The exhibition at the Quirinale, until 2019 July, 14th with some of the most meaningful cultural works recovered in the last 50 years by the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale. “L’arte di salvare l’arte. Frammenti di storia d’Italia” celebrates the 50th anniversary of this special section, that fights against crime towards our enormous artistic heritage, Italian excellence to protect our culture.
“From 1969 the Comando Tutela Patrimonio Culturale recovered about 2 million objects stolen and other several imitations. In the beginning, the Comando counted only 16 soldiers, while today it has 300 qualified Carabinieri protecting the cultural and archaeological Italian heritage.”
Prof. Francesco Buranelli, exhibition curator
DA PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA, VAN GOGH, CEZANNE FINO A MANTEGNA
The Quirinale Palace, the most institutional location, hosts a selection of about 100 objects set in four sections. Among the masterpieces the Madonna di Senigallia by Piero della Francesca, the Cratere by Euphronios, the Trapezophoros, the Triade Capitolina, Il giardiniere by Vincent Van Gogh, Le Cabanon de Jourdan by Paul Cézanne, the Castellani jewellery and the Sacra Famiglia con una Santa by Andrea Mantegna.
INVESTIGATION AND DIPLOMACY OPERATIONS
Visitors will appreciate recovered objects from all over the world stolen by crime, from Giamaica, USA, Ucraina, and so on through a strong investigation and an advanced diplomacy activity. Thefts, armed robbery and “tombaroli” incursions stolen priceless masterpieces from the public heritage from churches, museums, archaeological areas, library and archives. National and international illegal reference market became more and more sophisticated, this is why the reconstruction of their recovery is very interesting. You will find also some cultural heritage saved from the central Italy earthquake areas in 2016, after being restored in the specialized centre of Santo Chiodo in Umbria.
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
If at the beginning there was a paper stolen objects census, nowadays the Comando boasts a digital database, appreciated all over the world, with more than 6 millions described objects and the ITPC App, the first in the world, with more than 600.000 recorded images at everyone disposal, to report and find stolen art objects. Common people awareness is built also through these instruments and initiatives like this exhibition.
“The Comando has 15 teams in Italy and also a Sicilian section. After an historical agreement among UNESCO and the Italian Government, the first Nation in the world, the Cultural Blue Helmet task force was born. They are on the national area avevn also in case of calamity and on the international area when there are crisis, as in Iraq now.”
Prof. Francesco Buranelli, exhibition curator
The future challenge is ambitious, but necessary: to recover 1 million disappeared art objects remaining and to prevent crime against current cultural and archaeological heritage. Among the most famous nowadays absents masterpieces, still, after decades, the “Testa di fauno” by Michelangelo, the “Natività” by Caravaggio and all the Jewish library stole in 1944. The final aim, however, is to preserve common identity also through our country cultural heritage protection.
Dedicated staff will guide visitors along with the exhibition and will help them test the online database.
WHERE: PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
WHEN: from May, 5th, until July, 14th 2019
OPENING HOURS: Thusday, Wensday, Saturday, Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00. Closed on Monday and Thursday, from 31.5.2019 to 2.6.2019.
TICKETING: free entrance with mandatory reservation (1,50 euro) on the Quirinale web site- BOOK YOUR VISIT
For further information: http://palazzo.quirinale.it/palazzo.html
Elena Cattaneo was born in Cremona and lives in Rome. As a teacher, editor and web reporter she looks at this city, even also many years, like a curious turist.
After a Foreign Language University Degree she specialized in Communication Science. She fully dedicated to Business Communication, her most relevant interest.
She cultivated several cultural hobbies, fond of art and human being expression.