The exhibition, conceived within the framework of cultural exchange between Italy and Slovenia, offers a significant overview of the history of Sienese art. The period from Gothic to Renaissance is mapped by twenty-nine works of art lent by institutions in Siena: Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena, Museo Civico di Siena, Archivio di Stato di Siena, Museo dell’Opera della Metropolitana di Siena, Collezioni della Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Collezione Salini.
The selection of works of art includes the artists Pietro Lorenzetti, Nado Ceccarelli, Lucca di Tommè, Taddeo di Bartolo, Andrea di Bartolo, Bartolo di Fredi, Martino di Bartolommeo, Sano di Pietro, Sassetta, Giovanni di Paolo, Matteo di Givanni and Francesco di Giorgio Martini; a sculpture by Jacopo della Quercia; two biccherne from the Archivio di Stato di Siena representing The Victory at the Gate of Camollia of 1527 by Giovanni di Lorenzo Cini and The Siege of Montalchino, 1553, painted by Giorgio di Giovanni; the large City Plan of Siena, painted in 1609 by Rutilio Manetti; paintings by Cristofano Rustici dedicated to the seasons from the collection of the Museo Civico di Siena; and lastly two Views of Piazza dell Campo by Giuseppe Zocchi of 1739 from the collection of the Banca del Monte dei Paschi di Siena. A part of the exhibition consists of two special objects from the holdings of the Museo dell’Opera della Metropolitana di Siena: an Illuminated codex from the 15th century and a Monstrance with the coat of arms of Pope Pius II, the founder of the diocese of Ljubljana. They are accompanied by a selection of illuminated codices from the Libreria Piccolomini of Siena Cathedral in digitized form that allows easy exploration of the manuscripts and offers enjoyment of details of the miniatures.
The exhibition is expanded and complemented by reproductions - photo enlargements, slide presentations and multimedia - which illustrate the relation between the city and the landscape and thus introduce the subject of a symposium on the Cultural Landscape, which will take place in the City Museum of Ljubljana (Mestni muzej Ljubljana) on October 12th 2006.
The exhibition attempts to introduce the fascinating history of the region of Siena through works of art – painting, sculpture, biccherne or illuminated codices. It juxtaposes contemporary reality with the “visions” of the past, absolutely impressive even today to the eyes of any “citizen” or traveller in a world perplexed by the chaos and disorder of our reality.
The exhibition was organized by
Ambasciata d'Italia a Lubiana; Amministrazione provinciale di Siena; Archivio di Stato di Siena; Comune di Siena; Fondazione Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena; Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Slovenia; Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali ; Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije; Narodna galerija; Opera della Metropolitana di Siena ; Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e per il Paesaggio per le Province di Siena e Grosseto; Soprintendenza per Il Patrimonio Storico Artistico ed Etnoantropologico per le Province di Siena e Grosseto
Exhibition
Author Giovanni Bulian, curated by Giovanni Bulian, Barbara Jaki
Exhibition design and multimedia presentations: Giovanni Bulian, Carlo Falchi, Danilo Faleri, Felicia Rotundo
Video: Studio grafico 47THFLOOR - Roma
Publication
Editors: Anna Maria Guiducci, Felicia Rotundo, Andrej Smrekar, paper cover 108 pages, bilingual Slovene, Italian, published by Narodna galerija
Design
Jani Bavčer (Arsenal design), Carlo Falchi
General sponsors
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena Spa
Con il contributo di Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena
Sponsor
Banka Koper
7 July–15 October 2006
National Gallery of Slovenia
Prešernova 24
SI-1000 Ljubljana