Dedicated to the theme ofgold in art history is the new issue of Finestre sull’Arte Magazine, the quarterly magazine published in print edition by the Finestre sull’Arte portal. This is issue 27 of the magazine, out for the September-October-November period, and is a wide-ranging exploration of the symbolic, artistic and cultural value of gold through the centuries, with articles by critics, art historians, journalists and scholars, enriched by an extensive color iconographic apparatus.
The issue, consisting of 176 pages bound in paperback, is available exclusively by subscription. At an annual cost of 39.90 euros, plus postage(available for purchase at this link), subscribers will receive four issues of the magazine, for a total of more than 700 pages a year devoted to art, its protagonists and places. To get your copy of the upcoming issue, or to subscribe, you must make your purchasebyAug. 17.
The new issue deals with gold as a cross-cutting element in art history, capable of taking on different meanings according to epochs, artists and cultures. From antiquity to the contemporary, the dossier offers a variety of perspectives that decline the theme from historical, symbolic and critical perspectives through the different sections into which the magazine is divided.
Opening the issue is thetopical section, which welcomes two contributions. The first is a reportage by Ilaria Baratta dedicated to the “Siviero Cross,” a recently reassembled and recovered work that is at the center of a major enhancement and restoration project. This is followed by the traditionaltopical debate section, which in this issue focuses on the role of art in the face of war. Speakers include Francesca Acquati, general manager of Gres Art 671; Daniele Capra, art critic and independent curator; Marta Czyż, art critic and curator of the Poland Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2024; and Giovanni Ferrario, professor of phenomenology and art criticism at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan; Ada Patrizia Fiorillo, associate professor of contemporary art history at the University of Ferrara; Simona Maggiorelli, editor in chief of Left magazine; Fiammetta Martegani, anthropologist and curator at the Jewish Museum in Lecce; and Gabriele Romeo, professor at the Accademia Albertina in Turin and president of AICA Italia (International Association of Art Critics).
The “Works and Artists” section is the heart of the issue, offering a series of monographic analyses of figures and works emblematic of the link between gold and art. The cover article, signed by Giorgio Dellacasa, is dedicated to Beato Angelico’s Annunciations, works in which gold acquires a transcendent value, functional to the communication of the divine and celestial light. Maurizio Cecchetti, on the other hand, explores the thread that connects the use of gold in ancient art and contemporary expressions, identifying continuities and transformations of meaning.
Another essay signed by Ilaria Baratta dwells on an iconic work of the 20th century: the portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, Gustav Klimt’s famous “woman in gold,” an emblem of a precious aesthetic. Francesca Anita Gigli, on the other hand, proposes an immersion in the obsessive visions of Carlo Crivelli, a 15th-century painter known for his spectacular use of gilding and pastille reliefs, elements that transform painting into a sacred object. Finally, Jacopo Suggi analyzes the figure of a great but forgotten 20th-century artist, namely Giannetto Fieschi, focusing on the mournful humanity that emerges from his works and his symbolic relationship with gold.
The journey continues in the “Grand Tour” section, which takes readers to discover places where the connection with gold becomes a concrete experience. Federico Giannini signs an in-depth look at the Bandini Museum in Fiesole, a small but precious treasure chest born from the collection of an 18th-century collector. Francesca Interguglielmi guides instead to the discovery of the gold of the Cathedral of Monreale, one of the greatest examples of medieval mosaic art, in which gold dominates the iconographic and architectural scene, a symbol of eternity and power.
In the column “Under the Spotlight,” Claudia Viggiani proposes an original identification hypothesis for two famous female figures by Raphael: the Veiled and the Fornarina. The article analyzes the iconographic and stylistic connections between the two portraits, proposing a reading that interweaves art, history and identity and trying to unravel the dilemma about the woman’s identity.
The “Contemporary Lounge” section, on the other hand, explores contemporary art, focusing on three contemporary artists who reflect on gold as a cultural symbol and expressive language. Camilla Nacci Zanetti devotes her contribution to Giuseppe Penone, known for his work on the body, matter and time, who in some recent works has used gold as an element of contact with memory and nature. Tristana Chinni focuses on Andrew Huston and his relationship with Venice, investigating how the artist has assimilated lagoon gold into his urban landscapes. Federica Schneck’s article on Victor Fotso Nyie, who interprets gold as a “lost language” rooted in African collective memory and reinvented in the context of contemporary art, closes the section.
Finally, the “Wunderkammer” column, assigned to Noemi Capoccia, recounts theRoman aureus, imperial coinage par excellence and a symbol of the power and glory of ancient Rome. The article highlights the role of gold as a vehicle for political messages and a tool for legitimizing power.
This new issue of Finestre Sull’Arte on paper is thus presented as a choral reflection, articulate and rich in insights, crossing eras and languages to recount a central theme of art history with dense and in-depth articles. Gold, in these 176 pages, is shown not only as a precious material, but also as an idea, concept, metaphor and narrative. All supported by a curated iconographic apparatus and an editorial project that, issue after issue, continues to affirm the importance of critical thinking and quality popularization in the Italian publishing scene. Those who wish to receive this volume or subscribe to the journal have until August 17 to complete their order through the official website.
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| The new issue of Finestre Sull'Arte, dedicated to gold in art history, is out: the table of contents |
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