- Title: USA: Michelangelo's David Apollo returns to Washington
- Date: 12th December 2012
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNTIED STATES (DECEMBER 12, 2012) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **0 VARIOUS OF MICHELANGELO'S DAVID APOLLO ON DISPLAY AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART PAN OF STATUE WIDE OF ITALIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, GIULIO TERZI SPEAKING DURING PRESENTATION CEREMONY (SOUNDBITE) (English) GIULIO TERZI, ITALIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SAYING: "The decision to launch 2013, Year of Italian culture in the U.S. with this exhibit was easy, even natural. Indeed, Michelangelo's David Apollo is a true masterpiece, but perhaps more significantly it is also a symbol of the strong historical ties and the deep friendship between the United States and Italy." VIEW OF COURTYARD AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART DURING PRESENTATION PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH THE ITALIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE VARIOUS VIEWS OF MICHELANGELO'S DAVID APOLLO ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) GIULIO TERZI, ITALIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SAYING: "We have brought here from Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence, a very important and famous work of art made by Michelangelo, the Apollo from Michelangelo is not completely finished and it is even more interesting for researchers because there are still the final touches of this early work from Michelangelo which are evident in history and symbolically for our relationship. Our bi-lateral relationship the return of the Apollo is another meaning of our deep-rooted friendship. The first time it came to the United States it was on the occasion and to celebrate the inauguration of President Harry Truman and now it is coming back, Apollo for the celebration of the year of Italian culture in the United States." MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHING DAVID APOLLO (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALISON LUCHS, CURATOR OF EARLY EUROPEAN SCULPTURE AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART SAYING: "A complete work by Michelangelo would be wonderful but in a different way. This one leaves more to the imagination, it leaves room to think and to speculate and to wonder and to try to put yourself in the artist's place and imagine what he was bringing out of that block of stone...and we'll never know for sure. That's part of the fascination of it." WIDE OF MICHELANGELO SCULPTURE PAN OF SCULPTURE
- Embargoed: 27th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: International Relations,Arts,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA96Z5QJQ52BZLN2ISHAXL17TNA
- Story Text: Italy brings Michelangelo's famed David Apollo to Washington to kick-off a year-long celebration of Italian culture in the U.S.
Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi presented Michelangelo's David Apollo to the National Gallery of Art in Washington on Wednesday (December 12) to launch a celebration of Italian culture in the United States.
Terzi presented the 482 year old sculpture to the museum, where it will go on display to the general public on Thursday (December 13). The masterpiece is on loan from the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence.
"The decision to launch 2013 Year of Italian Culture in the U.S. with this exhibit was easy, even natural. Indeed, Michelangelo's David Apollo is a true masterpiece, but perhaps more significantly it is also a symbol of the strong historical ties and the deep friendship between the United States and Italy," Terzi told reporters.
The renowned sculpture was last in the United States in 1949 during President Harry Truman's inaugural reception and was seen by nearly 800,000 visitors. Forward 62 years later, Michelangelo's David Apollo will be on display on the National Mall during the inauguration of President Barack Obama, where a new generation of art lovers can view the art treasure.
Alison Luchs, curator of Early European Sculpture at the National Gallery of Art explained that this unfinished work of Michelangelo is special.
"This one leaves more to the imagination, it leaves room to think and to speculate and to wonder and to try to put yourself in the artist's place and imagine what he was bringing out of that block of stone...and we'll never know for sure. That's part of the fascination of it," she said.
The David Apollo will be on display until March 3, 2013.
The 2013 Year of Italian Culture Project will showcase Italian arts and culture in more than 40 U.S cities. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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