Visitors take in the Gloria di Luce e Colore: quattro secoli di Pittura a Venezia exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing. (Photo: Xiong Yuqing/GT)
From last Thursday, 73 art pieces have been put on display at the National Museum of China(NMC) as part of the exhibition Gloria di Luce e Colore: quattro secoli di Pittura a Venezia (Glory of Light and Color: Four Centuries of Painting in Venice). The exhibition, which includes works by the great Italian painters Titian and Giovanni Bellini, is scheduled to end in January of 2017. Lectures and other cultural exchange events will also be held during this period, according to NMC Deputy Director Chen Lüsheng.
It is the third exhibition being held as part of a five-year long cooperative agreement between China and Italy, following the Renaissance in Florence, Masterpieces and Protagonists in 2012-13 and the Rome/Seventeenth Century: Towards Baroque in 2014-15 exhibitions.
The works on display, many of which have come to China for the first time, have been divided chronologically into four sections that cover the Venetian school from the 15th-17th centuries. In the art on display, visitors will have the opportunity to see famous scenes from Greek mythology, such as the story of Leda and the Swan, and the abduction of Europa.
Highlights of the 15th century section include San Giorgio by Andrea Mantegna, which features the famous hero Saint George resplendent in armor and holding a spear as he stands triumphant over the dragon he killed.
The 16th century section shows off the most prosperous period of the Venetian school, when grandiose paintings were the major trend. This was a golden time for artists in Venice as they were strongly influenced by other European empires of the time. Masterpieces of the three masters of Venetian school, Titian, Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese can be found in this section. Titian's portraits have been put on display in a bright room along with three sculptures created around the same time as his paintings.
During the 17th century, the city's political and economic positioning weakened. The Venetian school was divided into two, one influenced by Peter Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, and the other focusing on the strong contrast between light and shadow. It wouldn't be until the 18th century, that the Venetian school would step back into the light with a bright style during the Rococo era.
At a press conference for the exhibition on Thursday, Ugo Soragni, general director of Italian museums, introduced the key artists on display, including masters such as Bellini and Titian and artists with strong local styles like Canaletto.
"Their work is so different from artworks based on sketches. For example, they don't focus on the details of the trees, but focus on the contrast between light and the shadow," he said.
A city built on water, Venice is a unique place with its prosperous economy and splendid culture. Famous for openness and curiosity, the city was regarded as a paradise for musicians and artists. Additionally, as a destination along the Silk Road, the people of Venice displayed a strong interest in the Eastern world.
From the middle of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century, the joy and pride of the Venetian people could be seen in the art of the time. While the city's art showed off the individual personality of artists and local flavor, it also incorporated the contributions of numerous visiting artists to the city.
"With 7.64 million visits a year, the NMC has become the second most-visited museum in the world, just behind the Louvre in Paris," Chen said at the conference. Based on the previous two Italian exhibitions at the museum over the past four years, Chen predicted the current exhibition will attract over 400,000 visitors.
With 2020 marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Italian diplomatic relations, Soragni expressed confidence that the two countries would continue cultural exchanges in the future.
