Arlecchino
Newsletter
Vol. 1
Issue n. 01
December 01, 1999
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ ARLECCHINO NEWSLETTER
~~~
~~~ A Free bi-weekly newsletter of 36 subscribers
~~~ on the discussion of topics related to
~~~ the made-in-Italy products, to the Italian way of life
~~~ and more generally to the Italian style.
~~~
~~~ supported by Studiosoft at http://www.studiosoft.it
~~~
~~~ Marco Piazzalunga, Publisher
~~~ ArlecchinoPublisher@studiosoft.it
~~~
~~~ Vol. 1, issue #1, December 01, 1999
~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear friends,
after months of hard work, it is a great pleasure for me to announce to you that the first
issue of the ARLECCHINO NEWSLETTER, an e-magazine entirely dedicated to the lovers of the
made-in-Italy and the Italian way-of-life all over the world, is now available.
The newsletter is drawn up with the precious contribution of several correspondents and
friends from all over the world, but I am sure that your contribution will be vital in
awarding this magazine with the due success, as each one of us desires to be able to write
and be read by thousands of people from different cultures.
And my words are actually addressed to those who love Italy or are somehow interested in
the Italian way of life: Arlecchino gives you this unique opportunity, that is to become a
living part of our community.
"Arlecchino newsletter" is actually one of the several services that are
available to our community, we have the TalkTalkChat, an instant-messaging chat, we have a
discussion board where everybody can write whatever he wishes to write and be immediately
read by the public, we have online stores where everybody can buy unique products of the
Italian art that are hard to be found elsewhere. Other services are still in the making,
and we stand waiting for further suggestions from you.
We open this number with some items that are strongly oriented to the made-in-Italy
as the introduction to Vicenza, the goldsmith's town par excellence, articles dedicated to
the safeguard of the Italian art, such as the American contributions to the recent
restoration of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican or the re-opening of the Galleria
Borghese in Rome, where highly precious historical and artistic works are found, the
presentation of Italian characters like Leo Castelli, a discoverer of international
artistic talents, and other interesting starting points for discussion.
Have a nice reading, hoping to find you again at our next issue.
Your tireless moderator,
Marco Piazzalunga
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IN THIS ISSUE
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New Topics on Italian/European Fine Jewelry (2)
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1) Monaco Visitors Say There's No Soul
by Associated Press
2) Vicenza, the gold city
by Jean Stafford
New Topics on Antique & Antique European Jewelry (2)
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1) Christmas shopping
by BBC news
2) When is a Fake not a Fake? When it’s a Reproduction
by Phil Ellis
New Topics on Fine Arts in Italy/Europe (2)
-------------------------------------------------------
1) Priest Finds Funds for Vatican Art
by Ellen Knickmeye
2) Leo Castelli, the emperor of modern art
by Ivana Culling
New Topics on Italian style (2)
------------------------------------------
1) Reopening Ceremonies at the Galleria Borghese
by Francesco Pini
2) Nazareno Gabrielli, designer and stylist
by Bob Wallace
----===(*)===----
-----====(* ITALIAN & EUROPEAN FINE JEWELRY *)====-----
Subject: Monaco Visitors Say There's No Soul
MONTE CARLO, Monaco, November 25, 1999 - Fortunes are won and lost through the night in
the smoke-filled, exclusive backrooms of Monaco's casino, built by the architect of the
Paris Opera House. Jewelry stores and Belle Epoque hotels with Italian-style frescoes and
pink marble columns overlook the Mediterranean, where huge private yachts are moored
year-round.
But for all its wealth, this tiny, sun-kissed tax haven -- smaller than New York's Central
Park and for decades a magnet for the international jet set -- seems to lack soul.
"It's like a film set", Marco Peruzzi, a day-tripper from nearby Italy, said as
he gazed at the sand-colored royal palace where the Grimaldi dynasty has ruled for seven
centuries. "You may get a glimpse of celebrities. But you're left with an empty
feeling."
Though they've endured their fair share of celebrity, scandals and tragedy, Monaco
residents are renowned for fiercely shunning publicity and rarely talk to journalists.
Unaccustomed to major crime, they closed ranks more than ever after billionaire banker
Edmond Safra, one of the world's richest men, died in a suspicious fire in his two-floor
penthouse last Friday.
Monaco's official population is about 30,000 and includes the likes of tennis stars Boris
Becker and Bjorn Borg. But only about 5,000 are true natives. Residency is extremely
difficult to achieve. No one, except for French citizens who arrived after 1957, pays
income tax.
For the wealthy, Monte Carlo's clean, tree-lined streets feature some of the world's
leading boutiques and jewelry stores.
Next to the Charles Garnier-built casino -- which features a marble-paved atrium with 28
Ionic columns as well as lavish bronze and gold ornaments -- is the Repossi outlet where
Dodi Fayed reportedly bought a $205,400 diamond solitaire ring for Princess Diana shortly
before their 1997 fatal car crash in Paris.
Nearby are Cartier http://www.cartier.com , Christian
Dior http://www.dior.com , Yves Saint Laurent http://www.yslonline.com and Louis Vuitton http://www.vuitton.com stores.
The glamour has fueled tourism, now a mainstay of the local economy. And much of that
stems from the 1956 marriage of Rainier and Hollywood actress Grace Kelly.
In the aftermath of World War II, Monaco earned up to 90 percent of its revenues from
gambling, compared to the official rate today of around 4 percent. It also attracted
pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries as well as about 50 banks.
http://www.monaco.mc
Associated Press
---------------
Subject: Vicenza, the gold city
MILAN, Italy, November 28, 1999 - Vicenza is curiously tranquil for a city marked by the
dichotomy of its inner life. On one hand, it is a typical provincial town of aristocratic
origin, and on the other, it is one of the strongest industrial centers in all of Italy.
Crown jewel of the wealthy Veneto region, Vicenza boasts the highest per capita income and
lowest rate of unemployment of all the Italian provinces.
To a large degree, Vicenza owes its good fortune to the entrepreneurial urges of its
citizens. They are a reserved and retiring lot, imbued with a large portion of the work
ethic. The microcosm of young industrialists, businessmen and artisans turns on and on, as
they play out their vital roles upon the cities piazzas bounded by aristocratic facades;
upon the surrounding rolling hills and along the banks of the Bacchiglione river.
The Vicenzian mercantile empire is based on simplicity. Things like gold, for example,
that mainstay of trade. Gold is crafted by over 800 local enterprises which present their
products at three annual international fairs.
The city was much favored by Palladio, a supreme Italian architect of the 1500's. Indeed,
the his villas and noble residences which line the exceptionally beautiful Piazza dei
Signori have become the symbols of Vicenza.
http://www.vicenza.org
http://www.vicenzafiera.it
Jean Stafford
-------=======(* ANTIQUE & ANTIQUE JEWELRY *)=======-------
Subject: Christmas shopping
If you're stuck for inspiration on what to buy your nearest and dearest this year and want
to avoid the Christmas shopping crowds, why not head to an auction house for a seasonal
offering?
*** Alternative Christmas presents ***
Phillips Bayswater will be holding a sale of alternative Christmas presents on 7th
December which includes a wide range of ideas for him and her. Phillips are also holding a
fine jewellery sale on 14th December, which includes an unusual Cartier pendant, with the
word Noel spelled out in blue and white enamel. http://www.phillips-auctions.com
*** Auto mania ***
Or for the automobile enthusiast in the family, it might be worth heading to Brooks who
are holding a series of sales of collectors' motors cars, motorcycles, toys and models,
Formula 1 and motorsport memorabilia. The sales take place on Saturday 4th, Monday 6th and
Tuesday 7th December respectively, and include a range of Ferrari models, along with a
number of wonderfully evocative posters from automative history. (Brooks Telephone 020
7228 8000)
*** A cuddly companion ***
Christie's sale of teddy bears and soft toys on 6th December will certainly revive
nostalgic memories. The Teddy-tastic sale is likely to appeal to the teddy bear specialist
and present-buyer alike, with prices starting at £200. The sale includes a blue teddy
from the 1930s, and a limited edition Steiff teddy bear that has been especially
commissioned by the auction house to mark their 25th anniversary. http://www.christies.com
*** Sporting heroes ***
If you're mad about sport, why not turn to the world of collectables and an autograph of a
sporting hero? Dominic Winter Book Auctions is holding a sale of autographs on 9th
December, which span the worlds of film, television, theatre and sport. The autographs
have been collected by one man, and all have an undisputed provenance. http://www.dominic-winter.co.uk
*** Starting a collection ***
Even if the person in mind claims to have everything, there's always a small something
that could start them on the road to collecting. George Kidner are holding a sale of
Christmas presents on Tuesday 7th December, which includes a number of small items that
would be an ideal start to a collection. One example is this silver pincushion in the form
of a pig which is estimated to fetch between £20 and £30. (George Kidner telephone 01590
670070)
BBC news online
---------------
Subject: When is a Fake not a Fake? When it’s a Reproduction
In Britain today, there is a thriving industry in fakes. Copies of everything from antique
lamps to furniture to vases are manufactured every day and sold off to the public, and
it’s all perfectly legal. Well, so it should be, because these fakes are also known
as reproductions. The difference between the two can probably be summed up thus: all fakes
are reproductions, but not all reproductions are fakes. Or, to use a gardening analogy, it
is often said that a weed is simply a flower growing in the wrong place. Much of the
reproduction trade is responsible for some very pretty flowers indeed, but that
doesn’t mean to say that they are the same as the originals, and anyone who
inadvertently buys a repro instead of the real thing would be justifiably upset.
*** Why not repro? ***
Reproduction goods are greatly disliked by many antiques collectors and dealers, and this
is understandable. An antique collector is interested in antiques not just because they
are nice to look at or practical to use, but because they have been around for a long
time. They are a part of history, and part of the appeal of, say, an antique chair is the
knowledge that someone once sat in that chair reading a newspaper with the latest reports
from the Crimea. A reproduction just isn’t the same.
If that’s the case, why do people buy reproduction pieces at all? There are a variety
of reasons. One is that a replacement is needed to complete a set. If it isn’t
possible to find a matching dining chair to make up the numbers, then a good quality
reproduction or two can be your little secret. Unless, that is, your dinner guests include
a furniture specialist who hasn’t learned how to switch off after work, but
that’s a calculated risk.
*** Cost ***
Another reason is often said to be cost. Sometimes repro does represent a cheaper
alternative to someone who wants the look without the expense, but this isn’t always
as obvious as people might think. The difference in price between the cost of an antique
and a convincing reproduction can be negligible. In some cases, the antique might even be
cheaper and it certainly won’t fall in value as soon as you have taken it home.
A third reason is that some people simply don’t want antiques. Reproduction is
actually a preferred choice, and it is chosen because buyers feel more confident about
buying them. Some members of the public do feel that in a reproduction showroom they are
at least likely to be getting what they pay for. With antiques, well, who knows? It’s
an image problem which the antiques trade has had for some time, and it’s no use
ignoring that fact. But it’s also ironic because one of the greatest fears of those
members of the public who are timid about buying antiques is that they could end up being
sold a reproduction!
*** Scientific ***
Many dealers are quite scientific in their approach, basing their opinions on extensive
research. Others speak in rather less scientific terms and, when in doubt, rely on
‘gut feeling’, or ‘intuition’ that sixth sense that some dealers
seem to have for spotting a ‘wrong ‘un’.
Even so, even specialist dealers can be deceived from time to time, which is why anyone
going into the trade tends to learn quickly you pay financially for your mistakes.
Sadly, although new technologies can help with accurate dating and identification, most
dealers don’t have access to them. Characters in science fiction films often have
hand-held devices that could scan an antique table and could not only give an accurate
dating and attribution, but also an indication of the presence of lifeforms (ie woodworm).
Modern day furniture dealers have no such assistance.
*** Law ***
In the absence of such a useful device, the dealer must still be bound by laws which means
that he or she can be held personally responsible for goods sold. Trading Standards
Officers have successfully brought a number of cases recently which have involved antiques
described as genuine, but which turned out to be fake. Those of you who write to us
periodically about the extensive and labyrinthine disclaimers in certain auction
catalogues will be heartened to know that auctioneers have been among those prosecuted. Or
perhaps not.
For the record, as a seller of antiques, you are responsible for the accuracy of your
descriptions. You could be at risk of prosecution for a mislabelling even if you had no
intention to deceive, although a defence could be made if you can show that all reasonable
precautions were taken. This is the so-called ‘due diligence’ we have been
hearing so much about in relation to stolen goods.
*** Education ***
Some system of marking reproduction pieces might well make life easier for the novice
especially as some reproductions are getting better and better. Yet the best defence
against being caught out remains education. The main weapon in the armoury of the
collector is knowledge, and here I must make one final point. Everyone is afraid of buying
a repro believing it to be genuine, but part of the excitement of the world of antiques is
that it can also happen the other way around. Occasionally, you may buy a piece which the
seller believes to be a copy but which is in fact an original. I wonder how many people
would take it back, demanding to pay the difference?
Phil Ellis
------=====(* FINE ARTS IN ITALY & EUROPE *)=====------
Subject: Priest Finds Funds for Vatican Art
VATICAN CITY November 29, 1999 - The first full-time fund-raiser for the Vatican Museums
makes money the old-fashioned way -- he urns it, hunting down a patron for each antique
vase, faded fresco or tarnished treasure.
In five years on the job, the Rev. Allen Duston has signed up enough monied Americans for
repair projects ranging from the newly finished restoration of the Sistine Chapel to
polishing up Pope Pius XI's old roadster.
"An easy sell" the globe-trotting American priest recalls at his computer in an
old papal library, adding, "And the papal carriages were a very easy sell."
"Pretty frescoes" are easy too, Duston says. `"And if it's a big name, it
helps -- Raphael, Michelangelo."
Ticket fees generally pay only for day-to-day operation of the Vatican Museums, which
cover 20 miles of viewing space for art dating back millennia and covering continents.
Duston, a former president of the Dominican theology school at the University of
California at Berkeley, and his Vatican-based staff of two are dedicated to finding money
for the bigger projects, chiefly restoration. In 1999, the projects included everything
from 8th century to 6th century B.C. Etruscan works to handicapped access to the Etruscan
Museum.
Pope John Paul II will preside over Saturday's dedication of Duston's biggest project to
date -- the cleaning and repair of the wall frescoes lining the Sistine Chapel.
Botticelli and his peers from Umbria and Tuscany painted the parallel allegories of the
lives of Moses and Jesus in the 15th century, decades before Michelangelo got to work on
the ceiling.
About 20 donors, many of them Americans, paid for the $3 million restoration.
Over the past weekend, Duston secured his biggest single gift to date -- $2 million for
his next big project, restoring rooms of Pope Pius IV, courtesy of a private New York
foundation.
Americans make up about 1,000 of the 1,200 names on the patron's list -- which has tripled
in size since Duston and his staff started raising money full-time.
It includes some big names, such as Loretta Young, Bob Hope and Ricardo Montalban. And
some big money, Texas oilmen among them.
About 60 percent of the givers are Catholic but a sizable minority aren't -- 15 percent
are Jews, the rest mostly Protestant. And whether they are religiously observant or not
does not have a lot to do with it.
"These are people who are not necessarily interested in religion but they are
interested in art", Duston says.
After financial troubles, the Vatican in the 1990s turned increasingly to sponsors for its
upkeep. Italian utilities footed much of the bill for the scrubbing of the facade this
summer.
"One of the first things you have to do is work through the myth of the riches of the
Vatican", Duston said.
John Paul has had an answer for those who question art as a priority for a church.
The church's patronage of the arts is "age-old", John Paul said at a 1997
dedication of restored frescoes of Fra Angelico, calling "beauty ... a clear
expression of mankind's highest aspirations and a manifestation of the glory of God."
And, "sure, there are perks2, Duston says of the other motivations driving his
patrons.
For a minimum contribution of $500 a year, those perks include backstairs access at the
Vatican Museums.
For considerably more, there's the satisfying prospect of a plaque with your name on it at
the museums -- and you, standing next to it, while a loved one snaps your picture.
Which makes holes in the ground a perpetually hard sell for Duston.
Finding funding for archaeological excavations under early Rome churches is "the
hardest thing of all", the fund-raiser says.
"People like to see ... what it is they helped conserve."
http://www.vatican.va
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/sistine/0-Tour.html
Ellen Knickmeye
---------------
Subject: Leo Castelli, the emperor of modern art
NEW YORK CITY November 11, 1999 - "I just might buy a couple of paintings from this
guy", Leo Castelli once said to his erstwhile gallery director Ivan Karp. "This
guy" was Andy Warhol. It was the early 60s and Castelli's infallible intuition was
tuned in to the frequencies of the art world and specifically pop art, an artistic
movement destined to make history and change the face of modern art. Leo Castelli was born
in Trieste (Italy) as Leo Krauss in 1907, when the city was still part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his destiny was to become a discoverer of artists. His
passion led him to Paris in the 1930s. Then, during World War II, he made his way to New
York. From that time on New York was his homeland and his nourishment, a city, or rather,
a microcosmic concentration of the world, which has rewarded his affection with a deep
sense of gratitude.
Leo Castelli is the man who discovered John, Rauschemberg, Stella, Lichtenstein and
Warhol, changing the face of American art forever.
Following his recent death at the age of 91, New York is celebrating his great
contribution to the diffusion of American art in the world.
http://www.clpgh.org/warhol
Ivana Culling
-----====(* ITALIAN STYLE *)====-----
Subject: Reopening Ceremonies at the Galleria Borghese
ROME Italy, November 15, 1999 - After 13 years of renovation, one of the most significant
and richest of art museums in Rome, the Galleria Borghese has reopened its doors to the
public.
As part of Italy's summer of culture, the month of July witnessed the reopening of one of
the most prominent art center's in the capital city after some 13 years of renovation
work: the Galleria Borghese, housed within the splendid complex of the Villa Borghese.
*** A Bit of History ***
The gallery contains one of the world's most important collections of Italian art. The
collection was amassed by cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V (1605-1621),
who commissioned the palace's construction by the architect G. Vasanzio (1613).
It was built in a forest of huge fir trees populated by animals of every imaginable sort.
Scipione Borghese was obsessed with art and stooped to any means to expand his collection
(from kidnapping to holding his victims under arrest for ransom). He even went so far as
to abscond with Raphael's Deposizione (1507) from the church of San Francesco di Perugia
with the help of his uncle Pope Paul V., a gesture which sparked off an uprising of the
local population. His complete lack of scruples is illustrated by his most threatening
"request" to the painter Guido Reni to return to Rome in order to finish a
particular work and by his having 'il Domenichino' arrested because the artist refused to
surrender his painting Caccia di Diana.
*** The Permanent Collection ***
The Villa Borghese is once again enhanced by a double staircase completely reconstructed
for the reopening using Vasanzio's original plans an attribute which, it must be said, has
provoked contradictory opinions. To explore the villa's magnificent salons is to encounter
countless celebrated masterpieces. Among these are several scultures done by Gian Lorenzo
Bernini, who was actually discovered while still quite a young man by Scipione Borghese.
Displayed works include Apollo and Daphne, The Abduction of Persephone and Aeneas ,
Anchise and Ascanio.
The most famous sculpture in the collection remains the Paolina Borghese Bonaparte Come
Venere Vincitrice, most likely commissioned to replenish the family's collection which was
impoverished by the sale of 250 marble works to brother-in-law Napoleon (who promptly
carted them off to the Louvre in Paris). The statue, ever a symbol of the gallery itself,
was the object of intensive efforts to restore its original magnificence. Many are the
masterpieces gracing the collection: Caravaggio, Raffaello, Rubens, Pietro da Cortona,
Antonello da Messina, Annibale Carracci e Dosso Dossi, Domenichino, Bronzino, Tiziano, to
name but a few.
For additional information, please contact:
Galleria Borghese
Piazzale Scipione Borghese n. 5
00197 ROMA
ph. +39-06-32810
http://www.galleriaborghese.it
Francesco Pini
---------------
Subject: Nazareno Gabrielli, designer and stylist
PERUGIA, Italy November 25, 1999 - There's a common denominator in the history of Nazareno
Gabrielli. It's that special ability, based on the respect of traditions, of living ahead
of the times. This does not mean being unrealistic, but rather knowing how to interpret
the needs and changes of taste and fashion according to an exclusive and personal style
always coherent with its own distinct set of values.
And so Nazareno Gabrielli's world is born, a cosmos which encompasses a style of life,
cultured and refined, whose fundamental values are elegance, quality, taste and class
modelled on the trends of modern life. All this is the result of a progressive evolution.
Today the consumer is mature and demands a high quality product. It is a time which sees
the great return of "labels" of great traditions, which have over the years been
able to resist the temptation of being "in fashion". That is the case of
Nazareno Gabrielli which is proposing itself as a reference point for the buyers of the
90s.
At present the fashion house from Tolentino offers a total look range, from suits to
accessories, including traditional leather goods, paper goods and other gifts. Nazareno
Gabrielli is hoping to intensify its presence in the men's and women's fashion segments
with product lines in leather, fabric and knitwear.
These efforts are allowing a tighter operative integration of all its activities, both as
far as product development and production are concerned, and at the distribution and
investment levels, and achieving in this way important economic sinergies.
Thus the world of Nazareno Gabrielli is being continuously enriched into a dimension that
makes quality constant in time and space. The bag, scarf, electronic agenda, wallet or
foulard are all the different fruits of a unique idea which was born from a culture rooted
in the artisanal activity of an Italy which was able to impose itself in time and is now
recognized worldwide.
For additional information, please contact:
Nazareno Gabrielli s.p.a.
Contrada Cisterna 63 - 62029 Tolentino (MC) - Italy
Phone +39-0733-902.1 Fax +39-0733-974455/972418
Show-room:
Via Vittor Pisani 7 - 20124 Milano - Italy
Phone +39-02-66985033 Fax +39-02-66985292
Press Office: Sabrina Mazzonzelli
Bob Wallace, AtlasPress
------------------==========(*)==========------------------
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