Painters of light

Vittorio Sgarbi chooses the headquarters of the Cavallerizza building for a tribute to Caravaggio's art, over 90 paintings by the artist Pietro Paolini from Lucca to Caravaggio and Rubens, in Lucca, city of art, hosting again a large exhibition curated by the well-known critic and art historian.

A long love relationship with the city that celebrates and "rediscovers" the painter from Lucca Pietro Paolini with this exhibition and broadens the gaze to other artists influenced by Caravaggio's strong dramatic and theatrical power. A must for lovers of painting art of this historical period.

Also Caravaggio's masterpieces included in the 90 paintings on display

I pittori della luce da Caravaggio a Paolini (The painters of light from Caravaggio to Paolini) is dedicated to those painters who have pursued the artist from Milan throughout their lives, who met him, someone perhaps surpassed, or even in some ways anticipated him. One of these artists, perhaps still not very famous, is certainly Pietro Paolini from Lucca, considered one of the most illustrious and brilliant exponents of naturalism, is the great protagonist of the exhibition with over twenty works among the almost one hundred that make up the catalog, coming from local museums , national and foreign and prestigious private collections.

In the exhibition the rooms have been set up in the former ducal stables at the time of Elisa Bonaparte and Maria Luisa Borbone also three fundamental works of the artistic production of Caravaggio himself stand out, the artist who died right in Tuscany, at Porte d’Ercole. The first, chronologically, is Mondafrutto, then the Burial of Santa Lucia, and finally perhaps the most famous one, the Cavadenti.

Along with Caravaggio, other excellent names of the luminist painters, so called due to the strong presence of light in their paintings, who were inspired by Michelangelo Merisi such as Baccio Ciarpi, Paolo Biancucci, Orazio Riminaldi and Rutilio Manetti, Simone del Tintore. In this artistic journey guided by the light of Caravaggio you will be able to admire and contemplate other great painters, from Pieter Paul Rubens (present with one of the most beautiful Nativities ever) to Jusepe de Ribera (with the wonderful Cupid awakened by Psyche) and Valentin de Boulogne.

In the museums of Lucca to contemplate great beauty

The exhibition is also an opportunity to visit the places where the works of Pietro Paolini are usually kept and discover the artistic tradition that has characterized the city for centuries. 

A walk through art, starting from the National Museum of Villa Guinigi, a beautiful Gothic style Villa built in 1413 by the lord of Lucca Paolo Guinigi, where you can usually admire the Cantor, chosen as the image of the exhibition, in addition to the splendid Madonna del Rosario, and the tormented scenes of martyrdom of San Ponziano and San Bartolomeo. At the Museum, during the exhibition period, other paintings, also by Paolini, coming from the museum's warehouse will be on display. A unique opportunity to admire otherwise not exhibited paintings.

From the city walls of the monumental staircase of Palazzo Orsetti comes the amazing staging of the massacre of the officers of General Wallestein.
Pietro Paolini's Allegory of life and death is also kept in the rooms of the National Museum of Palazzo Mansi.

On Tuesday 7 December from 3:00 pm Preview visit in the presence of the curator by reservation on: www.culturatela.com/i-pittori-della-luce/
Tickets: € 15.00

On Sunday 26 December the exhibition will be exceptionally open even in the evening, until midnight, without reservation.

On the occasion of the event Virtuoso & Belcanto, from 21 to 28 July 2022, at 12:00 pm and 6:30 pm the exhibition presents La luce della Musica, music corner, an event with the participation of young international musicians.

On 24 June, 21 July and 27 August 2022, the exhibition will remain open until 24:00 (last admission at 11:00 pm).
From 7:00 pm the ticket will be € 12.00 for everyone and will also include an audio guide.

The exhibition can be visited every day from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm (the ticket office closes at 6:45 pm)

Full ticket € 15.00, reduced € 13.00 (audioguide included).

For info: lucca@contemplazioni.it or +39 389 2346010