Vasari portrait exhibition For glory of art and honor of the artists
AREZZO – As part of the rich program of Arezzo events. The city of Vasari, which celebrates the 450th anniversary of the death of Giorgio Vasarithe City Library of Arezzo opened the exhibition to the public For glory of art and honor of the Artificers: Vasari immortal writer and artist. The exhibition outlines the eclectic figure of the Arezzo artist through an exhibition itinerary that highlights the bibliographical treasures kept by the Library.
“Giorgio Vasari is an excellent artist from every point of view – declares Alessandro Artini, president of the Board of Directors of the City of Arezzo Library – and his genius also included a refined writing ability. With the story of the lives of artists and their works, he educated readers to grasp and appreciate beauty, since the latter always requires narration. We are proud that the library is displaying some very rare editions of his writings in this one-of-a-kind exhibition”.
Manuscripts, prints and ancient books to tell the story of Vasari
Treated by the doctor Elisa Boffathe exhibition displays ancient and modern manuscripts, prints and books coming from the precious documentary heritage of the Library. A journey through the different editions of “Lives”a monumental work that marks the beginning of the history of modern art, but also other writings by Vasari, as “The Reasonings” and the “Poems”.
The five sections themes
The Arezzo exhibition is divided into five sections:
- Giorgio’s origins: family and education: a tribute to Vasari’s roots, with the portrait of his great-grandfather Lazzaro, the family coat of arms and three portraits of the artist created with intaglio engraving.
- Vasari architect and painter: an in-depth analysis of the salient aspects of his artistic activity, through a unique manuscript with the autograph contract for the fresco of Esther and Ahasuerus and the documentation of the foundation stone for the construction of the Lodges.
- The Lives is a best-seller of the modern era: an excursus on the different editions of the famous work, from the princeps of 1550 by Torrentino to the most beautiful and complete of 1568 printed in Florence by the Giunti.
- Other writings by the artist: a space dedicated to Vasari’s other works, such as “I Ragionamenti”.
- To everlasting memory: a section that collects the writings and contributions dedicated to Vasari after his death, from Landucci to Del Vita to Cesare Guasti.
“Ancient and modern manuscript texts and printed books and prints – declares Elisa Boffa – were chosen to try to reconstruct Vasari’s life and activity, taking inspiration only from the heritage of the library of Arezzo, the most important historical library in the Arezzo area, with the illustration of unique manuscripts that bear witness to his work as painter and as an architect, but also the illustration of the Lives which were published in multiple versions both during the artist’s lifetime and subsequently. All together the various sections of the exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to understand the great life that the artist from Arezzo lived which leads him today to be remembered for his works of painting, architecture and also for the creation of the Lives, as the first text that addresses the themes of art history and criticism, to which have been added the Reasonings and Poems, the latter still unpublished”. It’s still “The main innovative feature of the exhibition is that all the materials on display (prints, manuscripts and ancient and modern books) come exclusively from the Library which therefore did not benefit from loans from other conservation bodies. On the contrary, when the exhibition in the library is finished, some of these texts will be loaned to other institutions for the creation of their exhibitions”.
Vademecum
Guido d’Arezzo Foundation
Corso Italia 102 – Arezzo
the exhibition will be open until 7 July 2024 from Monday to Sunday 10am-1pm, 3pm-6pm,
guided tours by reservation
info on www.discoverarezzo.com and www.fondazioneguidodarezzo.com
