In Brief
Archaeologists Find Perfectly Preserved Pre-Roman Tomb at Pompeii
When it comes to the ancient city of Pompeii, the Romans seem to get all the attention.
Italy
In Brief
Italy Earmarks €80M for 12 Cultural Projects, Including Rebuilding Colosseum Floor
On Tuesday Dario Franceschini, Italy's Minister of Heritage, Culture, and Tourism, announced that the superior council for cultural assets and landscape has committed €80 million (~$87 million) to 12 major cultural projects.
In Brief
Leonardo da Vinci Designed a Refrigerator
When Leonardo da Vinci wasn't painting portraits of medieval Italy's nobility, he was figuring out how to keep their drinks cold.
News
Uffizi Gallery Opens Exhibition Inside Mafia Boss's Former House
Next month, the doors of an Italian mob boss's former home will open to the public, thanks in part to the Uffizi Gallery.
In Brief
Lack of Air-Conditioning Warps Raphael Painting at Rome Museum
In order to visit the Galleria Borghese in Rome, you must buy timed tickets online in advance.
Opinion
Patrimony Acrimony: Italy Turns to Private Funding for Restoration
Here in the United States, our cultural heritage is something we care about, but funding it is another story. In Italy, it's long been the case idea that the government mostly pays to maintain cultural heritage, but as the state continues to struggle financially, officials are turning more and more
Opinion
Man Breaks Statue in Quest for Selfie
It's one thing for people to take selfies with works of art; it's another to climb on the art in order to get a photo and break it in the process.
News
Authorities Uncover Stolen Ancient Roman Sarcophagus Lid in New York
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Loretta E. Lynch, has filed a complaint for the forfeiture of an ancient Roman marble sarcophagus lid featuring a sculpture of a sleeping woman on a couch. The lid was found in a storage facility in Queens and is believed to have been
News
Italy Crowdsources Art Conservation Decision
Stories of Italy struggling to save its cultural heritage amid governmental dysfunction and a lack of funds are commonplace these days. But tales of the Italians getting creative with their efforts have been springing up too, and a piece from NPR yesterday points to another example: a program called
News
Italy to Offer Tax Deduction for Book Buyers
The Italian government has unveiled a master plan for attracting foreign investment, and for some reason, it includes a tax rebate for people who buy books!
News
Italian Library Ransacked by Its Own Director
Another day, another depressing story about the deterioration of cultural patrimony in Italy. The subject this time? The Biblioteca dei Girolamini, a 16th-century library in Naples that was systematically looted by its director.
Art
An Italian Duke Visits the Met
The Met has dedicated an entire room to a prized portrait painted by Diego Velázquez titled “Duke Francesco I d’Este” (1638), on loan from the Galleria Estense in Modena, Italy.