From Leonardo da Vinci to the Napoleonic era.
A talk with:
Chris Fischer (Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen),
Simonetta Prosperi Valenti Rodinò (Tor Vergata University, Rome),
Dario Beccarini (Researcher in Residence at the Italian Embassy in Copenhagen).
Why do we collect and preserve drawings? How does creativity work? How does an artist frame an idea?
Three different papers will try to answer these questions exploring the fascinating world of artistic creativity.
The Department of Prints and Drawings at the Statens Museum for Kunst is probably the oldest existing collection of prints and drawings in the world, established under King Christian II (1513-23). Its Danish name Den Kongelige Kobberstiksamling reflects its royal origin, and it was only in the 1830s that it opened as a public collection.
In his paper Chris Fischer, Head of Centre for Advanced Studies in Master Drawings, will present the fascinating history of this illustrious institution and show some of the many delicate masterworks kept in boxes in its deposits, well protected against light, humidity, insects and other injurious effects.
The Florentine artists were indefatigable draughtsmen: the paper by Simonetta Prosperi Valenti Rodinò will select the most representative drawings from the holdings of the Department of Prints and Drawings at the Istituto Centrale per la Grafica in Rome, one of the most important collections of Florentine drawings in the world and yet not well known.
The most spectacular drawing in the collection is the splendid drapery study by Leonardo; but there are also other rare drawings, by such masters as Filippino Lippi, Fra Bartolomeo, Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo and many other talented artists of Mannerism and Baroque Age.
Dario Beccarini will try to outline the creative process of an artist, from “first idea” and sketches until final model and, furthermore, he will look for links between Italian and Danish art.
Several drawings of great and less known artists will be shown among them the celebrated and extremely rare drawing by Donato Bramante, competitor of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Drawings are like bridges between different countries and traditions. They are often preserved far from their place of origin where they inspire other artists and cultures.
The event is held in English. Afterwards the Italian Cultural Institute will offer a glass of wine.
Free entrance.
