Category Archives: Piero della Francesca

Art, Italy, Leonardo Da Vinci, MIlan, Piero della Francesca, Raphael, Renaissance art, Sadiq Khan, Titian, Travel, Vermeer

Why London ought to get its own artistic treat for Christmas 2018

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Titian

Visiting Milan has become a family tradition over the last couple of years as my wife Alessandra and I make the most of being in Italy over the Christmas Break.

One Milanese tradition I wish London Mayor Sadiq Khan would import is to be found at Palazzo Marino. It’s the seat of government very much like our own City Hall though with a more familiar grand palazzo feel.

Each year they get one artistic masterpiece and put it on display. It’s free to go and see and it’s used as an opportunity to provide the art loving public with the chance to see something they wouldn’t otherwise. Continue reading Why London ought to get its own artistic treat for Christmas 2018 →

Art, Durer, Lisbon, Piero della Francesca, Raphael, Renaissance art, Travel

Give Lisbon a chance and you won’t regret it

28 tram Lisbon

The recent spate of sunny days makes it easier to forget the cold dark winter months. If you are looking for something to do when the weather turns again, think no further than Lisbon. It’s even on the same time zone as the UK and there are plenty of flights from Heathrow. Continue reading Give Lisbon a chance and you won’t regret it →

Art, Caravaggio, Exhibitions, Italy, MIlan, Piero della Francesca, Pinoteca di Brera, Renaissance art, Travel

Caravaggio Rediscovered

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toulouse-caravaggio

Over the recent holidays I spent a few days being shown around Milan for the first time by my wife, who went to university in the city. With my list of some 28 paintings in hand, a priority stop for me was the Pinoteca di Brera. It’s certainly undergoing a real transformation under its impressive new Director. The energy he’s brought to the institution was evident in the new signs popping up at various points as well as the ongoing rehang.

But what really caught my attention in the gallery was the small little display entitled “Caravaggio. Readings and Re-readings” and, in particular, the recently discovered Judith Beheads Holofernes from Toulouse.

Is it indeed by the master himself? Continue reading Caravaggio Rediscovered →

Art, Palazzo Cini, Piero della Francesca, Renaissance art, Travel, Venice

Palazzo Cini the new jewel in Venice

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sangiorgio5

It’s no exaggeration to say that around every corner of Venice you can meet an unexpected pleasure, a beautiful little church, an impressively grand palazzo or one of the many breath-taking views. It is also an art lovers’ paradise. Not far from the Grand Canal and a short walk Galleria d’Accademia lies such a treasure. Palazzo Cini has in the last 12 months been further enhanced with a new group of art works from the original Cini collection. So it’s a place that may have escaped the visitors’ attention.  I’ve been to Venice many times in recent years but knew nothing of the Palazzo Cini. Hardly a surprise, as it only reopened to the public at the beginning of April 2016. Continue reading Palazzo Cini the new jewel in Venice →

Art, Exhibitions, Forli, Giovanni Bellini, Musei di San Domenico, Piero della Francesca

Piero Della Francesca: exploring a legend in Forli

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Polyptych of the Misericordia

One of the many great joys of having an Italian wife is the not infrequent trips to see La Bella Italia. Recently that took me to the small, yet not all together uninteresting, city of Forli’. It’s not on the main tourist trail but it has in recent years been putting on a series of crowd pulling exhibitions. The present ‘Exploring a legend’ in the converted convent Dominican church and now Musei di San Domenico is on Piero della Francesca. Continue reading Piero Della Francesca: exploring a legend in Forli →