In Brief
Raphael’s Tapestries Unite at Sistine Chapel for the First Time Since the Renaissance
The tapestries — made out of silk, wool, and gold and silver thread — have been restored over the past decade by conservationists at the Vatican Museum.
Italy
In Brief
Two Thieves Say They Stole a Gustav Klimt Painting and Returned It Over 20 Years Later
In December 2018, gardeners happened upon the “Portrait of a Lady" painting in a trash bag, concealed in a wall of the Ricci Oddi Modern Art Gallery in Italy.
News
Controversy Boils Over Italian Soccer League's Anti-Racism Campaign Featuring Apes
A campaign to fight racism against Black players in soccer stadiums backfired as it presented controversial images of primates to advance its message of tolerance.
In Brief
With Venice Recovery Underway, Here’s How You Can Help
Bloomberg says that a $500 donation to Save Venice will pay for a day of work for a professional conservator, while $1.1 million will single-handedly fund the restoration of one of the oldest basilicas in Venice.
Art
Are We Prepared to Look Seriously at de Chirico?
I want to resist any temptation to interpret these pictures, to reveal ‘meanings,’ instead of acknowledging the ways they underscore the strangeness of the workaday world.
News
23 Arrested and 10,000 Artifacts Seized in Crackdown on Archaeological Trafficking Ring
A sophisticated organized crime group used bulldozers and advanced metal detectors to excavate ancient artifacts in southern Italy, and deployed facilitators across Europe to traffic them.
News
Volunteers Mobilize to Save Venice’s Cultural Heritage After Historic Floods
After the Italian government declared a state of emergency and issued an international appeal for donations, locals are rushing to save the city's libraries, museums, and churches.
In Brief
Extreme Flooding in Venice Kills Two People; Biennale Shutters As Safety Precaution
Local authorities called for a state of emergency in the worst floods to hit the lagoon city in more than 50 years.
Art
How Women Artists Flourished in Northern Italy During the Renaissance
Bologna boomed with professional women artists, primarily painters. Of the 300 active painters in the city during the 1600s, around 25 were women — more than in any other Italian city.
Art
Artists Help Scientists Map the Climate Crisis
The "Phenomenal Ocean" Convening brought together artists, scientists, and lawyers to take a deep look at the “Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate,” issued in September.
News
Vatican Unveils New Sculpture as Homage to Refugees
“Angels Unaware” by Canadian artist Timothy P. Schmalz shows 140 migrants in a refugee boat and is now on view in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.
News
600,000 Images Removed from AI Database After Art Project Exposes Racist Bias
The image tagging system that went viral on social media was part of artist Trevor Paglen and AI researcher Kate Crawford's attempts to publicize how prejudiced technology can be.