all about the arts A lot of Italy to love
Compassion’s voice in the village Dougal Macdonald
By Helen Musa
Raphael and Botticelli have been seen in Australia. The 15th-century part has an altarpiece from Vivorini, Madonnas, crucifixions and heroic saints such as St. Peter, holding the keys and St. John, holding a quill. But there are plenty of The National Gallery of Australia secular subjects, too, many to do with has an instant solution in its newest notable patrons, recognisable in the exhibition, “Renaissance: 15th & 16th works. Century Italian Paintings from the There will also be works by Accademia Carrara, Bergamo”. lesser-known artists, just as fascinat“People will love it… it’s very, very ing in Dixon’s eyes. Take Giovanni moving and there are around 70 works Battista Moroni, whose sumptuous yet of great variety – the kind of works restrained Reformation-era “Portrait of Australians would see if they went to a Child of the House of Redetti”, shows Italy.” a little girl dressed in rich textiles That’s Christine Dixon talking. She’s wearing a crystal necklace and also a the NGA’s senior curator of internacoral bracelet to ward off the plague. tional painting and sculpture and the Such detail! Australian curator of the exhibition. The 16th-century section will be Dixon brings a wealth of knowledge of particular interest to art students, and linguistic skill to the task of as it shows the transition from mounting this show. Together with co- tempera on wood panel to oil on ordinating curator Giovanni Valagussa, canvas around 1472-80 with Bellini. from the Accademia Carrara; Prof “They look different,” Dixon says, Raphael, “Saint Sebastian” c.1501-1502, oil and Jaynie Anderson, from Melbourne with the tempera works painted on gold on wood panel 45.1cmx36.5cm. University and the NGA’s Ron Radford, gold backgrounds, in contrast to the “Renaissance”, 10am-5pm daily (except Christshe’s making sure that the painting greater realism of oils. scholar and the layperson will be But most breathtaking of all will be mas Day) until April 9. Timed ticketing bookings satisfied. what she calls “the glamour of Raphael to ticketek.com.au or 13 28 49. For visitors with The little hilltop city of Bergamo and Botticelli”. mobility difficulties phone 6240 6411. (emphasis on the first syllable) might be something of a backwater now, but it was described by architect Frank Lloyd Wright as “the most perfect city in the world” and was the hometown of Donizetti, whose opera “L’elisir d’amore”, runs at the ANU Arts Centre through the first week of the exhibition. Only an hour by train from Milan, it was once part of the Republic of Venice and a thriving centre of the textile trade. Dixon feels sure that after this, a lot of the 9000 Aussie tourists who visit Italy each year will sidetrack to Bergamo. The Accademia Carrara’s present rebuilding program has been the NGA’s good fortune. Just as with “The Great Impressionists: masterpieces Sandro Botticelli, “The story of Virginia the Roman” c.1500, tempera and gold on wood from the Courtauld panel, 83.3cmx165.5cm. Collection” in 1984, French Paintings from the Musée Fabre in 2003 and “Masterpieces from Paris” from the Musée d’Orsay in 2009-10, the Bergamo museum is being refurbished. As Dixon says: “It’s only because they are homeless that you get the opportunity to borrow these paintings.” So, prepare to have your breath taken away. There are early and high Renaissance paintings from Venice, Florence, Padua, Ferrara, Bergamo and Siena by Raphael, Botticelli, Bellini and Titian. It’s the first time paintings (as opposed to drawings) by
SO you’ve never been to Italy, but you’ve always wanted to go? No problem.
Bartolomeo Vivarini, “Saint Michael from Scanzo” polyptych 1488, tempera and gold on wood panel, 137.0cmx47.8cm.
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