio and the non-profit association LoveItaly. The aim of the project is to restore works of art  from the storerooms of Italy’s museums; archeological artifacts or artworks that are not currently on display because they require restoration.  Italy’s rich heritage means that there are millions such objects in  museums. The hotels fund the restoration work making the artifacts accessible to the public through exhibition in their lobbies with the intention of promoting the museums to whom they belong.

Restoration of the artwork was made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the

Ludovico degli Uberti Foundation

 

 

Etruscan beauty case and perfume jar

on loan from ETRU – Museo Nazionale Etrusco

Hotel DOM

DOM Hotel

Via Giulia, Rome

Etruscan bronze masterpieces

 from National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

Bronze toiletry case

Vulci, 3rd century BC

The cylindrical container features a panther shaped handle and paw shaped supports surmounted by winged female busts (sirens). It is a smaller version of the containers used at that time to store female toiletry items (combs, mirrors, ceramic or alabaster jars for perfumed oils etc.).

 

Bronze container for perfumed oils

Vulci, 3rd-2nd century BC

The face of the small female head, with dangling earrings and necklace, is framed by softly waving hair, gathered at the nape and held in place by a diadem, which hides the removable lid. It would have contained oils or perhaps cosmetic powders.

The fresco painting in the display case is on loan as part of the Art Out of the Museum (Arte fuori dal Museo) initiative, a public-private partnership  between the Directorate-General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, Federalberghi Lazio and the non-profit association LoveItaly.

The aim of the project is to restore works of art  from the storerooms of Italy’s museums; archeological or artistic artifacts that are not currently on display because they require restoration.  Italy’s rich heritage means that there are millions of such objects.

The hotels fund the restoration work making the artifacts accessible to the public through exhibition in their lobbies with the intention of promoting the museums they belong to.

This artwork is on loan from National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

 

 

 

Hotel Dom, Via Giulia, Rome

Art Out Of the Museum: Etruscan works at Hotel DOM

 

 

Portrait bust of Faustina Maggiore

on loan from Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

Hotel Diana

Hotel Diana, Rome

portrait bust of Faustina Maggiore

from Ostia Antica, found near the Theatre, early 2nd century A.D., Carrara marble

Faustina the Elder, formally Annia Galeria Faustina, who lived from 105 to 140 C.E., was born into the Antonine dynasty.

Her marriage to the Emperor Antoninus Pius brought four children including Faustina the Younger, future empress.

Deified after her death by her husband, a great temple in the Roman Forum was dedicated to the couple and she was celebrated throughout the Empire, associated in particular with Ceres, goddess of fertility.

 

On loan from the Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

Click here for more information: Faustina the Elder

 

A portrait bust of her sister-in-law, Domizia Lucilla, mother of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius

is on display across the street in Hotel Universo.

 

 

 

Fresco of the Fate Lachesis

on loan from Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

Hotel Scalinata di Spagna

Hotel Scalinata di Spagna

Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, Rome

Fresco of the Fate Lachesis

from Necropolis of Portus, Isola Sacra, early 2nd century A.D.

The figure depicted in this fresco painting is Lachesis, the central of the three mythological Fates, sisters attributed with the task of determining human destiny.  Clotho spun the thread of an individual’s lifespan, Lachesis would measure it and determine its length and Atropos would, implacably, cut it. Not even the gods of Olympus were exempt.  As the shape of the fresco painting suggests, it once adorned a niche settled between depictions of her sisters. They were found in Tomb 11 at the Necropolis of Portus, Isola Sacra and date to early 2nd century A.D..

 

On loan from the Archeological Park of Ostia Antica

The fresco painting in the display case is on loan as part of the Art Out of the Museum (Arte fuori dal Museo) initiative, a public-private partnership  between the Directorate-General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, Federalberghi Lazio and the non-profit association LoveItaly. The aim of the project is to restore works of art  from the storerooms of Italy’s museums; archeological or artistic artifacts that are not currently on display because they require restoration.  Italy’s rich heritage means that there are millions of such objects. The hotels fund the restoration work making the artifacts accessible to the public through exhibition in their lobbies with the intention of promoting the museums they belong to.

 

Visit the Necropolis of Portus

 

Prof. Richard Hodges, President of LoveItaly, said: “This wonderful collaboration returns extraordinary treasures to the city today and gives visitors from all over the world the opportunity to be fascinated by little-known Italian works of art. Now, thanks to this partnership with LoveItaly , a non-profit association dedicated to enhancing Italian cultural heritage, these treasures will win over a new generation of admirers.”

The insurance coverage for the program Art Out of the Museum | Arte fuori dal Museo is sponsored by the MAG Group.

L'articolo Art Out of the Museum proviene da Love Italy.

LoveItaly is a dynamic nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Italy’s rich cultural heritage by connecting passionate donors, families, foundations, and businesses with unique restoration projects in need of private funding. With a curated list of prospective projects and the capability to scout and identify new opportunities tailored to specific interests, LoveItaly offers a personalized approach to heritage conservation. Whether a crumbling fresco, an ancient ruin, or a historic monument, LoveItaly bridges the gap between those who cherish Italy’s past and the restoration efforts that ensure its future. 

Working with a consolidated network of cultural institutions and professionals, we guide donors through the contractual, legal, and practical steps of the process. LoveItaly accepts private and corporate funding in Italy and the United States through American Friends of LoveItaly (AFLI), a nonprofit organization incorporated under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, making donations tax-deductible within the prescribed limits.

This is a small sample of projects around the country seeking partners for funding, and we are available to identify other works of art in need of restoration in specific parts of the country. Estimates are quoted in Euros, net of tax or contributions required by law; for more information or additional documentation on a project, please contact ciao@loveitaly.org. 

Join us in safeguarding Italy’s treasures, one project at a time.

Bespoke projects

Villa Giulia, Rome

Bespoke projects

Villa Giulia, Rome

Villa Giulia is a stunning Renaissance villa built as a summer residence for Pope Julius III, to whom it owes its name, between 1550 and 1555 under the supervision of Giorgio Vasari. Michelangelo also worked on the project. Today it houses the National Etruscan Museum – ETRU. ​

Pope Julius, a great connoisseur of the arts, took a direct interest in the villa’s design and decor and spent vast amounts of money on enhancing its beauties. Villa Giulia is one of the most beautiful examples of Mannerist architecture.

The vast display at Villa Giulia ranges from Etruscan artefacts to the 19th century jewellery of the Castellani collection.  There are numerous spectacular works of art waiting to be restored. Please contact us for information about projects at the Museum.

PARTNER: ETRU_ Museo Nazionale Etrusco

Athena Parthenos

National Archaeological Museum, Civitavecchia

Athena Parthenos

This Roman copy of Athena Parthenos, the lost gold and ivory sculpture of the Greek goddess Athena by Phidias, dates to the mid second century AD. It was discovered during excavation of Villa Simonetti in Santa Marinella, the summer residence of Roman jurist Eneo Domizio Ulpiano.

State of Conservation: Athena Parthenos has an average degradation. The surface is covered by oxalates, caused by the dirt in the ground where it was found. Pieces of the marble are deteriorating. The statue is 3⁄4 intact with the upper extremities (arms) missing. The pins inside the bust which supported the arms are creating cracks.

Conservation Work: The surface will be cleaned to remove inconsistent and coherent deposits. A consolidant will be applied which will give new consistency to both the surface and the constituent material. Diagnostic investigations (X-ray) are proposed to understand how long the iron-carbon posts are and to establish the best method to remove them, if necessary, or treat them with a corrosion converter. At the end of the intervention, a final protective will be applied.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: €6,500

Partner:  National Archaeological Museum, Civitavecchia

Marine Mosaic

Ostia Antica Archaeological Park

MARINE MOSAIC

This black and white mosaic depicting sea scenes once occupied the entire floor area of a taberna on Via della Foce.  This was located in an important area, not only a commercial crossroads but also a key position between the Forum, the mouth of the Tiber and Porta Marina.

Measuring 7.5 x 4 m approx., the mosaic incorporates decorative details of the four cardinal points and features surrounding a central marble basin. Scholars have unanimously dated it to the age of Commodus, with additional modifications in the third century AD.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: €28.155

PARTNERS:  Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica

Medicinal Gardens

Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri

MEDICINAL GARDENS

The Certosa or Charterhouse on the island of Capri was founded in 1363 by Carthusian monks. The order was the first in the Middle Ages to cultivate medicinal plants which they used to treat those inside the monastery and the surrounding community suffering from various ailments.

Today, these ancient medicinal gardens are in disarray for lack of funding but could serve as a source of enrichment to the island community and tourists, helping everyone rediscover the importance of plants and herbs to modern day medical practices and pharmaceuticals.

There is potential to collaborate on this project with the world-renowned Royal Botanical Gardens of Naples, just across the Gulf.

A Medicinal Garden at the Certosa of Capri: a Mediterranean laboratory in the most likely of places.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: ​ Upon request

 

Gladiator galleries

Amphitheater, Syracuse Archaeological Park, Sicily

GLADIATOR GALLERIES

The dimensions of this amphitheater – 140meters by 119meters – make it the the third largest Roman amphitheater in Italy.  It was purpose built in 4C BC for gladiator games. Much of it was destroyed by the Spaniards in the 16th century when they used the stones to build the city walls of Ortigia. However, the gladiator galleries, a vaulted corridor used by the gladiators to enter the arena are still standing.

Today the amphitheater is closed to the public;  funding would make the gladiator galleries accessible to the public, with the installation of a lighting system inside and outside the galleries.

 

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: ​ on demand

PARTNERS: Archaeological Park of Syracuse

Small Cloister

Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri

Small Cloister, Certosa di San Giacomo

The Certosa or Charterhouse of Capri is a beloved and iconic site for all the island’s inhabitants and once served as the island’s apothecary, hospital and spiritual center. From its dominant position on the cliffs, it has survived seven centuries of pirates, war, plague and monastic suppression.  One of the oldest documented historic buildings on the island, the complex comprises many buildings and open spaces including the Church, Refectory, Canonica, Small Cloister, Large Cloister, the Prior’s Quarters and several splendid gardens.

State of conservation

The elegant and intimate Small Cloister dates to the foundation of the Certosa (1371-1374), making it one of the oldest parts of the complex. The layout follows the architectural guidelines of St. Bruno, founder of the Carthusian order. The 18 ancient white marble columns, sequestered from buildings of the Imperial era, feature capitals of many different styles: Corinthian from the 1st century AD (probably taken from an imperial villa) and medieval, both the smooth leaves and large corner arches of the 12th century and the white marble crochet style popular in Italy between the 13th and 14th centuries.

Restoration work

Many of the columns are now cracked and crumbling and require an intervention to repair their state.

Their history and age make the columns totally irreplaceable and restoration work is necessary to ensure that they survive for centuries to come.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: on request

Partner:  Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri

Sacred Shrines

City of Rome

Sacred Shrines

Sacred shrines are scattered around all corners of the city of Rome. They were usually placed on street corners, but can also be found on the walls of buildings or houses.  While nowadays they depict images of the Virgin Mary or local saints, the origin of these shrines dates back to ancient Rome when they would feature protective gods. By placing them at a crossroads, all the roads connected to it were entrusted to the protection of those gods. With the advent of Christianity, these pagan deities were replaced with Christian iconography.

There are approximately 522 sacred shrines in Rome today, most of which date to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They were lit with gas lighting and provided the only night lighting in the city.

The picture features a fourteenth-century frescoed aedicula in Rione Campitelli, belonging to the Church of S. Biagio de Mercato.  Located between the Vittoriano and the Ara Coeli staircase, it is part of the remains of an insula, a house of imperial Rome.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT:  The costs for restoring the various aedicula in Rome range from €3,000 to €50,000.  Please contact ciao@loveitaly.org to view the different options.

PARTNER:  City of Rome

 

Roman Theater

Terracina, Lazio

Terracina, located 56km southeast of Rome on the coast, is a site that has been continuously occupied since antiquity, its location giving it notable strategic importance as it commanded the surrounding lowlands and mountains. Its history -unfolding across the Roman, medieval, modern and contemporary periods – has bequeathed a rich cultural, historical and archaeological heritage.

Of particular interest is the Roman theater complex (1st century BC) on the Via Appia. This originally extended over an area of about 60×70 meters and was decorated with frescoes and precious marbles from all over the Mediterranean. The theater was rediscovered following bombing in WWII and partially excavated in the 1950s. ​ On November 11, 2023 the newly restored seating area in the theater was unveiled to the public. However, more restoration work is needed to allow the theater to be permanently open to the public and used as a location for events in addition to a complete lighting system, which could incorporate special projection mapping. Once restored, the theater can accommodate up to 3000 spectators. ​

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: ​ €2,500.000 ca.

PARTNERS: Superintendency responsible for the safeguarding of the Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape in the provinces of Frosinone and Latina & Municipality of Terracina.

Sacred Shrines

Assisi, City of Peace

THE AEDICULAS OF ASSISI

The walls of the City of Assisi are studded with religious aediculae of all sizes.  In ancient Roman religion, an aedicula (plural aediculae) is a small shrine, from the word aedes – a temple building or dwelling place.  Typically, these niches held statues of the gods that protected the household or the neighbourhood.  With the advent of Christianity, the Roman gods were replaced by the Virgin Mary and local saints.  The proliferation of these “aedicules” in Assisi reflects the city’s millenary status as a pilgrimage center.

FUND THIS RESTORATION PROJECT: The costs for restoring the various aedicula in Assisi range from €3,000 to €50,000.

Please contact ciao@loveitaly.org to view the different options.

PARTNERS:  City of Assisi

L'articolo Special projects proviene da Love Italy.

L'articolo COSA è Arte? proviene da Love Italy.

Help to Restore the Fresco

The fundraising goal is €15,000 (about $17,000) to cover the restoration costs. If you would like to contribute to returning the original beauty of this ancient fresco, please click on the button to make a US tax deductible donation through American Friends of LoveItaly, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization based in Menlo Park, California.

Click here to donate!

L'articolo The Frate Elia Wall Fresco in Assisi, Italy proviene da Love Italy.

by Corrado Cagli (1935)

at the National Academy of Dance in Rome

 Thanks to the generous donation from the Ruth Stanton Foundation in New York, conservation work was announced to restore Corrado Cagli’s Race of the Berber Horses, a mural painting in the main dance room of the Italian National Academy of Dance in Rome.

The Story

The race of the riderless Berber horses (a North African breed also used in the Palio di Siena and sometimes referred to as Barber) in the Corso was a feature of the Roman Carnival. This was already based on a long tradition of tournaments and races when in 1462, after the election of Pope Paul II, Via del Corso (then known as Via Lata) was built purposely for races. The main event in the carnival was the race of the Berber horses. The horses were gathered around the obelisk in Piazza del Popolo where stands were erected so that the richest and most powerful people in the city could watch  the race start close hand. People would rent space along the Via Lata to watch the race and the balconies overlooking the street were adorned with ribbons and brocade and crowded with spectators throwing flowers and confetti.

The horses galloped down Via Lata to Piazza Venezia, where a large drape hanging across the road marked the finish line. The arrival and “capture” of the horses are remembered as extremely spectacular moments. Nobles, members of royal families, artists and travelers flocked to Rome for the race as the many written accounts and drawings that have been passed down attest. However, following the death of a young onlooker, King Vittorio Emanuele II abolished the event in 1874, which marked the beginning of the decline of the carnival of Rome.

The artist Corrado Cagli was commissioned in 1935 to decorate the walls of the Library for the newly planned building of the Balilla National Opera by the architect Gaetano Minnucci. The mural he created depicts the Race of the Berber Horses, commemorating the famous event of the past. Although commissioned during the Fascist period, the theme was not considered appropriate for the ideological rhetoric of the regime and the order was given to destroy the work.  However, Cagli succeeded in building a false wall in front of it, which was never discovered.   The wall was dismantled in 1945, bringing back to life a landmark testimony of the Italian culture of the Thirties.

LoveItaly was mandated by the National Academy of Dance and the National Institute of Conservation and Restoration to apply for a grant from the Ruth Stanton Foundation to finance the restoration.

National Academy of Dance

The National Academy of Dance (AND) was founded in 1940 at the behest of Jia Ruskaja, a famous Russian ballet dancer, who gave the name to the Institution now known as “Accademia Nazionale di Danza Jia Ruskaja”. With the Legislative Decree of 1948, the National School of Dance obtained didactic and administrative autonomy. The study course at AND is eight years long and is followed by a three-year specialization course. Several theoretical subjects have subsequently been introduced to the program. Moreover, the students’ formative experience is enriched with numerous important international guests.

The building and land of the National Academy of Dance on the Aventine Hill are of exceptional historical and archaeological value. In 1930, the Fascist urban planning policy and regulatory plan transformed the entire area into an immense construction site. Early Christian basilicas were restored, the Circus Maximus was isolated and the enlarged surrounding streets were projected towards the Mediterranean.  At the time the building, known as “Castello dei Cesari”, was home to a famous restaurant.  In 1932 the ancient architectural complex and its grounds were donated to Mussolini who destined it for use by the “Opera Nazionale Balilla” (Fascist Youth organization) and the “magnificent and progressive destiny of the Fascist youth”.

The architect Gaetano Minnucci (Macerata, 1886 – Rome, 1980) was commissioned to renovate the rundown construction and the “Casa della Giovane Italiana” was inaugurated in the presence of Benito Mussolini on August 3, 1935.  In the early 1940s Minnucci expanded the original layout, carefully maintaining the rational balance between plaster and bricks, in a tribute to the architecture of Mies Van de Rohe. The walls of a Roman thermal complex from the Imperial era were transformed into a fascinating small internal theater with barrel vault, creating a magical continuity between past and present, echoed by the suggestive scenery of the Palatine Hill against the backdrop of the external grand theater.

In the 1970s, the complex underwent impressive renovations due to educational needs. The spatial subdivision of the interior was modified, altering its organic and rigorous complexity but leaving Cagli’s mural intact. Despite these interventions the entire complex remains a unique site in the world for its historical stratification and extraordinary charm and beauty.

National Institute for Conservation and Restoration in Rome

The work will be carried out by the National Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ISCR), established in 1939 and a specialized authority for the restoration and conservation of works of art and cultural heritage. Its School of Higher Education (SAF) for conservation is a five year course which trains future restorers. In 2008, ISCR became a technical body of the Ministry of Culture.

The Institute offers a multidisciplinary approach which allows theory to become practice in a setting where research, training, systematic and continuous restoration and experimentation take place simultaneously.  Art historians, architects, archaeologists, physicists and experts in environmental controls, chemists, biologists, and restorers of different types of materials of historical and cultural artifacts work together, making ISCR unique in the world.

The Institute’s renovations include: Assisi, before and after the earthquake; Leonardo’s “Last Supper” in Milan; the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius; underwater findings; the Riace bronzes; the Tarquinia and Pompeii murals and the Tower of Pisa. These are, however, only a small part of the valuable work that ISCR has done over the years.

RESTORATION STRATEGY

Phase 1: Structural Repairs of the Wall (350×800 cm.) and Terrace above (230 sq. mt.).

The wall supporting the mural painting is badly damaged which has caused cracks. Most of the damage is from water infiltration from the terrace above and cracks in the outside walls. Before restoration of the painting begins, work must be done on the support structure.

Phase 2: Conservation of the Mural Painting (350×800 cm.).

• Digital photographic documentation of the state of preservation;
• X Ray investigation to verify existence of internal armature;
  v Graphic and photographic documentation of the techniques used in processing the constituent materials:
• engravings, splints, attachment points of the different sections to reconstruct the phases of assembly of the artifact and of the previous restoration attempts (n.6 thematic tables);
• Cleaning tests with appropriate solvents to remove previous protective layers and subsequent cleaning of all surfaces;
• After cleaning, the filler color is matched with that of the artifact using dotted technique.

L'articolo The Race of the Berber Horses proviene da Love Italy.

Built at the beginning of the sixteenth century by the Tuscan banker and Papal Treasurer Agostino Chigi, the Villa should have been named for him, the highly ambitious patron and art-lover born in Siena in 1466. He commissioned the Villa as the tangible sign of his own personality and high culture, decorating it magnificently and living in it until his death in 1520. However, after a somewhat troubled history and many changes of ownership, the Villa now bears the name and preserves the memory of the Farnese family, who acquired it in 1579.

Many hands were involved in the building and decoration of Villa Farnesina, one of the first ‘country villas’ in Rome modeled on the great Imperial villas of Ancient Rome. One of these hands was Raphael whose work here includes the world famous fresco in the Loggia of Galatea.

THE LOGGIA OF GALATEA

The Loggia takes its name from the nymph painted by Raphael in his fresco the Triumph of Galatea which he completed around 1512. He depicted Galatea amongst a throng of sea creatures as she speeds away from her admirer on a fantastical shell drawn by dolphins.

In 2020, the quincentenary of Raphael’death, the two marble portals on the north wall of the Loggia di Galatea, Villa Farnesina, were restored thanks to the support of Ciceroni Travel and the attendees of the I LOVE ITALY event in February 2020.  The restoration work on the portals and the gold leaf finish, carried out by Villa Farnesina, had two goals:  to highlight the original artistic intention and to slow down deterioration, ensuring its future conservation.

In the same room, a monochrome painting of a daringly foreshortened large head of a young man (seen above to the right) has been attributed to Michelangelo thanks to a well-known legend. It was said that he drew it as a competitive “prank” while he was waiting for the commissioned artist, Raphael, who was momentarily absent.

Support Restoration at Villa Farnesina

The Villa Farnesina is today a museum owned and managed by the distinguished Lincean Academy of Rome which has the huge task of continuing the restoration and maintenance of the villa and its gardens.

Individuals and corporations may contribute to the restoration projects ongoing at Villa Farnesina through LoveItaly. Contact ciao@loveitaly.org for more information

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From 1494, a wooden crucifix made by the school of Giovanni Teutonico hung above the main altar in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Argentea in Norcia, Umbria. It had been commissioned by the rector Don Ottaviano Tonti who recorded the purchase in the Liber Memorialis, writing: «Item pagai ad mastro Janni todisco per le mano de Andrea de Simone, Joan Benedicto de Basilio et Jacomo de Montano fiorini 45 per un crucifissu». This valuable work of art expressed the sufferings of the crucifixion with great and engaging realism, and, furthermore, incorporated an unusual mechanism: a cord made the tongue move within the mouth of Christ, so he could ‘speak’ in times of sacred representations.

In 2016, the 6.6 magnitude earthquake of October 30 in Umbria caused the collapse of the roof and upper perimeter walls of the cathedral, damaging the left side and head of the crucifix. In November, firemen were lowered in a basket from a crane to recover the artwork from the debris cluttering the church. The sculpture was immediately transported by the Carabinieri of the Cultural Heritage Protection unit to the storerooms of Santo Chiodo in Spoleto which housed about seven thousand works saved from the devastating effects of the seismic events of 2016.

In November 2017, “This is Italy, Parts Unknown”, an initiative of Panorama Magazine and International Business & Investment Initiative (IB&II) organized a fundraising event at the Guggenheim Museum in New York to benefit Umbria.  One of the smallest regions in Italy, Umbria has an extraordinarily varied landscape. The region’s productive system can be defined in three key-words: innovation, quality and cohesion, evident in the 81,000 companies present in the territory. Industrial progress began in the late 1800s with the birth of the steel industry in Terni and continued through the 20th century with the production of chocolate in Perugia, making the area a milestone of Italian economy.

LoveItaly was present at the event, through its American association “American Friends of Loveitaly”, to collect funds for the restoration of the crucifix, a masterpiece of sacred art by one of Umbria’s most popular artists.

On September 19, 2018 a press conference was held at the Regione Umbria to mark the official launch of the restoration process. The work will be directed by the Superintendency for Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape in Umbria and executed by the National Institute for Conservation and Restoration.

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The Italy USA Exhibition Program intends to develop art exhibitions drawn from Italian collections to be presented in museums around the United States. Initial support for the project comes from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

The cultural cooperation between the U.S. Department of State and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes another step forward:  in furtherance of the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between the nations and the relevant legislation, American Federation of Arts (AFA) and LoveItaly have formed a partnership to establish the Italy USA Exhibition Program with the goal of developing and presenting exhibitions and loans from museums and cultural institutions across Italy to U.S. museums, for the benefit of millions of visitors.

Following the MOU signed on February 28, 2018, with the Directorate General of Museums, division of the Italian Ministry of Culture, AFA and LoveItaly will begin planning a series of exhibition projects  over the next several years.  The Program will provide access to short and long term loans of exhibitions, artworks and archaeological materials from across Italy to leading American museums.

In the course of the following months, AFA will develop and lead the relationships with American museums and peer foundations, overseeing the thematic underpinnings, publications, fundraising, logistics, insurance, transportation, product development, and marketing of projects, in regular consultation with the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

“As America’s leading organization in the development and presentation of traveling art exhibitions, AFA is extremely pleased to be working hand-in-hand with our partners in the Italian Ministry of Culture and LoveItaly” – stated Pauline Willis, Director and CEO of AFA – “We foresee ample opportunities for North American audiences to benefit from ground-breaking research, conservation, and exhibitions revealing the unparalleled treasures of Italian cultural heritage.”

“The collaboration between LoveItaly, the AFA, and the Ministry represents a watershed in international cooperation, and promises to provide access to important examples of Italian heritage to countless museumgoers, while drawing attention to the urgent needs of monuments and museums,” adds Dr. Richard Hodges, President of LoveItaly.

LoveItaly will develop and lead the collaboration’s relationships with Italian museum officials, superintendencies, MiBACT, and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Washington, D.C. to identify prospective loans, negotiate permits with relevant ministerial authorities, and secure authorization to export loans.

The collaboration’s Senior Project Advisor is Dr. Maxwell L. Anderson, former president of the Association of Art Museum Directors and Consulting Scholar in the Mediterranean Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

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