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January 2021 Canadian Chapter Publication Message from the Chair

DEBRA MAURO

This past year, 2020, has COVID-19 Update most definitely been an unpredictable and The world rapidly and suddenly closed down in 2020 due unprecedented year. to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Vatican The pandemic was were no exception. Our Board rose to the occasion and first diagnosed in late authorized all payments owing to for projects January 2020. Who can underway, to be sent immediately. Additionally, in an believe what would unprecedented year, numerous Board members pre- happen by March? The paid their annual donations to our Chapter. We are entire world shut down. grateful for your support during this difficult time.

The forced closure of the on March Our Founders 9th provoked a significant financial crisis without its daily visitors. The Museums launched an emergency I would like to recognize our Founders, Paul and Carol Hill. restoration campaign to help fund immediate projects We are beyond thankful for their continued and that the restorers could work on while adhering to the unwavering support to the Canadian Chapter of the safety and protocol measures put in place. Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. their kindness and generosity does not go unnoticed The PAVM adapted during these difficult times and used their creativity to bring the beauty of the Vatican Vatican Insiders Course Collection to our living rooms delivered by their online live lecture series, supported by the New York Chapter and Led by the Museums Director, Dr. Barbara Jatta, the by the California and Northwest Chapters. Our Chapter Vatican Museums have proven to be strong in their hosted our first ever webinar, a lecture given by Dr. Rocky resolve and hard at work to bring the Vatican Museums Ruggiero. Please join us for our next one on February 20, to us amid the global pandemic. We are thrilled to be able 2021! to have the Vatican Museums come across the ocean to us - in our homes! As we continue on in this ever-changing world of COVID, Discover the journey of faith and beauty offered by this we are grateful for the ability to connect with each other in-depth course. It will take you behind the scenes to on a virtual platform. We are thankful for health and explore the history of the Vatican Museums collection by friendship. curators themselves, as never recounted before. Courses include content on the Origins of the Vatican Warm regards, Museums, the , the Age of Collectionism, and A Tour in the History of Faith and Beauty. Course Debra Mauro delivery includes video and live webinars. Learn more

2 - January 2021 Vatican Report Announcements Important Dates

Annual Renewal Date

Effective January 31, 2021, we have consolidated renewals to one annual date: January 31. Since we are an organization run entirely by volunteers, this will allow greater efficiencies in our accounting. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we take this year to move all of our renewals to one date. We are grateful for your continued support.

Anne-Marie Haig Applin Hidden Treasure of the Vatican Museums: January 10, 1952 – November 3, 2020 The Pinacoteca Collection We were very saddened to hear of the sudden passing Saturday Feb 20, 2021 at 4pm EST with Dr. Rocky Ruggiero of one of our long time and devoted Patrons, Anne-Marie Applin. Our sincere condolences to her daughters, Kate Although nearly 7 million people visit the Vatican Museums and Stephanie. Anne-Marie was passionate about the every year, few realized that there is much more to its arts. We will miss her infectious optimism, her incredible extraordinary collection than the and heart, and her long-standing support. May she rest in the four Rooms. Join Dr. Rocky Ruggiero, Ph.D., peace. Art History Professor and Italian Expert, for a one-hour webinar that examines the collection of Announcing the retirement of three distinguished Board the paintings in the Pinacoteca often overlooked in the Members, Beatrice Park and Peter Suchanek, as well as Vatican Museums. The “painting gallery” includes works Alex Shipilov, Treasurer. We are grateful for their years of by Giottoa, Raphael, , , and passion and dedication to our Board and the PAVM. We Bernini. wish them all the best! Check out our Facebook event for more info, Our current website will be moving to the Patrons of the or visit Dr. Rocky’s website to register. Arts in the Vatican Museums website in alliance with the organization. Expected launch is March, 2021. Your patience is appreciated during this transition.

Follow us on Facebook for more information about the Canadian Chapter, upcoming events, news, articles, and facts about the Vatican Museums. Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

Vatican Museum Report January 2021 - 3 The polyptych portrays Barbara Assisting in the The Histories of Construction of the Tower, Flagellation of Saint Barbara, Saint Barbara Pursued by her Father, and Beheading of Saint Barbara Saint Barbara and Death of her Father. Dated between the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century, the four small panels are works of the Sienese painter The newest project is a four-panel medieval painting and miniaturist Guidoccio Cozzarelli (1450-1517). The portraying scenes from the life of Saint Barbara, located in polyptych is an extraordinary testimony of the painting the Pinacoteca Gallery. The restoration cost is estimated in Siena during the transition between late Gothic culture around $25,000 - $30,000 USD. Work will commence this and the early Florentine Renaissance. The stylistic and year; we are hopeful that our crowdfunding project will be iconographic synthesis is demonstrated by a narrative successful to raise the necessary funds. All funds raised and decorative medieval approach and the use of will be matched by the Canadian Chapter to a maximum the Renaissance central perspective derived from of $20,000. the theories of Leon Battista Alberti and its practical The was purchased in between 1860- application in the works of Brunelleschi, Donatello, and 1870 by Barone Max von Heyl, sold in auction in 1930 by Masaccio. the antique collector Hugo Helbing di Monaco, and finally donated to the Vatican Museums in 1935 by Joseph Guidoccio Cozzarelli, The Histories of Saint Barbara Clemens of Bavaria. Tempera on panel, 26.5 x 37 cm (each panel) Pinacoteca Painting Gallery, Room VI, inv. 40308.4.1-4

4 - January 2021 Vatican Museum Report The Entrance Gate of the Vatican Museums

DR. BARBARA JATTA

the courtyard of San Damaso or from the Atrio dei Quattro Cancelli - not directly from Italian territory.

A majestic portal, over six meters high and almost three meters wide, made of travertine ashlars, surmounted by the coat of arms of the Holy Father and by the two emblematic figures of the papal collections - Raphael and - symbolizing painting and , holding the tools of their trade. In their poses, then as now, one cannot help but recognize the inspiration of the Ignudi of the Sistine Chapel.

The Faentine sculptor Pietro Melandri had worked in close contact with the Turinese architect Giuseppe Momo and with the Castelli firm on its realization. A larger project, which began in August 1929, continued in the sumptuous entrance hall, with the two magnificent and colossal elevators carved in wood, which was also enriched by Melandri with four bas-reliefs depicting the allegories A door that is now closed to the public, in this suspended of the Arts, and then followed by the monumental and time of pandemic and uncertainty, but perhaps for this impressive spiral staircase. very reason it is interesting to tell its story as a symbol of “openness” but also of an important chapter of the In the commemorative brochure, published on the universal papal collections. occasion of the opening, it was specified that the project had been elaborated by the “Commission of Public Works On December 7, 1932, Pius XI inaugurated the new of the State of and realized by Giuseppe monumental entrance to the Vatican Museums, opened Momo as engineer and architect and executed for the in the Sangallo walls along Vatican Avenue. It constituted masonry part by the Impresa figli di Pietro Castelli”. It the final act of the process desired by the pontiff following was further explained that “To overcome the 22 meter the signing of the Lateran Treaties on 11 February 1929, difference in height from the said avenue to the level of which sanctioned the birth of the Vatican City State. Part the Vatican gardens, a truncated cone-shaped shaft of that impressive project was the grandiose and far- was excavated in which two parallel helical ramps were sighted sharing and opening of the Vatican Museums built, one for visitors going up, the other for those going to the world, expressly desired by Pope Ratti, who, as a down. Were excavated and removed 15,000 cubic meters librarian, well understood the evangelical and universal of earth. [...] The internal walls that lead to the cantilevered value of the collections of art, history and faith that were ramps, measuring 94 meters in length each ramp, are preserved there. Before this date, access to the Pontifical covered with Italian cipollino, called “verde versiglia”. The Museums came from inside the Vatican Palaces - from floor of the ramps is made of “syenite”; the parapets of the

Vatican Museum Report January 2021 - 5 ramps, or balustrades, are made of bronze and decorated on both sides, inside and outside, by Prof. Antonio Maraini of , with classical ornaments and volutes, which frame the coat of arms of the reigning Pontiff and those of his predecessors who were most deserving of fine arts. The parapets or balustrades were made by the Marinelli foundry in Florence.

Like Alexander VII Chigi who in 1657 had personally sketched the medal for the foundation of Bernini’s Colonnade in St. Peter’s Square, in the same way Pius XI Ratti personally designed the medal for the new entrance to the Vatican Museums, engraved by the famous medallist Aurelio Mistruzzi, where the project inspired by The monumental portal, worn over time, has undergone St. Patrick’s Well in Orvieto was celebrated. The medal restoration in recent years, supported by the Ohio was particularly admired by his contemporaries because Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican in a single image he had succeeded in representing the Museums, carried out by the Casaril company under perspective of the portal, of the androne-vestibule and of the supervision of the Laboratory of Restoration of Stone the stairs, working on three axonometric planes. (BAV, Md. Materials of the Museums of the Pope and with the care Pont.4918) of the Department of Art of the 19th and 20th centuries. A conservative intervention that involved the cleaning of the stone surface and allowed the appreciation of what was beautiful and impressive in the thirties.

Today the door is closed but we hope that it will soon be open again to welcome our visitors.

The main story has either been published or will be published in L’Osservatore Romano. This is the daily newspaper of Vatican City State which reports on the activities of the and events taking place in the Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not an official publication, a role reserved for the , which acts as a government gazette. The views expressed in the Osservatore are those of individual authors unless they appear under the specific titles “Nostre Informazioni” or “Santa Sede”. Further, this translation is not an official translation and should only be used for informational purposes. We did our best. If you can read Italian, we suggest reading the A beautiful and historical photographic image, preserved original version online when it’s available. in the Historical Archives of the Vatican Museums (and a copy also in the Photographic Collection of the ) recalls the event of December 7, 1932, which shows Pope Ratti, surrounded by dignitaries of the Papal Curia together with the then director Bartolomeo Nogara, at the entrance of the portal.

6 - January 2021 Vatican Museum Report VATICAN CITY PAVM – NORTH AMERICAN OFFICE SOCIAL MEDIA The Patrons’ Office - Vatican Museums Office Coordinator: Denise Molitsky Facebook: The Patrons of the Arts V - 00120 Vatican City State 835 North Rush Street in the Vatican Museums Phone +39. 06.698.81814 Chicago, IL 60611 Twitter: @Vatican_Patrons [email protected] (651) 560-6119 Vaticanwww.vatican-patrons.org Museum Report [email protected] Instagram: @vaticanpatronsJanuary 2021 - 7