De Chirico's self portrait with column and the Castelfranco collection (January 30-April 30)

Saturday, 30 January, 10.30 am, museum Casa Siviero, the opening of the exhibition. The exhibition will continue until 30 April, free entrance, Saturday 10 am-6pm; Sunday and Monday 10am-1pm

The exhibition features the restored self-portrait by Giorgio De Chirico, that belongs to the Siviero collection.  Due to the oxidation of the paint, the portrait was barely visible. The restoration, though keeping the dark tones of the nocturnal colors, allows us once again to see the original image.

According to Siviero's documents, De Chirico's self-portrait with column was a gift to him by Matilde Forti Castelfranco, the previous owner of the villa in the Lungarno Serristori, currently Casa Siviero, and from whom he eventually bought the home. Matilde was married to the art historian Giorgio Castelfranco, friend and benefactor of De Chirico, who, between the two world wars, had gathered in what is currently Casa Siviero an exceptional collection of works of the father of metaphysical painting. The exhibition is made up of photographs displying this collection, which was dispersed in 1939-41, due to the persecution  of the Castelfranco family because of  their Jewish origin

The exhibition is part of the events organized for the "Day of Remembrance" meant to remember the infamy of the racial laws.

Sunday, 31 January at the hall of the Associazione Amici dei Musei Fiorentini in via degli Alfani 39 - Florence, a conference will be held regarding: Giorgio Castelfranco, art historian and benefactor of De Chirico, persecuted at the time of racial laws, with comments by Marta Baiardi, Giovanna Rasario, Francesca Guarducci, Attilio Tori.

The visitors of the exhibition and the attendants of the conference will receive two free publications by  the Regione Toscana. The first regards the story of the relationships among Castelfranco, De Chirico and Siviero and the history of the villa in the Lungarno Serristori during the period between the two world wars. The second one is a catalogue of the Castelfranco collection.

 

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