Donatello's David returns to public gaze

The first major work of Renaissance sculpture, Donatello's bronze of David, is nearing the end of a complex restoration process.

The statue will be unveiled to the public during an inauguration ceremony on November 28 in Florence at the Bargello Museum.
The final phase of the 18-month restoration has seen the famed statue entirely closed off to visitors because of the sensitive tools being used.
Technological innovations have been used throughout the process, such as laser combs invented specially to swipe clean the delicate gold leaf that decorates parts of the work.

The 200,000-euro project followed a major check-up on the state of the work, carried out early in 2007. The David was subjected to X-rays and a range of other more sophisticated diagnostic tests.
Most experts believe Donatello (1386-1466) sculpted the sensuous work in the 1440s.

It depicts David standing with one foot on Goliath's severed head. Apart from a hat and a pair of boots, David is naked.

At the time of its creation, it was probably the first free standing bronze nude since ancient times and it caused a sensation.

The almost feminine physique contrasts with Michelangelo's powerful, masculine depiction of the biblical figure, sculpted between 1500 and 1504.

It is also very different from Donatello's earlier marble version - created around 1412 - in which David is clothed.

Donatello, whose full name was Donato di Niccolo' di Betto Bardi, was the son of a Florentine woolcomber.

As a teenager, he worked in the studio of noted sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti.
Later, he travelled to Rome with the great architect Filippo Brunelleschi to study the monuments of antiquity.

Donatello's dramatic departure from stylised Gothic art is credited with kick-starting the Renaissance.

The Florentine sculptor even anticipated the use of perspective that is often thought a painterly invention - as can be seen in his early bas relief of St George and the Dragon on Florence's Orsanmichele church.

Other major Donatello works include a grim prophet called Habbakuk - or popularly, Zuccone (big head) - on Florence's Duomo and an equestrian warlord in Padua called the Gattamelata.

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PROPERTY PRICES STILL GROWING

Recent property reports locally for Knight Frank and Scenari Immobiliari indicate that the news is still good for the Tuscan and Umbrian markets. While sales experienced a slight dip, prices were generally up and expectations are that this will continue on into 2009.

Italian property prices increased by an average 3.8% per annum in 2008, the same as last year. This steady growth has been continuous over the last 8 years, in comparison with other European countries which have either seen a vast boom or as in the UK and Germany a sharp decline in property values this year.

The greatest price change has been within the provincial capitals, but rural locations also look set to post a rise in the values. There was an overall increase in the average selling time for houses of between 6 to 12 months, leading to the inevitable flexibility on price and negotiations more likely. Prices also varied depending on housing locations, with a slowing down in suburban and semi rural settings, while city centre sites and certain rural positions recording an increase.

Scenari Immobiliari’s survey states “the provincial capitals alone account for 39% of all residential sales in 2008 and while Tuscany has about 1800 villages with unique architecture set against an exceptional landscape, these places depend on the bigger towns for many functions. As a result, towns have a great power of attraction, which keeps growing—60% of Tuscany’s inhabitants live in the 38 most populated comuni, which count more than 28,000 people.”

Trends also exist between the requirements of native Italians and foreign buyers. Local residents were found to be looking for apartments and flats with balconies, in city centre locations. While foreign investors tending to favour a remote, rural villa in the countryside, only 25% of Italians preferred this type of location.

Overall these surveys indicate that investment in the Italian property market should continue, with a rise in tourism and prices remaining stable throughout 2009. Offering excellent opportunities and returns in both Umbria and Tuscany.

Taken from an article in Italy Magazine - http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-featured/tuscany/tuscan-property-market-remains-stable

Upper Tiber Valley - the 90th anniversary of the ending of the Great War.

Yesterday evening saw the launch of the exhibition in the Upper Tiber Valley of the exhibition to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ending of the Great War. Historical enthusiasts were amazed by the wealth of detail assembled by Alvarro Tachini, during the four years of preparation for this event, from personal sources in the local Upper Tiber Valley, not just the fighters, but also their families.

The Mayors of Citta' di Castello (Umbria) and San Sepolcro (Tuscany) gave short addresses and read a letter from the President of the Italian Republic complimenting the organiser, Mr Tachini, because, probably, for the first time, two compeditive adjoining Italian regions had combined in complete harmony in order to support this wonderful effort.

The total content of the exhibition has been photographed and reproduced in a most attractive format, and is now produced as a good quality book available to the public. ( price publisher details sponsor)

For students of this period, collectors, social historians and archivists, this work is an important and deeply moving account of the sufferings endured by all classes of the population, and which was repeated in different lands and different languages for most of the peoples of of a once divided Europe.

The terrible military casualties incurred during the war were overshadowed by the effects of the Spanish 'flu', a plague that struck down millions in the war torn countries, and then, to add to the misery, an earthquake. All of these grim details are recorded in the exhibition, and the book, and serve to remind us all that this valley in central Italy was not always the green and pleasant land that we find today.