Category: Events in Tuscany

“A look into the invisible”
A major exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi tells the story of Giorgio De Chirico’s extraordinary artistic career and the dual impact that this painting had on modern art and painters such as Carrà and Morandi, or Max Ernst, Magritte and Balthus.
One hundred works from exclusive private collections and some of the most important museums in the world allow the visitor to explore the “Copernican Revolution” that De Chirico brought to 20th century art.
This revolution paved the way for very interesting and lively developments in European art. Between the two world wars, from Dadaism to Surrealism and Realism to Neo-Romanticism, a final blow was dealt to Cubism and the formal Avant-garde.
The choice of Florence as the venue for the exhibition is especially significant. It was here, while visiting the city in October 1909, that the 21 year old De Chirico had the intuition that was to prompt him to create his first metaphysical works.
The exhibition includes some of De Chirico most famous works from 1911 on, paintings by Carrà and Morandi, and masterpieces by Renè Magritte, Max Ernst and Balthus, which the visitors can compare and contrast with several important works by such artists as Niklaus Stoecklin, Arturo Nathan, Pierre Roy and Alberto Savinio, all of whom travelled the path first marked put by De Chirico.
A journey in pictures into unknonw territory, a “look into the invisible” allow us to explore in depth the art of De Chirico and the 20th century.

Opening hours
Tuesday-sunday 10.00 am – 8.00 pm
Monday closed

Phone: +39 055 2469600
Fax +39 055 244145

Tickets
Full price euro 10.00
Reduced euro 8.50; 8,00; 7,50; 7,00; 4,00

www.palazzostrozzi.org

You won’t find the Easter Bunny in Italy, but you will find some interesting Italian Easter celebrations. Easter, Pasqua in Italian, has its share of rituals and traditions.
The Monday following Easter, la Pasquetta is also a holiday throughout Italy. While the days before Easter in Italy include solemn processions and masses, Easter is a joyous celebration.

Religious processions are held in many towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter and sometimes on Easter Sunday. Many churches have special statues of the Virgin and Jesus that play a big part in the processions. The statues may be paraded through the city or displayed in the main square. Parade participants are often dressed in traditional ancient costumes. Olive branches are often used instead of or along with palm fronds in the processions and to decorate churches.

Rome and St. Peter’s
While Easter mass will be held in every church in Italy, the biggest and most popular mass is held by the Pope at St. Peter’s Basilica. On Good Friday, the Pope celebrates the Via Crucis in Rome near the Colosseum. A huge cross with burning torches lights the sky as the stations of the cross are described in several languages. At the end, the Pope gives a blessing.

Florence – Scoppio del Carro
In Florence, Easter is celebrated with the Scoppio del Carro, explosion of the cart. A huge, decorated wagon is dragged through Florence by white oxen until it reaches Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence’s historic center. Following mass, the Archbishop sends a dove-shaped rocket into the cart, igniting the fireworks held in the cart. This spectacular display is followed by a parade in medieval costumes.