ItalyUpdate

FLORAL TRIBUTE TO PREHISTORIC RESEARCH GROUP

The Arco di Diana Cultural Association was presented with the gift of an artistic Tondo featuring their logo made of dried flowers, seeds and grains, the creation of Nando Gabbarini, the oldest master floral artist of the School of Genzano, (Rome, Lazio), famous for its annual Infiorata Festival.

This was a fitting conclusion to an evening centred around the former presence of the Homo Neanderthalensis in the Lazio Region, illustrated by Mario F. Rolfo, Professor of Prehistory at Tor Vergata University, Rome, who has been involved in the recent sensational finds of Neanderthal human remains in caves on the Circeo Promontory some 100 kms south of Rome.

The Arco di Diana (Diana's Bow) Association is active in investigating the ancient history of the region around Rome. Among its many successes is the exploration and documentation of a series of prehistoric tombs in the archaeological site known as Grotticelle, in the former Lazio volcanic ridge, the remains of an ancient stilt village on the shore of Lake Albano and a series of underwater explorations in Lake Nemi with interesting results.

Info: www.larcodidiana.it

ART ON THE VOLCANO

The stony lava fields of Mt. Etna at 1.980m asl are the chosen venue for the art and photography exhibition “Etna Eternal Flame” organized by the Monira Foundation of New York.

German artist Johannes Pfeiffer, with his interpretation of the bonds of “Prometheus” stretching over the jagged peaks of the crater, and Montenegro-born Aleksandar Duravcenic (black lava “Benches for Etna”) have displayed their works on the lava field created by the eruption of 2001 that almost destroyed the historic Sapienza Refuge, while the accompanying painting and photographic exhibition is set up in the Service Centre at the town hall of Nicolosi (Catania).

For volcano fans a programme of multi-disciplinary lectures on Etna, conducted by Stefano Branca, director of the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology, is also currently running at the Etna Observatory.

The exhibition ends on the 19^th October 2023, after which it will be transferred to the Monira Foundation international study centre of contemporary art in New York.

Info: www.arte-gov.it>eventi>etna www.monirafoundation.org

PIETRASANTA MOURNS ADOPTED ARTIST BOTERO

The town of Pietrasanta in Versilia (Lucca, Tuscany) is in mourning for the death of its honorary citizen, Colombian artist Fernando Botero.

Botero, celebrated for his exuberant outsize figures of people and animals, bought a house in Pietrasanta in 1983 and set up his studio near the Piazza del Duomo.

The town, which is near the marble quarries of Carrara (where Michelangelo obtained much of his material), as well as the fashionable beach resort of Versilia, is an open air museum of the maestro's works, including the frescoes “the Gates of Paradise” and “The Gates of Hell” at the Church of Our Lady of Misericordia, his celebrated “Warrior” in Piazza Matteotti and many other works that he donated to the town.

The Botero family is believed to have emigrated from Italy and established itself in South America in the 18^th century. The artist was born in Medellin, Colombia, in 1932. The town of Pietrasanta made him an honorary citizen in 2001 and held a major exhibition of his work in 2022.

According to the artist's last wishes, his ashes will be buried in the cemetery of Pietrasanta, next to the grave of his last wife, Greek artist Sophia Vari, who died in May 2023.

Info: www.comune.pietrasanta.lu.it

VENICE TO CHARGE ENTRY FEE

The Municipal Council of Venice has announced that from next year (2024) a €5 tax will be levied on day trippers visiting the lagoon city. The objective is to discourage the mass invasion of crowds who pass only a few hours in the city, spend next to nothing, leave piles of rubbish to be disposed of and bring no benefit to the city itself. At present, the number of Venice-in-a-Day tourists who arrive every day in the city is almost double that of the residential population.

The tax will be introduced on an experimental basis during traditional holiday periods in spring 2024. Residents, local workers and employees as well as students enrolled in the city university, will be exempt. Visitors with hotel bookings will also not be charged as they already pay tourism tax as part of their accommodation package.

Payment must be made in advance online but full details have not yet been released.

Venice and its lagoon have just recently narrowly escaped being added to the UNESCO list of endangered sites, due to the problems of mass tourism, climate change and threats to the eco system. With the introduction of the entry tax, the city hopes to limit the damages caused by the first of these problems. The activation of the massive “Mose” dam across the lagoon is also proving positive in restricting the periodic flooding that plagued the city centre.

Info: visit-venice.italy

ANCIENT UMBRIA MYSTERIES REVEALED

The Festival of Ancient Umbria widens its scope this year to encompass seven major centres within the territory of Italy's most mysterious central region. This year's edition, spread over six months of events and conferences involving eminent historians and anthropologists, is entitled. “Uomini e Dei” (Men and Gods) and sets out to explore the spiritual world of the Italic peoples, the Etruscans and the early Romans, the three different populations that once inhabited the region.

After last year's highly successful launch, the 2023 version was inaugurated on the 8^th July 2023 at the National Archaeological Museum of Perugia, set in the historic central area, known as the “Isola di San Lorenzo” (Island of St. Lawrence) even though no island exists. The word is simply a corruption of the Latin “ Insula” (meaning a block of houses).

The second stage of the Festival took place at a real lake, at the town of Tuoro sul Trasimeno on Lake Trasimeno (25^th August 2023), scene of an epic defeat of the Romans by Hannibal's invading troops. The programme continued the following day at San Giustino in the National Archaeological Museum of the Villa di Pliny. The third event, on the 2^nd September 2023, was held at the town of Spoleto, seat of the celebrated annual International Arts Festival. October 21-22 will involve the Museum of the Citta di Bettona, listed as “one of the most beautiful borghi in Italy”, as well as the Archaeological Museum of Colfiorito. Back to Perugia on November 11^th at the Chapter Museum of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, built over the remains of an Etruscan temple.

The itinerary concludes on the 2^nd December 2023 at the Archaeological Museum of the town of Terni

Every phase of the Festival is accompanied by a series of lectures by leading experts in the field, who will reveal the secrets of the spiritual life of the three ancient races and their relationship with the supernatural world and the afterlife.

The lectures areavailable on internet and in podcast versions

1000. STENHOUSE

Info: Tel. 0039.334.2573601 www.festivalumbriantica.it

Take your pick...for autumn reading

MARSALA BOOST FROM “THE LIONS OF SICILY”

Italian author Stefania Auci's best seller “The Lions of Sicily” recounting the saga of the Sicilian Florio family, has rekindled interest in Marsala, the fortified wine that the Florio company has produced for the past two centuries.

“The Lions of Sicily” will debut in streaming on the Disney + Channel on October 25^th with further episodes programmed to run till the end of the year.

Marsala wine was first launched in 1773, when English merchant John Woodhouse had the bright idea of adding spirits to the wine barrels he was exporting to London to stop his cargo from deteriorating during the voyage.

After a long period of boom, during which Marsala was nominated the first Sicilian DOC wine in 1969, public tastes began to change and Marsala lost its initial popularity. It sank so low, in fact, that latterly it was used principally as an ingredient in cooking.

This is now changing, thanks to the commitment of the Florio company, which merged in 2004 with Duca di Salaparuta, an equally prestigious and historic Sicilian wine – to divide marketing and production strategies. Florio has recently developed a new range of high quality fortified wines, cosseted in enormous oak barrels in the cavernous cellars at the historic town of Marsala (Trapani, east Sicily), which are open to visitors for tours and wine tastings.

A curiosity: in 2015, Marsala wine attracted the attention of the Panton Color Institute, which elected its deep purple-red tone as “Color of the Year”and created the new tint “Pantone Marsala” available on decorators' palettes.

Info: Tel. +39.0923.781111 www.duca.it

ANCIENT UMBRIA MYSTERIES REVEALED

The Festival of Ancient Umbria widens its scope this year to encompass seven major centres within the territory of Italy's most mysterious central region. This year's edition, spread over six months of events and conferences involving eminent historians and anthropologists, is entitled. “Uomini e Dei” (Men and Gods) and sets out to explore the spiritual world of the Italic peoples, the Etruscans and the early Romans, the three different populations that once inhabited the region.

After last year's highly successful launch, the 2023 version was inaugurated on the 8^th July 2023 at the National Archaeological Museum of Perugia, set in the historic central area, known as the “Isola di San Lorenzo” (Island of St. Lawrence) even though no island exists. The word is simply a corruption of the Latin “ Insula” (meaning a block of houses).

The second stage of the Festival will take place at a real lake, the town of Tuoro sul Trasimeno at Lake Trasimeno (25^th August 2023), scene of an epic defeat of the Romans by Hannibal's invading troops and continues the following day at San Giustino in the National Archaeological Museum of the Villa di Pliny. The third event, on the 2^nd September 2023, will be at the town of Spoleto, seat of the celebrated annual International Arts Festival. October 21-22 involves the Museum of the Citta di Bettona, listed as “one of the most beautiful borghi in Italy”, as well as the Archaeological Museum of Colfiorito. Back to Perugia on November 11^th at the Chapter Museum of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, built over the remains of an Etruscan temple.

The itinerary concludes on the 2^nd December 2023 at the Archaeological Museum of the town of Terni

Every phase of the Festival is accompanied by a series of lectures by leading experts in the field, who will reveal the secrets of the spiritual life of the three ancient races and their relationship with the supernatural world and the afterlife.

The lectures will also be available on internet and in podcast versions

1000. STENHOUSE

Info: Tel. 0039.334.2573601 www.festivalumbriantica.it

Courtesy of Freepics

Bye for Now! We'll be Back in September

RIGONE DI ASIAGO JAM & HONEY RESTORATION PROJECT

Leading Italian honey and jam producer, Rigoni di Asiago, continues its project to restore “lesser known works of art that deserve to be better appreciated.” The programme, called “La Natura in Cuore di....” (Nature in the Heart of...) began in 2015 and has so far involved six art works in six different Italian cities, with the technical support of Fondaco Italia Srl, anadvisory group that gives economic support to restoration projects involving Italian art heritage.

This year, which also marks the company's Centenary, involves Naples and the enormous 2^nd century AD porphyry marble basin that originally came from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and now sits in the courtyard of the Garden of the Fountains in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN).

Previous restorations have involved Milan, with the frescos of the Jesuit Atrium in the Brera Palace (2015), Rome's Fountain of the Marriage of the Sea in the gardens of Palazzo Venezia (2018), the restoration of the crypt of the rock church of San Giovanni in Monterrone at Matera (2019), a section of the frescos in the Grand Cloister of Santa Maria Novella in Florence (2020) and the Contarini Fountain in Bergamo (2021-2022).

Rigone di Asiago is a family business, run by Andrea Rigoni. Its production plant , which is situated in the unpolluted area of the mountains of Vicenza (Veneto), specializes in organic conserves and honey.

Info: www.rigonidiasiago.it