Safilo sponsors Giotto exhibition

From November 23, 2003 until January 11, 2004 the Ing Cultural Venue in Brussels will be hosting the exhibition 'Giotto and Art in Padua in the 14th Century', an important cultural event organised and supported by the Municipality of Padua, the Province of Padua, the Azienda Turismo Padova Terme Euganee and the Veneto Region, with the Safilo Group as one of its sponsors.

The exhibition, which aims at reconstructing the atmosphere of Padua during its historical heyday, features various sections. The main section will be dedicated to paintings offering a thorough representation of the works of the 14th century artists that most enriched the city with breathtaking fresco cycles.

The expo opens with a painting by Giotto depicting God the Father from the triumphal arch of the Cappella degli Scrovegni. Other works include frescoes by the 'Maestro del Coro Scrovegni' ('Maestro of the Scrovegni Chapel Choir'), lent by the Museo Antoniano, and the fragments by Giotto's students from Rimini, Pietro and Giuliano. It is these same students who in 1324 were also responsible for the vast decorations of the Convento degli Eremitani, the remains of which are now housed at the Civic Museums of Padua.

The section dedicated to sculpture features some outstanding works, including a portrait of Enrico Scrovegni, the sculpture model of the city of Padua and the Virgin and Child by Rinaldino di Pietro di Francia.

To give an insight into the context in which the works were crafted, materials were meticulously selected from the extensive iconographic collection held at the Biblioteca Civica ('Padua Public Library'). These works illustrate city life and the main monuments of the 14th century. A multimedia area has been arranged to provide visitors with detailed information on the historic and artistic context of the exhibition, while another section demonstrates the methods and techniques adopted to restore monuments and frescoes.

By participating in an international event of such special significance to the city of Padua, Safilo once again confirms its profound commitment to the area in which it operates and promotes the cultural ideals vital to the growth of society.