Italy: Exhibition of Filippino Lippi and Sandro Botticelli in Rome

The originality of Filippino Lippi (1457-1504), pupil of Sandro Botticelli (1444-1510), is highlighted in this exhibition of his work. Orphaned at 12 years of age, Lippi entered the studio of the great Botticelli, with whom he worked for six years before leaving to work on his own. One can study the striking encounter of their two versions of the “Adoration of the Magi”: that of Botticelli, dazzling with his brightly colored clothing, in contrast to the uncluttered simplicity of Lippi.

Also on exhibit is the celebrated “Pala Nerli” altarpiece restored for the occasion. “The four layers of varnish that had obscured the painting over the years have been removed, regaining the splendor of the original colors,” says Alessandro Cecchi, curator of the exhibit. One  can admire a Madonna and Child with the enfant Saint John the Baptist, St. Matthew, St. Catherine and two benefactors, preserved in the Basilica of Santo Spirito in Florence. A work which proves that Lippi is “a great master, certainly not inferior to Botticelli, and wrongly forgotten,” laments Alessandro Cecchi, who insists on his "ingeniousness."

Do not forget to stop at “The Derelitta” (The Abandoned) by Botticelli, a small format with pastel colors belonging to a private collection and rarely exhibited.

In total, there are about forty paintings by Lippi and seven of Botticelli, which were brought together at the Quirinal Stables where prestigious retrospectives are offered to the public each year. The last was dedicated to Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556). The exhibition will close January 5, 2012.
www.scuderiequirinale.it
(Sources: scuderiequirinale.it / Ansa / The Point - DICI No. 243 of 10/28/11)