With 41 works by some of the greatest names in European art—including Giovanni Bellini, Sandro Botticelli, Domenichino, Francesco Guardi, Salvator Rosa and Titian—Of Heaven and Earth: 500 Years of Italian Painting examines the evolution of thematic and stylistic trends in Italian art from the religious paintings of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance to neoclassical secular and genre paintings of the 19th century.
The historical breadth of this exhibition showcases the outstanding quality of the Glasgow Museums’ collections, which are of the finest civic art collections of art in Europe. The Museums’ holdings in Italian paintings are exceptional for their chronological scope, which ranges from the late 14th to the late 19th centuries and represents all of the major Italian schools. This exhibition includes paintings originating from the principal artistic centres of Italy: Rome, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Siena, Naples and Venice, and presents the works of famous artists alongside those of lesser-known masters. Most of the works in the exhibition have never been exhibited outside of Glasgow and many have been conserved specifically for this presentation.
Of Heaven and Earth is a unique exhibition that offers Albertans a rare chance to experience the full range of historical masterworks from Italy’s rich and extended painting tradition.