Archive for 'Museums & Galleries'

Canova is a name familiar to any great art-lovers or those interested in the neoclassical period. He is known today as one of the greatest artists of the period and was a leading light during his own time. Although his fame and presence in the popular mindset may not be as completely cemented as Michelangelo or da Vinci most are likely to have seen his iconic works before. In particular, works such as his “Cupid” often appear in the backgrounds of movies or television shows, in art-books and generally in everyday imagery.

Across the Venetian Lagoon, past the Dolomites and beyond the towers of Venice, distinct conical hills are visible. Called the Euganean Hills, they are 81 long-dead volcanoes clustered together, above rolling green farmlands dotted with little monasteries and grand Palladian villas. At their centre is the beautiful village of Arquà Petrarca, Padua. Named for the great Italian poet Francesco Petrarch, after his death, it was also where he retired and one can only imagine how inspiring such spectacularly beautiful surrounds could have only been to the poet.

If you want to follow the same literary pilgrimage as countless others (Lord Byron among them), find a holiday rental in Padua and make the journey to Petrarch's final resting place.

The working of alabaster is a long-standing tradition in the picturesque town of Volterra in Pisa,Tuscany. This unique craft has been a profitable commodity for Volterra since the time of the Etruscans who used alabaster to make urns and in creating capitals, tabernacles, vases and other works of art. Luckily, there are plentiful natural deposits of the precious stone in the area. Furthermore, the alabaster of the area is considered one of the most precious around the world given its particular compactness, transparency, veins and hardness. The extraction, carving and trade of alabaster has brought fame and prosperity to the town throughout its history, allowing it to become one of the most beautiful towns in the entire region.

The Triennale di Milano is a cutting-edge centre for contemporary art, architecture and design. It constantly houses exciting temporary exhibitions and has displayed retrospective exhibitions on major artists like Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein and designer brands like Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton in the past. The Triennale is housed in a building which was built by Giovanni Muzio in 1923 and is located at the edge of the Parco Sempione in Milan. The name, “Triennale”, means “every three years” and the building's original purpose was to host the international exhibition on decorative arts, industrial arts and modern architecture, held every 3 years in Milan.

HangarBicocca is a contemporary art space in Milan. A former industrial space previously owned by Ansaldo-Breda in the area which was once dominated by Pirelli factories, it was converted to house exhibitions and events. The area has become urbanised and trendy with shops, houses and galleries popping up all around since HangarBiccoca's opening. With a unique approach to organising events, utilising space and involving the general public as well as a rather special site, the HangarBicocca is one of the most interesting contemporary art spaces in the world.