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The Extravagantly-Priced New Coffee Table Book About the Vatican

A coffee table book about the Vatican that drips with luxury and power.

Michelangelo and Fra Angelico: Two Renaissance Greats Who Died on the Same Day

Michelangelo and Fra Angelico were Italian Renaissance artists who died on the same day (many years apart).

How Keith Haring Came to Pisa

An old mural and a new exhibit reunite Keith Haring and Pisa.

Italy’s New UNESCO Sites in Padua, Bologna, and Tuscany

The 2021 UNESCO session raised Italy’s number of World Heritage Sites to 58—the most of any country in the world.

The Triumph of Death: Mysterious Plague Painting in Palermo

Throughout the long, lonely months of our modern pandemic, I’ve been thinking about a dark and mysterious painting in Palermo known as “The Triumph of Death.” Known in Italian as Il Trionfo della Morte, the painting hangs in Palazzo Abatellis, a regional gallery in the Kalsa quarter of the Sicilian capital. Measuring 6 m x…

Caravaggio Guide to Rome

There are few artists in history who inspire intrigue quite like Caravaggio. Here’s where to find his works in Rome.

Writing on the Wall: Birthplace of Tina Modotti in Udine

A look at Franco del Zotto Odorico’s art at the Tina Modotti house in Udine.

Roman Quarantine, Remembered in Watercolor

Learn more about the Roman artist who lovingly chronicled the quarantine in watercolors.

An Italian Artist for Every Italian Region [Map]

This Italian map is fun but certainly controversial. It is a map of each region in Italy represented by a painting or fresco by an artist of that region. Here’s the full map (click to zoom in). A list of the artworks and their creators follow. Alphabetical List of Italian Regions with Their Representative Artworks…

Raphael’s Loggia of Cupid and Psyche Now in Exquisite, Digital Detail

In addition to the many paintings that Raphael painted during his short life, the artist was also responsible for a roomful of frescoes in a Roman palace that is now known as the Villa Farnesina. From 1517-1518, Raphael and his workshop painted scenes from the fable of Cupid and Psyche on the vaulted ceiling of…

What Will Italy’s Museums Look Like After the Lockdown?

After a two-month lockdown, Italy’s museums are set to reopen. The reopening will bring both challenges and opportunities.

Virtual Visits to Italy’s Museums and UNESCO Sites

Many Italian museums and galleries have made it easier to take virtual visits of their works of art and historical relics.

Annunciation with St. Margaret and St. Ansanus by Simone Martini

A close-up detail from Simone Martini’s “Annunciation with St. Margaret and St. Ansanus.”

A ‘Corrected’ Caravaggio for the Current Crisis

Italian musician Salmo discusses Caravaggio while in quarantine and creates a cool work of art in the process.

Milan’s Middle Finger

Maurizio Catellan’s L.O.V.E., a provocative sculpture in front of the Milan Stock Exchange, is more than an irreverent gesture.

Raphael: Where to See His Works in Italy

Only 37 when he died in 1520, Raphael was one of the most influential artists of his day.

Bernini: The Baroque Artist Whose Designs Define Rome

Get to know the works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Baroque artist whose works are some of the most famous pieces of art in Rome.

Leonardo da Vinci: Where to See His Works in Italy

Leonardo da Vinci created many paintings, sketches, and engineering projects in his lifetime. Here’s where to find them in Italy.

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