Saturday, November 29, 2014

From Neoclassicism to Futurism: Italian Prints and Drawings, 1800–1925

Where: National Gallery of Art

 When: February 1, 2015

It's been a while since I saw this show - I wasn't very impressed with it, so it was hard to summon up the energy to write a blog post, especially since I had holiday-related activities to occupy my time.

The wall notes tell you that Italian art from this period (Napoleonic Era through the creation of the Italian nation up to the rise of Fascism) tends to be overlooked in favor of the art of other countries, particularly French art.  Considering that the Impressionists were working at this time, it's easy to see how other art might languish unnoticed.  On the other hand, if this selection is anything to go by, the Italians weren't really producing anything fabulous at this time, so maybe they have only themselves to blame?

The National Gallery is actively building a collection of Italian art from the 19th and early 20th centuries - let's hope that something more impressive arrives to represent the time period.

 Verdict: If you are a devotee of prints and drawings, or a scholar of Italian history, make time to see this exhibit.  Otherwise, don't let it interfere with your holiday plans.

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