Raphael’s birthday was celebrated with an exhibition dedicated to him. An exhibition in the rooms of the Raphael College of Urbino (which will be permanent): thanks to technology it will be possible to experience the idea of being in front of works of the divine painter as a realistic experience. “The art of Raphael and of every artist is always usable even if it is a verb that is not beautiful because enjoying is something material – said pro mayor Sgarbi –. Works of art are used to be happy and dialogue with God Urbino is a central place in the world, a great European city but Raphael’s activity has always been outside. The idea, powerfully pursued by the mayor, was to have a selection of particularly sophisticated reproductions of his works. An invitation then to reach the places where they are exhibited. In this city there was his thought, there was Baldassarre Castiglione and these works are the projection of his constant thought of the place where he was born. In Raphael’s art we see everything that Urbino gave him and that he could not give to Urbino because he was called away for work and died too young to return. The Renaissance with Raphael, immediately after Piero Della Francesca, founded a unique language of painting that united the ‘Italy. Urbino is the Italian capital of the State of Raphael”.
“We thought about this exhibition for a long time and it is a first part, thirty works faithfully reproduced to bring the paintings created by Raphael in one place – added the mayor Maurizio Gambini –. The idea is aimed above all at school groups who come in the city. The project carried out thanks to the Albani Legate will continue to complete the collection and will be open free of charge, forever, for citizens and students. However, there will be a fee for tourists.”
“This exhibition was born from the desire to pay homage to the greatest artist of Urbino, Raffaello Sanzio. We inaugurated it on March 28, the day of his birthday – explains Alice Lombardelli, curator of the exhibition –. With it it brings enormous enthusiasm and wants continue the dialogue that Raphael has always continued to weave with the city of Urbino, interrupted only by history. In fact, his work is remembered above all for his periods of work in Rome, Florence and Umbria, even if the city has always carried with him: in the landscapes, in the beauty and in the Raphael Urbinas signature”.
Vittorio Sgarbi then turned a thought to his ten years in Urbino. “Urbino, Pesaro’s sister, is the capital without anyone telling it. I am very grateful to Urbino. As I finish my mandate as pro mayor, I thank the city for what it has given me and I apologize for what I haven’t done. I will be present in the Council to report the activities of this 10 years, the first as councilor and the last as pro mayor”.
Francesco Pierucci
