Unveiling the Mystical World of Italian Symbolism
Italian Symbolism, a pivotal movement in the country’s art history, is set to be showcased in one of the largest exhibitions ever dedicated to the subject. With over 140 works, including paintings, sculptures, and engravings, the exhibition promises to transport viewers to a world of dreams, myth, and mystery. The Villa dei Capolavori, headquarters of the Magnani-Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo (Parma), will host the exhibition from 14 March to 28 June, offering a unique opportunity to explore the most visionary season of Italian art between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
A Journey Through the Symbolist Lexicon
The exhibition, titled ‘Symbolism in Italy. Origins and developments of a new aesthetic 1883-1915’, is curated by Francesco Parisi and Stefano Roffi. It aims to distinguish the artists who consciously developed a symbolist lexicon from those who occasionally adhered to iconographic fashions. By doing so, the exhibition provides a philological reconstruction of an autonomous language, developed in close dialogue with European research but endowed with its own characteristics. The Italian path to Symbolism is characterized by the convergence of spiritual instances and the constant reflection on myth and landscape, capable of holding tradition and modernity together.
Thematic Nuclei and Artistic Expressions
The exhibition is divided into seven sections, each exploring a specific thematic nucleus of the Italian symbolist imagination. These include nature as a living organism, myth as a disturbing experience, the female figure as an ambivalent presence, the landscape as a space of interiority, and the graphic sign as a vehicle of the invisible. The works on display will showcase the complexity and breadth of the Italian symbolist imagination, featuring artists such as Giovanni Segantini, Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo, Gaetano Previati, Giulio Aristide Sartorio, Edward Burne-Jones, Max Klinger, Galileo Chini, Leonardo Bistolfi, Adolfo Wildt, and Mariano Fortuny.
Historical Context and International Influences
The exhibition also illuminates the historical reasons for the later reception of Symbolism in Italy compared to France, Belgium, and the Central European area. It documents the decisive exchanges, including Arnold Böcklin’s stay in Florence, the Pre-Raphaelite milieu active between Rome and Florence, Max Klinger’s stays, and the influence of the Deutsch-Römer colony. By exploring these international influences, the exhibition provides a deeper understanding of the development of Italian Symbolism and its unique characteristics.
Conclusion and Further Information
The exhibition ‘Symbolism in Italy. Origins and developments of a new aesthetic 1883-1915’ promises to be a fascinating journey through the mystical world of Italian Symbolism. With its rich collection of works and in-depth exploration of the movement’s history and themes, it is an event not to be missed. For more information, please visit Here