Cecilia Riva | Università degli Studi di Udine / University of Udine (original) (raw)
Papers by Cecilia Riva
Arte Lombarda, Nuova Serie, 2021
The recent rediscovery of a notebook by Adolfo Venturi – jotted at the exhibition Pictures of the... more The recent rediscovery of a notebook by Adolfo Venturi – jotted at the exhibition Pictures of the Masters of the Milanese and allied schools held at the
Burlington Fine Arts Club in London in 1898 – offers a closer look at how international criticism of the late nineteenth century approached Lombard painting, specifically
the work of Leonardo in Milan. The manuscript reflects the privileged point of view of its author and his response to the exhibition. Besides being one of the many
pioneering investigations promoted by the Club, the exhibition provided a detailed account of the arrival of the Virgin of the Rocks at the National Gallery, London.
Furthermore, the occasion allows us to focus on the relationships Venturi intertwined with his colleagues across the Channel and in particular, with a leading institution
such as the Burlington Fine Arts Club. The paper examines the genesis of the exhibition and the critical debate that ensued, in connection with Venturi’s notebook and
his later writings. The appendix offers, for the first time, a transcription of the manuscript and the identification of the works.
Colnaghi Studies Journal, 2020
Venezia Arti, 2018
In 1902 Enid Layard bequeathed four illuminated Armenian manuscripts, belonging to her late husba... more In 1902 Enid Layard bequeathed four illuminated Armenian manuscripts, belonging to her late husband, to the Arme-nian Mekhitarist College of Venice and to the Correr Museum. This survey retraces the manuscripts' earlier provenance and their arrival in the Venetian collections. Austen Henry Layard's private papers and publications attest to a close relationship with the Armenian community, both in Constantinople and Venice. The aim of this paper is not only to show more fully the early reception of Armenian artworks in a Western context, but also to present a first study of these manuscripts by providing some comparisons.
In the lively context of the European art market of mid-nineteenth century, Austen Henry Layard (... more In the lively context of the European art market of mid-nineteenth century, Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) played an active role both as a private collector and advisor, and equally as a trustee and unofficial travelling agent for London museums. Thanks to his extensive travels throughout Europe and the Middle East, he became acquainted with the most eminent figures of the art world and was able to purchase a great assortment of art objects, ranging from Cypriot pottery to Renaissance paintings, from Spanish religious artefacts to Burgundian tapestry. In order to analyse the cultural and economical implications of these relocations, this paper examines the relations of this network within the European connoisseurship, the formation of Layard’s personal collection and his contributions to private and public institutions.
Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) was an archeologist, diplomat, writer, and a great art lover,... more Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) was an archeologist, diplomat, writer, and a great art lover, especially passionate about Italian painting. The article presents its collection through the typewritten catalogue, which was composed by Lady Enid Layard and is now stored in the library of the Polo Museale Veneziano (Venice). The compared analysis of this catalogue and of the one already known in the National Gallery Library in London, together with Lady Layard’s diary, and Sir Henry’s comments, leads the author to the reconstruction of some aspects of the collection, such as the acquisitions, restorations, and the display of the pictures at Ca’ Cappello at the end of the XIX century.
Talks by Cecilia Riva
Ohne Grenzen: Der Sammlungsraum als Ort des Dialogs der Objekte unterschiedlicher Provenienz, org... more Ohne Grenzen: Der Sammlungsraum als Ort des Dialogs der Objekte unterschiedlicher Provenienz, organized by E. Oy-Marra and C. Mazzetti di Pietralata
«It is well known, that by entering into a collection objects and works of art are ascribed to a new meaning. This transformation in categorisation and significance doesn't just happen by changing the spatial parameters of the object, but none the less by the new display, which puts the works in new vicinities with other objects. The upcoming PhD-Workshop aims to challenge these object-vicinities in early modern collections. We will particularly focus on the dialogue between objects of different spatial and chronological origin, that in a way bears comparison with a “crossing of borders”».
The paper presented aimed to shed new light on the display of the collection that Sir A.H. Layard (Paris, 1817 – London, 1894) accrued in his Venetian residence.
Book Reviews by Cecilia Riva
The article reviews the new Italian edition of John Ruskin’s Guide to the principal paintings of ... more The article reviews the new Italian edition of John Ruskin’s Guide to the principal paintings of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia (1877), philologically and critically edited by Paul Tucker, and translated into
Italian by Emma Sdegno.
Conference Presentations by Cecilia Riva
L'obiettivo di questo intervento è di mettere in luce l'effettivo ruolo dei rapporti tra diplomaz... more L'obiettivo di questo intervento è di mettere in luce l'effettivo ruolo dei rapporti tra diplomazia e arte in Italia a cavallo del processo di unificazione tramite la figura di Austen Henry Layard. Nello specifico, si vogliono indagare i canali di compravendita e di esportazione di oggetti d'arte dal medesimo utilizzati. Verranno presi in considerazione, pertanto, nuovi materiali emersi dallo spoglio del suo archivio privato, oltre che dalle carte di alcune istituzioni museali e da fascicoli ministeriali. Si metteranno in evidenza alcuni aspetti del mercato dell'arte preunitario, con particolare attenzione ai territori del Lombardo Veneto. In parallelo al rafforzamento della tutela del patrimonio artistico da parte del neonato Regno d'Italia, si vedranno quali furono le contromisure adottate da Layard per garantire l'esportazione della sua collezione e al contempo proseguire agevolmente nell'acquisto di oggetti d'arte per le raccolte pubbliche inglesi. Difatti, egli non si limitò solo a curare gli interessi della National Gallery, della quale fu un attivo trustee, ma si impegnò con altrettanta solerzia per l'accrescimento del Science and Art Department del South Kensington Museum (poi rinominato Victoria and Albert Museum).
The conference RETHINKING LAYARD 1817-2017 proposes to reconsider the significant role that Auste... more The conference RETHINKING LAYARD 1817-2017 proposes to reconsider the significant role that Austen Henry Layard had in nineteenth-century Europe, on the occasion of the recent bicentenary from his birth.
By surveying his multifaceted activities concerning politics, diplomacy, public museum’s administration, glass manufactory, and music, the initiative seeks to reposition Layard within his shifting frame of reference. In this sense, the contemporary dimension of the London and Venetian cultural scene is brought to the fore.
The conference has been organised by Dr Stefania Ermidoro and Dr Cecilia Riva, with the joint support of the International Doctorate in History of Arts of Ca' Foscari University Venice and the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. A special thanks goes to Professors Lucio Milano and Martina Frank for their valuable assistance.
Una conferenza internazionale ed interdisciplinare, che in occasione del recente bicentenario della nascita, invita a riconsiderare l’importante ruolo svolto da Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) all’interno del contesto europeo del diciannovesimo secolo.
Attraverso un’analisi delle sue molteplici attività in ambito politico e diplomatico, nell’amministrazione delle collezioni artistiche pubbliche, nel sostegno alla manifattura del vetro di Murano e alla musica, l’iniziativa mira a riposizionare Layard all’interno di quel mutevole contesto storico-culturale cui prese parte. In questo modo, si farà luce anche sulla scena culturale londinese e veneziana in cui egli fu attivo.
La conferenza è stata organizzata dalle dott.sse Stefania Ermidoro e Cecilia Riva, con il supporto del Dottorato Internazionale in Storia delle Arti dell’Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia e dell’Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. Un particolare ringraziamento ai professori Lucio Milano e Martina Frank per l’aiuto prestato.
Books by Cecilia Riva
Voglia d'Italia. Il Collezionismo Internazionale nella Roma del Vittoriano, Dec 2017
La mostra presenta – per la prima volta in modo organico – la raccolta vasta e sorprendente che i... more La mostra presenta – per la prima volta in modo organico – la raccolta vasta e sorprendente che i coniugi statunitensi George Washington Wurts ed Henriette Tower misero insieme a cavallo fra XIX e XX secolo e donarono poi allo Stato italiano, per l’esattezza al museo di Palazzo Venezia, dove tuttora è conservata. Alla base della mostra vi è comunque anche l’idea di restituire il contesto della raccolta Wurts, ovvero quella particolare forma di collezionismo che tra Ottocento e Novecento si legò così intimamente all’Italia, fino a concretizzarsi spesso nella donazione allo Stato di singole opere o di intere raccolte. La mostra illustra le dinamiche del collezionismo, soprattutto anglo-americano, e del mercato internazionale, sullo sfondo dei radicali cambiamenti vissuti in quegli anni dalla giovane nazione italiana e dalla sua nuova capitale, Roma. La costruzione del Vittoriano, iniziato nel 1885 e inaugurato nel 1911 nell’occasione dell’Esposizione che celebrava il cinquantenario dell’Unità d’Italia, diviene l’emblema che caratterizza la città all’alba del Novecento.
Ai Wurts è dedicata la sezione allestita a Palazzo Venezia, con l’esposizione delle opere più significative della raccolta, molte delle quali sono state portate fuori dai depositi, studiate e restaurate per l’occasione.
Il contesto entro cui fiorì la passione dei Wurts per il collezionismo trova invece la sua collocazione ideale nelle Gallerie Sacconi del Vittoriano. Numerose opere, provenienti da prestigiosi musei e collezioni private italiane ed estere, racconta un intero mondo fatto di aste, di mercanti e di mercato, nazionali come internazionali, oltre all’affermazione di un artigianato di qualità portavoce di una rilettura “in stile” dell’arte del passato. L’inedito percorso espositivo si sviluppa anche in ambienti di solito non accessibili al pubblico e appena restaurati, fra cui le Gallerie Sacconi appunto, restituendo visibilità all’architettura interna del monumento. Da semplice teatro, o ‘contenitore’, il Vittoriano diviene così parte integrante e partecipe della mostra.
This paper focuses on the Layard bequest to the British nation, namely to the National Gallery of... more This paper focuses on the Layard bequest to the British nation, namely to the National Gallery of London, whose course was fairly thwarted and took a long time before being accomplished. The issue encompasses a broad time span (1888-1916) and highlights several aspects of the attempts of Italian law to protect its national heritage at this early stage. Furthermore, the matter offers an extraordinary insight into the foreign policy adopted by two friendly nations, Italy and Great Britain, on the eve of the First World War. It thus provides a striking example of how blurred the boundaries of legislation could be, particularly notable in such a complex historical and political context.
Rethinking Layard 1817-2017 marked the bicentenary of the birth of the famous archaeologist and d... more Rethinking Layard 1817-2017 marked the bicentenary of the birth of the famous archaeologist and diplomat Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894). The present volume brings together contributions to the international two-day conference, which was organised by Stefania Ermidoro and Cecilia Riva, with the support of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti and Scuola Dottorale in Storia delle Arti of Ca’ Foscari University.
The essays offer an interdisciplinary approach and intend to expand and cross-relate new, unpublished materials about Layard, his activities, and long-term legacy in nineteenth-century London and Venice. Particular attention was placed upon his contribution to art, archaeology, politics, and diplomacy.
Arte Lombarda, Nuova Serie, 2021
The recent rediscovery of a notebook by Adolfo Venturi – jotted at the exhibition Pictures of the... more The recent rediscovery of a notebook by Adolfo Venturi – jotted at the exhibition Pictures of the Masters of the Milanese and allied schools held at the
Burlington Fine Arts Club in London in 1898 – offers a closer look at how international criticism of the late nineteenth century approached Lombard painting, specifically
the work of Leonardo in Milan. The manuscript reflects the privileged point of view of its author and his response to the exhibition. Besides being one of the many
pioneering investigations promoted by the Club, the exhibition provided a detailed account of the arrival of the Virgin of the Rocks at the National Gallery, London.
Furthermore, the occasion allows us to focus on the relationships Venturi intertwined with his colleagues across the Channel and in particular, with a leading institution
such as the Burlington Fine Arts Club. The paper examines the genesis of the exhibition and the critical debate that ensued, in connection with Venturi’s notebook and
his later writings. The appendix offers, for the first time, a transcription of the manuscript and the identification of the works.
Colnaghi Studies Journal, 2020
Venezia Arti, 2018
In 1902 Enid Layard bequeathed four illuminated Armenian manuscripts, belonging to her late husba... more In 1902 Enid Layard bequeathed four illuminated Armenian manuscripts, belonging to her late husband, to the Arme-nian Mekhitarist College of Venice and to the Correr Museum. This survey retraces the manuscripts' earlier provenance and their arrival in the Venetian collections. Austen Henry Layard's private papers and publications attest to a close relationship with the Armenian community, both in Constantinople and Venice. The aim of this paper is not only to show more fully the early reception of Armenian artworks in a Western context, but also to present a first study of these manuscripts by providing some comparisons.
In the lively context of the European art market of mid-nineteenth century, Austen Henry Layard (... more In the lively context of the European art market of mid-nineteenth century, Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) played an active role both as a private collector and advisor, and equally as a trustee and unofficial travelling agent for London museums. Thanks to his extensive travels throughout Europe and the Middle East, he became acquainted with the most eminent figures of the art world and was able to purchase a great assortment of art objects, ranging from Cypriot pottery to Renaissance paintings, from Spanish religious artefacts to Burgundian tapestry. In order to analyse the cultural and economical implications of these relocations, this paper examines the relations of this network within the European connoisseurship, the formation of Layard’s personal collection and his contributions to private and public institutions.
Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) was an archeologist, diplomat, writer, and a great art lover,... more Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) was an archeologist, diplomat, writer, and a great art lover, especially passionate about Italian painting. The article presents its collection through the typewritten catalogue, which was composed by Lady Enid Layard and is now stored in the library of the Polo Museale Veneziano (Venice). The compared analysis of this catalogue and of the one already known in the National Gallery Library in London, together with Lady Layard’s diary, and Sir Henry’s comments, leads the author to the reconstruction of some aspects of the collection, such as the acquisitions, restorations, and the display of the pictures at Ca’ Cappello at the end of the XIX century.
Ohne Grenzen: Der Sammlungsraum als Ort des Dialogs der Objekte unterschiedlicher Provenienz, org... more Ohne Grenzen: Der Sammlungsraum als Ort des Dialogs der Objekte unterschiedlicher Provenienz, organized by E. Oy-Marra and C. Mazzetti di Pietralata
«It is well known, that by entering into a collection objects and works of art are ascribed to a new meaning. This transformation in categorisation and significance doesn't just happen by changing the spatial parameters of the object, but none the less by the new display, which puts the works in new vicinities with other objects. The upcoming PhD-Workshop aims to challenge these object-vicinities in early modern collections. We will particularly focus on the dialogue between objects of different spatial and chronological origin, that in a way bears comparison with a “crossing of borders”».
The paper presented aimed to shed new light on the display of the collection that Sir A.H. Layard (Paris, 1817 – London, 1894) accrued in his Venetian residence.
The article reviews the new Italian edition of John Ruskin’s Guide to the principal paintings of ... more The article reviews the new Italian edition of John Ruskin’s Guide to the principal paintings of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia (1877), philologically and critically edited by Paul Tucker, and translated into
Italian by Emma Sdegno.
L'obiettivo di questo intervento è di mettere in luce l'effettivo ruolo dei rapporti tra diplomaz... more L'obiettivo di questo intervento è di mettere in luce l'effettivo ruolo dei rapporti tra diplomazia e arte in Italia a cavallo del processo di unificazione tramite la figura di Austen Henry Layard. Nello specifico, si vogliono indagare i canali di compravendita e di esportazione di oggetti d'arte dal medesimo utilizzati. Verranno presi in considerazione, pertanto, nuovi materiali emersi dallo spoglio del suo archivio privato, oltre che dalle carte di alcune istituzioni museali e da fascicoli ministeriali. Si metteranno in evidenza alcuni aspetti del mercato dell'arte preunitario, con particolare attenzione ai territori del Lombardo Veneto. In parallelo al rafforzamento della tutela del patrimonio artistico da parte del neonato Regno d'Italia, si vedranno quali furono le contromisure adottate da Layard per garantire l'esportazione della sua collezione e al contempo proseguire agevolmente nell'acquisto di oggetti d'arte per le raccolte pubbliche inglesi. Difatti, egli non si limitò solo a curare gli interessi della National Gallery, della quale fu un attivo trustee, ma si impegnò con altrettanta solerzia per l'accrescimento del Science and Art Department del South Kensington Museum (poi rinominato Victoria and Albert Museum).
The conference RETHINKING LAYARD 1817-2017 proposes to reconsider the significant role that Auste... more The conference RETHINKING LAYARD 1817-2017 proposes to reconsider the significant role that Austen Henry Layard had in nineteenth-century Europe, on the occasion of the recent bicentenary from his birth.
By surveying his multifaceted activities concerning politics, diplomacy, public museum’s administration, glass manufactory, and music, the initiative seeks to reposition Layard within his shifting frame of reference. In this sense, the contemporary dimension of the London and Venetian cultural scene is brought to the fore.
The conference has been organised by Dr Stefania Ermidoro and Dr Cecilia Riva, with the joint support of the International Doctorate in History of Arts of Ca' Foscari University Venice and the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. A special thanks goes to Professors Lucio Milano and Martina Frank for their valuable assistance.
Una conferenza internazionale ed interdisciplinare, che in occasione del recente bicentenario della nascita, invita a riconsiderare l’importante ruolo svolto da Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894) all’interno del contesto europeo del diciannovesimo secolo.
Attraverso un’analisi delle sue molteplici attività in ambito politico e diplomatico, nell’amministrazione delle collezioni artistiche pubbliche, nel sostegno alla manifattura del vetro di Murano e alla musica, l’iniziativa mira a riposizionare Layard all’interno di quel mutevole contesto storico-culturale cui prese parte. In questo modo, si farà luce anche sulla scena culturale londinese e veneziana in cui egli fu attivo.
La conferenza è stata organizzata dalle dott.sse Stefania Ermidoro e Cecilia Riva, con il supporto del Dottorato Internazionale in Storia delle Arti dell’Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia e dell’Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. Un particolare ringraziamento ai professori Lucio Milano e Martina Frank per l’aiuto prestato.
Voglia d'Italia. Il Collezionismo Internazionale nella Roma del Vittoriano, Dec 2017
La mostra presenta – per la prima volta in modo organico – la raccolta vasta e sorprendente che i... more La mostra presenta – per la prima volta in modo organico – la raccolta vasta e sorprendente che i coniugi statunitensi George Washington Wurts ed Henriette Tower misero insieme a cavallo fra XIX e XX secolo e donarono poi allo Stato italiano, per l’esattezza al museo di Palazzo Venezia, dove tuttora è conservata. Alla base della mostra vi è comunque anche l’idea di restituire il contesto della raccolta Wurts, ovvero quella particolare forma di collezionismo che tra Ottocento e Novecento si legò così intimamente all’Italia, fino a concretizzarsi spesso nella donazione allo Stato di singole opere o di intere raccolte. La mostra illustra le dinamiche del collezionismo, soprattutto anglo-americano, e del mercato internazionale, sullo sfondo dei radicali cambiamenti vissuti in quegli anni dalla giovane nazione italiana e dalla sua nuova capitale, Roma. La costruzione del Vittoriano, iniziato nel 1885 e inaugurato nel 1911 nell’occasione dell’Esposizione che celebrava il cinquantenario dell’Unità d’Italia, diviene l’emblema che caratterizza la città all’alba del Novecento.
Ai Wurts è dedicata la sezione allestita a Palazzo Venezia, con l’esposizione delle opere più significative della raccolta, molte delle quali sono state portate fuori dai depositi, studiate e restaurate per l’occasione.
Il contesto entro cui fiorì la passione dei Wurts per il collezionismo trova invece la sua collocazione ideale nelle Gallerie Sacconi del Vittoriano. Numerose opere, provenienti da prestigiosi musei e collezioni private italiane ed estere, racconta un intero mondo fatto di aste, di mercanti e di mercato, nazionali come internazionali, oltre all’affermazione di un artigianato di qualità portavoce di una rilettura “in stile” dell’arte del passato. L’inedito percorso espositivo si sviluppa anche in ambienti di solito non accessibili al pubblico e appena restaurati, fra cui le Gallerie Sacconi appunto, restituendo visibilità all’architettura interna del monumento. Da semplice teatro, o ‘contenitore’, il Vittoriano diviene così parte integrante e partecipe della mostra.
This paper focuses on the Layard bequest to the British nation, namely to the National Gallery of... more This paper focuses on the Layard bequest to the British nation, namely to the National Gallery of London, whose course was fairly thwarted and took a long time before being accomplished. The issue encompasses a broad time span (1888-1916) and highlights several aspects of the attempts of Italian law to protect its national heritage at this early stage. Furthermore, the matter offers an extraordinary insight into the foreign policy adopted by two friendly nations, Italy and Great Britain, on the eve of the First World War. It thus provides a striking example of how blurred the boundaries of legislation could be, particularly notable in such a complex historical and political context.
Rethinking Layard 1817-2017 marked the bicentenary of the birth of the famous archaeologist and d... more Rethinking Layard 1817-2017 marked the bicentenary of the birth of the famous archaeologist and diplomat Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894). The present volume brings together contributions to the international two-day conference, which was organised by Stefania Ermidoro and Cecilia Riva, with the support of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti and Scuola Dottorale in Storia delle Arti of Ca’ Foscari University.
The essays offer an interdisciplinary approach and intend to expand and cross-relate new, unpublished materials about Layard, his activities, and long-term legacy in nineteenth-century London and Venice. Particular attention was placed upon his contribution to art, archaeology, politics, and diplomacy.