A recent and particularly thorough restoration has brought back to life the splendour of Santa Giustina’s altarpiece by Romanino, which with Giotto’s crucifix represents one of the most famous and important masterpieces in the Pinacotheca of the Civic Museums of Padua. The restoration project was immediately favoured by its supporters: the Savings Bank Foundation of Padua and Rovigo, the non-profit Association “Amici dei Musei e Monumenti” (“Museum and Monument Friends”) of Padua and Province, the “Young People’s sector” of the “Amici dei Musei e dei Monumenti” of Padua and Province, The Consortium Industrial Area and Fluviatile Port of Padua and the Preservation and Restoration Centre “La Venaria Reale” of Venaria Reale (Turin).

Last 1st June the world of fashion came to a halt to commemorate the death of Yves Saint Laurent, the French fashion designer considered one of the greatest fashion creators of the twentieth century who started his career at the Christian Dior maison to then found the homonymous label (Yves Saint Laurent) with his life and business partner Pierre Bergè.
His mark in the world of fashion and luxury remains recognizable and his name will always be symbol of style, becoming symbol of sophisticated but also innovative elegance.

British artist Banksy could be defined as the invisible man of contemporary art, but recently the English tabloid  “Mail on Sunday”, after an investigation that lasted about a year, has revealed his identity: Robin Gunningham. This would be the name hidden behind the identity of Banksy, the enigmatic and mysterious graffiti artist who has imposed himself as one of the main names of Street Art at international level. According to the London newspaper, Robin Gunningham is a 34-year-old middle-class Englishman brought up in a private school in Bristol.

One of the most famous works of art from twentieth-century history has greatly moved art lovers. Pablo Picasso’s painting the “Guernica” is sick and its conditions are serious although stable: this was the diagnosis given by experts at the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, who in these days have been carrying out a last check-up on Picasso’s work. An analysis that will allow to understand more thoroughly its damage, its genes, the hidden curiosities about its life.

Last 8th July Christie’s auctioned among its Old Masters some recovered treasures, whose traces had gone lost. Besides the rediscovery of Jean-Antoine Watteau’s masterpiece “La surprise”, sold for 12,361,250 pounds, 3 drawings by Goya have re-emerged, after 131 years of not knowing anything about them.
At first, it was believed that the three recovered drawings by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) could have fetched a profit equal to 2 million pounds, then they were sold individually and totalled a much higher amount, the same that happened for Watteau’s painting.

Last 16th April in Brussels at the Arturo Spinelli premises of the European Parliament, the FACE (Foundation of Arts for a Contemporary Europe) was officially presented, a new European foundation for contemporary art, a unity that originates from diversities.
It is a large project born from the synergy between different foundations, precisely 5, which have been operating in the art sector for some time now.

Last 16th July, in the marvelous venue of Palazzo Barberini in Rome, the meeting of the Civita association took place. The non-profit organization, founded twenty years ago by a group of companies, research bodies and universities, represents a unique reality in Europe and a reference point in the national debate on cultural heritage. Various themes were dealt with.
Great importance was given to the relation between the cultural and economic value of the Italian heritage. President of Civita Antonio Maccanico pointed out in a message that “the cultural heritage not has only a moral and spiritual value, which has to be defended rigorously, but it also has a relevant economic value”.

The fifth annual report by Federculture has confirmed a trend that is now evident in our country. Italy’s cultural and artistic wealth is being held back by a decision-making slackness and by a shortage of adequate resources. Despite the driving strength of Italian products with a strong component of creativity, investments in the cultural field are really limited. What is missing is a link between creative industry, culture and market which favours competitiveness.