They will be on display at Siena the three works of Giovanni Gasparro – “Saint Valentine heals the son of Craton”, “Martyrdom of Saint Valentine” and “Saint Valentine of Terni, Bishop and Martyr” – which the Municipality of Terni recently purchased with controversy due to the amount spent, forty thousand euros.
The same artist in an interview with Il Messaggero said he was disheartened by such a specious and defamatory attack because «the works were sold for a sum equal to approximately half the market value, which can easily be demonstrated with paintings I sold in the same months. So I sold my works underestimating them, to allow the Municipality to allocate them to the territory permanently, as also hoped for by the previous municipal administration. The intent of the acquisition is to enrich the city’s heritage with contemporary works of art that have, moreover, a devotional and identity bond, given precisely by the figure of patron saint of Terni”.
On the same occasion he hoped «I hope to be able to make it accessible in Tuscany too triptych dedicated to Valentine’s Day. I’m sure that many people from Terni would be proud of it.”
So, waiting to be able to admire them in thethe former church of Carminewhere they will be placed after the recovery work on the building, they will be exhibited in the exhibition dedicated to the artist from Bari entitled “Giovanni Gasparro – the painter of the Palio of Siena”, which will be held in the Magazzini del Sale, an exhibition space inside the Town Hall, from 7 June to 7 July.
The temporary loan was requested by the Municipality of Siena which this year called Gasparro, defined by Vittorio Sgarbi as the last Caravaggio, to create the Drappellone of the Palio of Siena, the trophy to be delivered to the winning district. An undertaking in which, from the 17th century to today, many have attempted great artists: Mino Maccari, Renato Guttuso, Corrado Cagli, Ugo Attardi, Aligi Sassu, Domenico Purificazione, Ennio Calabria, Sandro Chia, Mario Ceroli, Milo Manara, Marco Lodola, just to name a few.
And as per tradition the painter who paints the Drappellone also creates that of Cittini Palioplayed in April by the children of the seventeen districts of Valdimontonewon this year byWave and permanently exhibited in the district museum. In short, a nice showcase for Terni too.
«The exhibition “Giovanni Gasparro – the painter of the Palio di Siena” represents an excellent opportunity to promote our city – commented the municipal councilor for culture Michela Bordoni – and in particular of the figure of Valentine’s Day and ours art Museum modern and contemporary Aurelio De Felice, where Gasparro’s works are currently in storage. For me it is a truly important step, considering that we are the only ones who will bring works from other regions.”
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